Project report & Thesis (Bachelor of Pharmacy)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10361/3212

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Open Access
Assessing the prevalence and impact of KRAS-rs61764370 polymorphism in breast cancer development among Bangladeshi women: A case-control study
(BRAC University, 2026-04) Khan, Nissat; Samia; Lamia, Sanzana Azam; Baroi, Sinthia; Haque, Md. Aminul; School of Pharmacy
Breast cancer has increased pressure on the healthcare system to come up with unconventional preventive measures due to its rise in the number of Bangladeshi women carrying the disease. Already established diagnostic evaluation methods have improved survival rates, but the number of disease carriers has increased, which calls for deeper analysis of the disease. Among these, the presence of SNPs in the regulatory regions that alter the way genes are expressed is one of the factors in the development of breast cancer. The goal of the study is to investigate the link between the KRAS rs 6174370 and breast cancer risk in Bangladeshi women, with the intention of finding a potential biomarker for early diagnosis and risk detection. The case study comprised 236 individuals, with 112 confirmed cases of breast cancer identified through histopathology, while the remaining participants served as controls without any disease. The rs61764370 in the KRAS gene was genotyped using the PCR-RFLP technique. The results showed that patients with GT genotypes had 55.36% of cases compared to 20.97% in the control group, which increases the risk by 4.5 times (aOR = 4.548, 95% CI: 2.590-7.988, p < 0.001). The GG genotype showed the lowest effect as compared to the others. Making the GT genotype a potential biomarker to identify the potential development of breast cancer and risk assessments.
Embargoed
The role of interleukins in obsessive-compulsive disorder: Pathophysiological insights and potential biomarkers
(BRAC University, 2026-04) Mahmud, Sami; Islam, Md. Rabiul; School of Pharmacy
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a long-term mental illness which is characterized by unwanted thoughts and repetitive compulsive behaviors that hampers our daily life. The previous analysis of OCD was focused on neurotransmitter dysregulation mainly within serotonergic and dopaminergic systems and results suggests that immune and inflammatory mechanisms are contributing to the disorder’s pathophysiology. The role of interleukins in OCD, tells about the primary involvement in neurobiological mechanisms and how they are becoming useful as biomarkers are mentioned in this literature review. Reports which are recently shows that changed levels of interleukins, including pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17, also anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL-10, probably affect neural signaling and immune responses in OCD patients. A neural pathway involved in the development of OCD behaviors and cytokines can affect neurotransmitter regulation, microglial activation, and synaptic communication within the cortico-striato thalamo cortical circuit. Inflammatory signaling is connected with damages in glutamatergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission and contributing to the hyperactivity of circuits and the mental rigidity seen in OCD. Reports which are recently shows that increasing of OCD is not only by neurotransmitter imbalance but also by neuroimmune interactions. Disease mechanisms and treatment resistance are interleukin-mediated inflammatory processes which provided important insights. The formulation of targeted therapeutic approach may changed cytokine profiles which likely serve as promising peripheral biomarkers for early detection and disease monitoring. Continued investigation of OCD enhanced understanding of its complex pathophysiology and facilitate new exploration.
Open Access
Assessing the prevalence and impact of KRAS-rs712 polymorphism in breast cancer development among Bangladeshi women: A case-control study
(BRAC University, 2026) Hasan, Abid Al; Rifa, Fatima Akter; Tasnim, Sadia; Choudhury, Shahjin; Haque, Md. Aminul; School of Pharmacy
Breast cancer affects Bangladeshi women especially poor women. The fact that diagnosis and treatment have improved means that even though people can no longer die due to lack of tests, some individuals still end up dying owing to the time-consuming nature of tests. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are a form of genetic mutation that increases the probability of an individual developing breast cancer by a considerable margin. To determine whether there was any relationship between the higher probability of getting breast cancer among Bangladeshi women and the KRAS gene, scientists examined the KRAS gene polymorphism (rs712). There were 124 healthy people and 112 people with breast cancer in the case-control study. These findings should be validated and how this difference influences the course of breast cancer should be established through more studies. The distribution of genotypes of rs712 was tested by Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. TT genotype was linked with reduced risk of breast cancer with an Adjusted Odds Ratio of 0.065 (95% CI:0.009-0.504) and GT was associated with a potential risk of breast cancer with an Adjusted Odds Ratio of 1.870 (95% CI:1.071-3.263, p-value:0.028). However, following subsequent consideration of multiple testing and restricted covariate regulation, such associations are to be approached with caution. These results are to be supported by larger research studies with complex adjustment of confounders and categorization of multiple tests.
