Fluorescent Sensor Identifies Psychiatric Drugs
DAVIS, Calif., April 29, 2021 — A genetically encoded biosensor to detect hallucinogenic compounds could be used to aid in the discovery of treatments for mental illness, in neuroscience research, and to detect drugs of abuse. A team at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) developed the sensor, called psychLight, which can be used to look for pharmaceutical potential without the side effect of hallucinations. Compounds related to psychedelic drugs such as LSD and DMT show promise in the treatment of