Michael Houghton
YOU?
Author Swipe
View article: Phase I Trial of a Peptide-Based Vaccine to Prevent Group A Streptococcal Infection
Phase I Trial of a Peptide-Based Vaccine to Prevent Group A Streptococcal Infection Open
View article: Multi-Domain Counterfactual Causal Graphs for Spurious Pathway Detection and Functional Risk Estimation
Multi-Domain Counterfactual Causal Graphs for Spurious Pathway Detection and Functional Risk Estimation Open
Deep neural networks (DNNs) are prone to exploiting spurious correlations, especially when trained on multi-source datasets, where pseudo-causal paths can form across domains and interfere with generalization. This work introduces a method…
View article: Human Antibodies to M-Protein Epitope-Based Vaccines Demonstrate Increased Immunogenicity and Streptococcus pyogenes (StrepA) Bactericidal Activity
Human Antibodies to M-Protein Epitope-Based Vaccines Demonstrate Increased Immunogenicity and Streptococcus pyogenes (StrepA) Bactericidal Activity Open
View article: Investigating the potential of oncolytic viruses in the treatment of melanoma: where do we go from here?
Investigating the potential of oncolytic viruses in the treatment of melanoma: where do we go from here? Open
Oncolytic viruses (OVs) can destroy cancer cells without harming healthy cells. This review explores the mechanisms by which OVs operate and the methods of delivering them. Melanoma is a common type of skin cancer with increasing prevalenc…
View article: Multi-Domain Counterfactual Causal Graphs for Spurious Pathway Detection and Functional Risk Estimation 
Multi-Domain Counterfactual Causal Graphs for Spurious Pathway Detection and Functional Risk Estimation Open
View article: Discovery of Novel Pyrido[2,3‐<i>b</i>]Pyrazine Human Cytomegalovirus Polymerase Inhibitors with Broad Spectrum Antiherpetic Activity and Reduced hERG Inhibition
Discovery of Novel Pyrido[2,3‐<i>b</i>]Pyrazine Human Cytomegalovirus Polymerase Inhibitors with Broad Spectrum Antiherpetic Activity and Reduced hERG Inhibition Open
The development of non‐nucleoside inhibitors targeting human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) polymerase presents a promising approach for enhancing therapeutic treatment for patients with sustained HCMV viremia. A series of non‐nucleoside HCMV DNA …
View article: A phase 1 randomized controlled trial of a peptide-based group A streptococcal vaccine in healthy volunteers
A phase 1 randomized controlled trial of a peptide-based group A streptococcal vaccine in healthy volunteers Open
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04882514. Registered on 2021-05-12, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04882514 .
View article: Challenge Inoculum for Hepatitis C Virus Controlled Human Infection Model
Challenge Inoculum for Hepatitis C Virus Controlled Human Infection Model Open
For any controlled human infection model (CHIM), a safe, standardized, and biologically relevant challenge inoculum is necessary. For hepatitis C virus (HCV) CHIM, we propose that human-derived high-titer inocula of several viral genotypes…
View article: Same-day emergency care
Same-day emergency care Open
View article: Computational determination of toxicity risks associated with a selection of approved drugs having demonstrated activity against COVID-19
Computational determination of toxicity risks associated with a selection of approved drugs having demonstrated activity against COVID-19 Open
View article: SARS-COV-2 recombinant Receptor-Binding-Domain (RBD) induces neutralizing antibodies against variant strains of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1
SARS-COV-2 recombinant Receptor-Binding-Domain (RBD) induces neutralizing antibodies against variant strains of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 Open
View article: Computational Determination of Toxicity Risks Associated with a Selection of Approved Drugs having Demonstrated Activity Against COVID- 19
Computational Determination of Toxicity Risks Associated with a Selection of Approved Drugs having Demonstrated Activity Against COVID- 19 Open
Background The emergence and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) at late 2019 has caused a devastating global pandemic of the severe pneumonia-like disease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Altho…
View article: News and Views December 2020
News and Views December 2020 Open
View article: A structure-based computational workflow to predict liability and binding modes of small molecules to hERG
A structure-based computational workflow to predict liability and binding modes of small molecules to hERG Open
Off-target interactions of drugs with the human ether-à-go-go related gene 1 (hERG1) channel have been associated with severe cardiotoxic conditions leading to the withdrawal of many drugs from the market over the last decades. Consequentl…
View article: A Fibrosis‐Independent Hepatic Transcriptomic Signature Identifies Drivers of Disease Progression in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
A Fibrosis‐Independent Hepatic Transcriptomic Signature Identifies Drivers of Disease Progression in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Open
Background and Aims Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a heterogeneous cholangiopathy characterized by progressive biliary fibrosis. RNA sequencing of liver tissue from patients with PSC (n = 74) enrolled in a 96‐week clinical trial w…
View article: Chlorcyclizine Inhibits Viral Fusion of Hepatitis C Virus Entry by Directly Targeting HCV Envelope Glycoprotein 1
Chlorcyclizine Inhibits Viral Fusion of Hepatitis C Virus Entry by Directly Targeting HCV Envelope Glycoprotein 1 Open
View article: List of SYBR RT-qPCR primer sequences.