Open Access
GC-MS profiling and in silico evaluation of the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiarrheal, and hypoglycemic potential of Ixora cuneifolia leaf extract
(BRAC University, 2026-05) Mumu, Tabassum Mahiya; Mim, Syeda Tamannur; Raj, Asef; School of Pharmacy
Medicinal plants are an important source of bioactive compounds and play a significant role in the discovery of new therapeutic agents. Ixora cuneifolia, a member of the Rubiaceae family, is traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases including fever, pain, inflammation, and gastrointestinal disorders. In this study, the leaf of the plant I. cuneifolia were tested to explore its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetes, anti-diarrheal, and analgesic activity using in silico approaches. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis was performed to identify the chemical compounds present in the plant extract. Several bioactive phytochemicals were detected in the extract, indicating the presence of compounds that may contribute to its biological activities. To further understand the mechanism of action of these compounds, molecular docking analysis was conducted against selected target proteins. The docking results revealed that several identified compounds exhibited favorable binding affinities with the selected receptors through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, suggesting strong ligand–protein interactions within the active sites of the target proteins. Among the detected compounds, certain molecules demonstrated particularly strong binding scores, indicating their potential as promising therapeutic candidates. The results suggested that several compounds possess acceptable pharmacokinetic characteristics and comply with standard drug-likeness criteria. Overall, the findings of this study support the traditional medicinal use of I. cuneifolia and suggest that its phytochemical constituents may serve as potential candidates for the development of novel anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, hypoglycemic drugs. Further experimental and clinical studies are recommended to validate these findings and explore the therapeutic potential of the identified compounds.
Open Access
Assessment of the quality control criteria for five brands of Ciprofloxacin (500 mg) tablets available in Bangladesh
(BRAC University, 2026-06) Apsara, Samihat Safa; Jamiruddin, Mohd. Raeed; School of Pharmacy
Five brands of 500 mg Ciprofloxacin tablets sold in Bangladesh were assessed for quality control characteristics in this study. This is to evaluate their adherence to USP guidelines. Tests were conducted on randomly chosen samples from each brand to measure weight variation, hardness, friability, disintegration, and dissolution. Every brand showed outstanding friability performance (<1% weight loss) and complied with weight variation standards (±5% deviation). In the disintegration test, all five brands of Ciprofloxacin tablets tested broke in the medium in 3 minutes 5 seconds to 9 minutes 3 seconds. This means they all met the medicine standards. Moreover, in the dissolution test, a drug release profile of less than 31% means patients would not get enough therapeutic effect as it doesn’t fulfill the USP/BP guidelines of drug dissolution testing.
Open Access
Evaluation of antidiarrheal and hypoglycemic activities of methanolic extract of Hygrophila erecta in mice
(BRAC University, 2026-06) Farin, Naziba; Tuly, Abanti Sarker; Prattay, Kazi Milenur Rahman; School of Pharmacy
Hygrophila erecta is a medicinal plant with a variety numbers of pharmacological properties. In the study, an attempt was made to evaluate the hypoglycemic and antidiarrheal activities of the methanolic crude extract of H. erecta using experimental animal models.The hypoglycemic activity was evaluated by monitoring blood glucose levels after oral administration of the extract at two different doses. Both doses produced a significant time-dependent reduction in blood glucose, with the maximum effect observed at the later observation period, indicating a mild hypoglycemic potential compared to previously reported standard plant extracts. The anti-diarrheal activity was assessed using a castor oil-induced diarrhea model. The extract showed a reduction in diarrheal frequency at both tested doses.These findings suggest that H. erecta possesses mild pharmacological activities in both hypoglycemic and antidiarrheal models.
Open Access
Isolation and characterization of lactic acid bacteria from yogurt samples and evaluation of their fermentation efficiency
(BRAC University, 2026-06) Fahim, Abu Horaira Bhuiyan; Barikder, Gift; Jahan, Farjana; Akter, Mehnaz Tamanna Bintay; Abir, Ahanafe Shahriar; Jamiruddin, Mohd. Raeed; School of Pharmacy
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are essential microorganisms in the manufacture of dairy products because they produce lactic acid, a well-known preservative, are used in food fermentation and can have probiotic properties. The present study was designed to isolate and characterise LAB from the local samples of yogurt and compare its fermentation efficiency in milk. Five samples of yogurt (A-E) were taken from various places of Bangladesh and cultured by serial dilution technique on MRS agar. Selected isolates were purified in MRS slants in an anaerobic candle-jar and transferred to pasteurized milk. The pH, liquid volume and dry yogurt weight were used to measure fermentation performance. Sample D was the most successful in colony growth, slant culture development and yogurt formation. The pH of fermented milk samples was in the range 3.98-4.19, showing an effective acidification. The mean dry weight of the yogurt was between 54.68 to 71.11 g and liquid was between 50.25 to 68.25 mL. The optimal performance in fermentation was achieved with the application of 200–300 μL of the starter culture per 150 mL of milk, which corresponds to about 0.13–0.20% (v/v).The results indicate that the yogurt may be a good source of LAB that can be used in the dairy, food preservation, probiotics and pharmaceutical research.
Open Access
In silico epitope prediction and multi-epitope vaccine design targeting human elongation factor 1-Alpha 1 (EF1A1)
(BRAC University, 2026-06) Alif, Mottakian Ahamed; Siam, Mohammad Kawsar Sharif; School of Pharmacy
Worldwide dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 have accentuated the necessity for effective vaccines. Here, a design for multiepitope vaccine (MEV) was applied. The epitope pools were computationally predicted, and many tests were done for CTL, HTL and B-cell epitopes. The chosen epitopes were connected to form a single construct using appropriate linkers in order to maintain structural configuration and maximise immunogenicity. The vaccine's physicochemical properties and stability were tested utilizing ProtParam, its 3D structure predicted through Phyre2 and validated via Ramachandran plots, ERRAT, QMEAN affirming a credible stereochemical conformation. The docking study of interaction with Toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8) is for binding affinity of the design. In silico simulations utilizing C-ImmSim indicated strong antibody responses (IgM, IgG1, IgG2), activated CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in balanced states with quality memory formation based on combined Th1/Th2-derived cytokine profiles. In summary, the in-silico analyses suggest that it is highly immunogenic, not structurally unstable. Now it should provide a logic basis for experimental validation and rapid vaccine development against current and emergent viral variants.
Open Access
Efficacy of PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors in triple-negative breast cancer: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
(BRAC University, 2026-06) Khandaker, Meharin; Chowdhury, Namara Mariam; School of Pharmacy
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer. PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors have recently shown promise when combined with chemotherapy to treat TNBC. This thesis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in TNBC through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nine randomized controlled trials were included. This study covers both early-stage and advanced or metastatic TNBC. The main efficacy outcomes were pathological complete response (pCR) in early-stage TNBC and objective response rate (ORR) in advanced or metastatic TNBC. Safety was assessed using Grade ≥3 adverse events. The pooled analysis showed that PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy significantly improved pCR in early-stage TNBC (OR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.43-2.31; p < 0.00001) and ORR in advanced or metastatic TNBC (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.09-1.51; p = 0.003). Safety analysis showed no statistically significant increase in Grade ≥3 adverse events with immunotherapy-based treatment compared with control therapy (RR = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.99-1.11; p = 0.14). Overall, the findings suggest that PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy provide meaningful clinical benefit in TNBC.