List of SYBR RT-qPCR primer sequences. Open
View article: Differential expression of interferon-lambda receptor 1 splice variants determines the magnitude of the antiviral response induced by interferon-lambda 3 in human immune cells
Differential expression of interferon-lambda receptor 1 splice variants determines the magnitude of the antiviral response induced by interferon-lambda 3 in human immune cells Open
Type III interferons (IFN-lambdas(λ)) are important cytokines that inhibit viruses and modulate immune responses by acting through a unique IFN-λR1/IL-10RB heterodimeric receptor. Until now, the primary antiviral function of IFN-λs has bee…
View article: Computational Screening of Molecules Approved in Phase-I Clinical Trials to Identify 3CL Protease Inhibitors to Treat COVID-19
Computational Screening of Molecules Approved in Phase-I Clinical Trials to Identify 3CL Protease Inhibitors to Treat COVID-19 Open
Ligand and structure based virtual screening approaches were applied to clinical stage drugs as well as those approved for human use in an attempt to repurpose drugs for potential use against COVID-19. This approach involved ligand-based s…
View article: Computational Screening of Molecules Approved in Phase-I Clinical Trials to Identify 3CL Protease Inhibitors to Treat COVID-19
Computational Screening of Molecules Approved in Phase-I Clinical Trials to Identify 3CL Protease Inhibitors to Treat COVID-19 Open
Ligand and structure based virtual screening approaches were applied to clinical stage drugs as well as those approved for human use in an attempt to repurpose drugs for potential use against COVID-19. This approach involved ligand-based s…
View article: Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis C Among Drug Users at a Detoxification Center in Southeast China
Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis C Among Drug Users at a Detoxification Center in Southeast China Open
Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is prevalent worldwide, especially among drug users. The epidemiology of HCV is rarely reported among drug users in developing countries, including China. Objectives: We aimed to describe the s…
View article: Decision letter: An ultralong CDRH2 in HCV neutralizing antibody demonstrates structural plasticity of antibodies against E2 glycoprotein
Decision letter: An ultralong CDRH2 in HCV neutralizing antibody demonstrates structural plasticity of antibodies against E2 glycoprotein Open
Article Figures and data Abstract Introduction Results Discussion Materials and methods Data availability References Decision letter Author response Article and author information Metrics Abstract A vaccine protective against diverse HCV v…
View article: Sociodemographic risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection in a prospective cohort study of 257 persons in Canada who inject drugs
Sociodemographic risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection in a prospective cohort study of 257 persons in Canada who inject drugs Open
BACKGROUND: Approximately 60% of incident hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are due to intravenous drug use; therefore, understanding the socio-demographics of people who inject drugs (PWID) is necessary to achieve HCV elimination. METHOD…
View article: Hepatitis C Virus: 30 Years after Its Discovery
Hepatitis C Virus: 30 Years after Its Discovery Open
Evidence for the existence of another hepatitis-causing pathogen, other than the known hepatitis A and B viruses, emerged in the mid-1970s. A frustrating search of 15 years was ended by the identification of the hepatitis C virus in 1989 u…
View article: A Recombinant Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1a E1/E2 Envelope Glycoprotein Vaccine Elicits Antibodies That Differentially Neutralize Closely Related 2a Strains through Interactions of the N-Terminal Hypervariable Region 1 of E2 with Scavenger Receptor B1
A Recombinant Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1a E1/E2 Envelope Glycoprotein Vaccine Elicits Antibodies That Differentially Neutralize Closely Related 2a Strains through Interactions of the N-Terminal Hypervariable Region 1 of E2 with Scavenger Receptor B1 Open
A vaccine is still urgently needed to overcome the hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic. It is estimated that 1.75 million new HCV infections occur each year, many of which will go undiagnosed and untreated. Untreated HCV can lead to continued…
View article: A central hydrophobic E1 region controls the pH range of hepatitis C virus membrane fusion and susceptibility to fusion inhibitors
A central hydrophobic E1 region controls the pH range of hepatitis C virus membrane fusion and susceptibility to fusion inhibitors Open
View article: Atomistic Computational Models to Predict Drug-Mediated Cardiotoxicity
Atomistic Computational Models to Predict Drug-Mediated Cardiotoxicity Open
View article: Functional and immunogenic characterization of diverse HCV glycoprotein E2 variants
Functional and immunogenic characterization of diverse HCV glycoprotein E2 variants Open
View article: Progress toward approval of an HCV vaccine
Progress toward approval of an HCV vaccine Open
New effective drugs to treat hepatitis C (HCV) promise to cure nearly all patients, but relying solely on antivirals without an effective vaccine has been ineffective in eliminating all other infectious diseases. A prophylactic HCV vaccine…
View article: Frequency and Impact of Adverse Events in Patients Undergoing Surgery for End-stage Ankle Arthritis
Frequency and Impact of Adverse Events in Patients Undergoing Surgery for End-stage Ankle Arthritis Open
Category: Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: Patients seeking surgical treatment for ESAA have two primary treatment options: arthrodesis and arthroplasty. While there are comparative trials that address treatment options, neither the c…