Open Access
In silico design of a multi epitope vaccine for epithelial cancer immunotherapy-a comparative study
(BRAC University, 2026-05) Rafique, Zubair Bin; Siam, Mohammad Kawsar Sharif; School of Pharmacy
Epithelial cancers remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and many patients either fail or cannot tolerate conventional therapies. Cancer immunotherapy, particularly multi-epitope peptide and mRNA vaccines, has emerged as a promising strategy to induce precise, durable anti-tumor immune responses while limiting systemic toxicity. Leveraging tumor-associated and cancer-testis antigens as well as oncogenic drivers enables rational vaccine design tailored to epithelial malignancies such as breast, lung, colorectal and cervical cancers. This study presents a comparative analysis of in silico based multi epitope vaccine construction against epithelial cancer targeting 4 different proteins. Each protein was evaluated for vaccine antigenicity, physicochemical properties and structural stability using immune informative approach to identify the most suitable vaccine candidate. Various tools were used to identify the different epitopes of HTL, CTL, Bcell, which were connected using suitable linkers. Physicochemical properties were also check for the prepared vaccine through using Protparam. Molecular Docking was done with TLR-3 for checking the residual interaction. Among the proteins investigated, fascin1 emerged as the most promising candidate demonstrating superior vaccine antigenicity, favorable physical properties and structural stability. Collectively, this approach is expected to yield a structurally stable, antigenic, and globally applicable multi-epitope vaccine candidate capable of eliciting coordinated humoral and cellular immunity against epithelial cancers, warranting subsequent in vitro and in vivo validation.
Open Access
Natural products in telomere protection: Potential in the prevention of ageing and longevity
(BRAC University, 2026-02-26) Sharita, Mahima Fariha; Haque, Md. Aminul; School of Pharmacy
A fundamental biological phenomenon is aging and the hallmarks for this are cellular degradation, unexpected genetics, persistent chronic health condition. An enzyme called telomerase is responsible for creating the particular DNA sequence found at telomeres, or the terminal DNA at the ends of every chromosome. Chromosome ends are shielded from being identified as damaged DNA by telomeres, which are crucial genetic components. During fetal development, telomerase is activated, preventing telomeres from being significantly lost during this time of tremendous cell expansion. In order to support healthy ageing, the main goal of this thesis is to investigate the function of telomere biology in connection to the ageing process as well as the effects of naturally occurring bioactive compounds on the ageing process. Additionally, this thesis seeks to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of telomere shortening and their connections to oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial damage, and defective DNA repair, all of which are crucial factors in the decline of physiological functions with ageing. In a translational manner there is an establishment of connection between the importance of natural object with the telomere bindings property along with the experimental data. It emphasizes the importance of dosage, effectiveness, reliability of translational relevance but points out that clinical trials, which need to be planned carefully, are required to demonstrate their role in extending lives and preventing age-associated diseases.
Open Access
In silico screening of phytochemicals against human caspase-6 for Huntington's disease therapeutics
(BRAC University, 2026-06) Utsha, Imtiaz Ahmed; Omer, Humair Bin Md; School of Pharmacy
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal genetic disorder caused by a Cytosine-Adenine-Guanine (CAG) repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene. This study utilized a structure-based in silico virtual screening strategy via AutoDock Vina to discover competitive caspase-6 inhibitors from a library of 50 phytochemicals native to the Jahangirnagar University (JU) campus. Protocol accuracy was confirmed by an internal self-docking control yielding a root mean square deviation (RMSD) of < 2.0Å. The 50 plant compounds exhibited binding free energies ranging from −2.1 kcal/mol to −7.1 kcal/mol. There were three major potential therapeutic leads which included Andrographolide (−7.1 kcal/mol), Myricitrin (−7.0 kcal/mol), and Dasycarpidan-1-methanol (−6.7 kcal/mol). The spatial interactions have shown that these molecules can form very stable complexes by virtue of strong hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic pi-alkyl packing near the conserved Cys163-His121 catalytic diad. Since they have low molecular weight, these phytochemicals may present themselves as potential candidates against HD.
Open Access
Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of leaves of Ardisia colorata
(BRAC University, 2026-06) Mehezaben, Kasfea; Tanisha, Mehrin Haque; School of Pharmacy
Ardisia colorata Roxb. is a traditional medicinal plant of long standing in use in South and South East Asian countries, especially for treating inflammation, digestive ailments and infections. Even though there has been a great ethnomedicinal tradition for the plant, there has been little formal scientific research done on the plant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract of this species. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of various classes of bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, saponins and reducing sugars. Interestingly, glycosides, steroids and proteins were not detected. The antioxidant activity of the extract was then assessed by DPPH radical scavenging assay, where it exhibited moderate activity in comparison to the standard ascorbic acid. The disk diffusion method was used to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the extracts against Staphylococcus aureus, where the concentrations of the extracts showed an increasing trend in inhibitory zones with the highest extract concentration (80μL) showing the highest antibacterial activity. Altogether, these findings provide scientific evidence that supports the therapeutic uses of this plant historically identified and also highlight its possible use as a source of biologically active molecules suitable for the development of new pharmaceutical products. The authors suggest that further studies should be directed towards the isolation of the active compounds, toxicity testing as well as clinical trials to establish the plant's therapeutic value and safety in full.
Open Access
In-silico based multi epitope vaccine construction against glioblastoma (GBM): A comparative study
(BRAC University, 2026-02) Islam, Tauhidul; Siam, Mohammad Kawsar Sharif; School of Pharmacy
The most aggressive and fatal malignant primary tumor of the central nervous system with rapid proliferation, extensive invasion, and frequent recurrence even following standard treatment is glioblastoma (GBM).The existing management approaches such as maximum surgical resection, radiotherapy, and temozolomide chemotherapy only offer limited survival benefits due to heterogeneity in tumors, resistance to treatments, evasion of immunity, and lack of ability of drug to penetrate all parts of the body via the blood brain barrier. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop effective immunotherapy plans like therapeutic vaccination to enhance the outcomes and prevent recurrence. The proposed work provides an in silico multi-epitope vaccine design plan based on immunoinformatics against glioblastoma. The comparative analyses of calculations were carried out using seven chosen glioblastoma-related proteins. The screening and prioritization of the antigenic proteins were followed by prediction of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL), helper T-lymphocyte (HTL), and B-cell epitopes. Toxicity, allergenicity, and the antigenicity of the predicted epitopes were filtered to ensure the predicted epitopes are safe and effective antigens. Appropriate linkers and a component of adjuvants were used to reconstitute epitopes of interest into a multi-epitope vaccine construct to enhance the immunogenicity. The vaccine candidate that was designed was tested using physicochemical property analysis, structural modeling and validation, receptor-binding testing of the vaccine candidate using molecular docking, and immune simulation to estimate the potential of the immune response to the vaccine. In general, this work offers a cost-efficient computational vaccine design framework and also provides a promising GBM vaccine candidate that can be subjected to experimental validation in the future.
Open Access
In silico analysis of potential Tankyrase I inhibitors for ovarian cancer
(BRAC University, 2026-05) Farouqe, Naishik Ovrha; Fariha, Luluel Maknun; Chowdhury, Namara Mariam; Mustafa, Nashrah; School of Pharmacy
In this study, we aimed to identify repurposed small-molecule inhibitors of Tankyrase‑1 by combining molecular docking with pharmacokinetic and drug‑likeness profiling. We screened four thousand assorted subjects including the semi-synthetic isoquinoline alkaloid Hydrastinine, the orally active P‑selectin antagonist PSI‑697, the irreversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor Benmoxin and the investigational anxiolytic α7-nicotinic receptor modulator BNC‑210. For docking, we predicted that Benmoxin is multi-point anchored within the Tankyrase-1 catalytic pocket by its interactions with residues Pro1235 (double-headed arrow in (Figures 3B and 3D), Pro1187 and Tyr1226, whilst PSI‑697 appeared to only interact with Pro1235 and Tyr1226. Hydrastinine and BNC‑210, by contrast, were predicted to bind Pro1235 and Pro1187 whilst showing a loss of the Tyr1226 interaction. Benmoxin (multi-residue binding) and PSI-697 (contacting Tyr1226) showed the best relative docking stabilities. All four of the ligands were predicted to pass Lipinski’s rule of five and have high gastrointestinal absorption according to SwissADME. For Benmoxin and BNC-210 LogP values were moderate (≈2.6), high for PSI-697 (≈4.3) and low for Hydrastinine (≈1.2). PSI-697, Benmoxin and BNC-210 were predicted to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB), while Hydrastinine was not. Hydrastinine and BNC-210 were predicted as P-glycoprotein efflux substrates (risk of efflux), whereas PSI-697 or Benmoxin were not. Hydrastinine was found to have low predicted cytochrome P450 inhibition, Benmoxin to inhibit only CYP2D6 and PSI-697 and BNC-210 predicted broad (multiple isoforms) inhibition. Hydrastinine remained within the intestinal-absorption compartment in the BOILED-Egg model, while PSI-697, Benmoxin and BNC-210 permeated across the blood brain barrier.
Open Access
A systematic review: Pharmacological treatment of borderline personality disorder
(BRAC University, 2026-06) Rahman, Md. Arafat; Fariha, Luluel Maknun; School of Pharmacy
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterised by marked instability of mood, recurrent impulsive acts, a poorly consolidated sense of self, and chronic interpersonal dysfunction. Evidence-based psychotherapies, mainly dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) and mentalization based treatment (MBT) form the backbone of treatment, yet pharmacological agents are frequently co-prescribed to target affective dysregulation, impulsivity, and aggression. No single agent holds regulatory approval for BPD, and the evidence base underpinning current prescribing is limited and inconsistent. This review consolidates findings from 14 controlled trials conducted between 2011 and 2026, encompassing four pharmacological categories: second-generation antipsychotics, opioid receptor antagonists, mood-stabilising compounds, and a miscellaneous group comprising ketamine, psilocybin, omega-3 fatty acids, inhaled loxapine, oxytocin, and citalopram. Methodological rigor was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias framework. Trial quality was predominantly low to moderate. Brexpiprazole and low-dose quetiapine yielded the most encouraging efficacy signals for core BPD pathology, whereas lamotrigine conferred no detectable benefit in the best-powered trial identified. Opioid antagonists showed preliminary signal for attenuating dissociative symptoms, and investigational agents such as ketamine and psilocybin warrant evaluation in larger, more rigorous studies. Well-powered, prospectively registered trials with harmonised outcome measures are urgently needed.
Open Access
Decoding tumor mutation burden: A predictor of immunotherapy efficacy across diverse cancer types
(BRAC University, 2026-05) Muntasir, Md; Fariha, Luluel Maknun; School of Pharmacy
Tumor Mutation Burden (TMB) has become one of the most popular predictive biomarkers to determine the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in cancer treatment, on the grounds that a higher somatic mutation burden has a higher neoantigen load and, as such, is more easily recognized by the immune system. TMB has become a solid part of tumor-agnostic clinical decision-making, with the tumor-agnostic approval of pembrolizumab on solid tumors with TMB of ten or more mutations per megabase by the United States Food and Drug Administration, but its predictive capabilities across cancer types, sequencing systems, and pipelines can vary significantly. This study discusses TMB's biological nature, estimation methods, and clinical results in diverse cancers using peer-reviewed literature, breakthrough clinical studies, and regulatory data. The results reveal that TMB is a context-specific but significant biomarker. Its predictive capacity in classifications with mutational load as the leading driver of immunogenicity such as melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and microsatellite instability-high tumors, but is diluted in histologies with low mutational loads or in tumors that contain immunosuppressive microenvironment, intra-tumoral heterogeneity, and other immune-evasion strategies. The lack of a universally validated cut-off, variability based on platforms and inequities in access to genomic testing are the main obstacles to wider adoption. TMB is always better predicted with complementary biomarkers including PD-L1, microsatellite instability, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte signals. It concludes that TMB is part of a multi-biomarker system to select immunotherapy patients and that future developments will rely on harmonized measurement standards, histology-specific thresholds, prospective real-world validation, artificial intelligence, and liquid-biopsy systems.
Open Access
A comparative study of hardness and friability of selected oral paracetamol tablet brands in Bangladesh
(BRAC University, 2026-01) Meghla, Sanjita Rahman; Sarkar, Christina Chaity; Afrozah, Jannatul; Karim, Eshaba; School of Pharmacy
Paracetamol is one of the most widely used over-the-counter analgesic and antipyretic drug in Bangladesh. Due to its extensive consumption, maintaining consistent tablet quality is essential to ensure therapeutic effectiveness and patient safety. This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the quality control parameters, specifically hardness and friability, of selected oral paracetamol tablet brands available in Bangladesh. A total of fifteen commercially available brands were collected and analyzed using standard in vitro quality control methods. The obtained results were statistically analyzed using one- way ANOVA to assess significant differences among brands and formulations. All tested brands complied with limits for friability and exhibited acceptable hardness values. Statistical analysis indicated no significant differences in hardness and friability between tablets of different doses of paracetamol and tablets with different drug combination (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that the evaluated brands demonstrate satisfactory mechanical integrity
Open Access
Exploring nanotechnology applications in breast cancer
(BRAC University, 2025) Tonima, Jannatul Ferdaus; Khan, Md. Fardin; Sharmin, Sabrina; School of Pharmacy
This thesis shows and gives us an idea about the knowledge of disease biology with developments in nanoscale advances to investigate the many uses of nanotechnology in breast cancer. The study opens with a review of the pathophysiology of breast cancer, highlighting the molecular and genetic abnormalities that drive tumor development and progression. It also categorizes the main forms and clinical phases of breast cancer, providing the biological and medical background required to assess new Nano-technological treatments. Building on this framework, the thesis investigates how nanotechnology is transforming the identification, diagnosis, and management of breast cancer. It also assesses the broader advantages of nanotechnology, such as enhanced selectivity and treatment efficacy, alongside its disadvantages, including potential toxicity and production complexities. Key challenges and limitations that range from biocompatibility concerns to regulatory hurdles are critically discussed.
Open Access
Evaluation of serum interleukin-3 level in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a case-control study
(BRAC University, 2026) Hoque, Mahima; Islam, Md. Rabiul; School of Pharmacy
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by intrusive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive actions. The aim for this analysis is to determine relationship between OCD and IL-3. Interleukin-3; pleiotropic pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays a critical role in the production of many types of blood cells. The number of patients who participated in this study was 209 and the number of controls was 201. Participants with OCD were diagnosed by a qualified psychiatrist using the DSM-V criteria for OCD as opposed to healthy controls. The severity of OCD was measured using the Y-BOCS and cytokine level was measure by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Patients in this study had a mean cytokine concentration of (0.49 ± 0.01) pg/ml and the mean cytokine concentration of controls was (0.66 ± 0.02) pg/ml. IL-3 that might help with the early detection of patients and speeds up the process of gaining knowledge and making diagnosis of OCD. IL-3 can effectively differentiate between OCD patients and healthy individuals still more research is needed to for better diagnostic strategies treatment plans.

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