Pharmacology and toxicology explore how substances interact with living systems, ranging from the development of life-saving medicines to understanding the dangers of chemical exposure. This field sits at the critical intersection of chemistry and biology, asking essential questions about how drugs work, how the body processes them, and what happens when things go wrong. It is a dynamic area where researchers constantly strive to improve patient safety while discovering new therapeutic possibilities.

At Gist.Science, we bridge the gap between complex research and public understanding by curating the latest preprints from bioRxiv in this vital category. Our team processes every new submission from bioRxiv as it appears, transforming dense scientific data into both plain-language overviews and detailed technical summaries. This ensures that whether you are a specialist or a curious reader, you can grasp the significance of these emerging findings without getting lost in jargon.

Below are the most recent pharmacology and toxicology papers from bioRxiv, each accompanied by our expert analysis to help you navigate the latest scientific breakthroughs.

📄 pharmacology and toxicology

A novel workflow integrating whole-body PET microdosing data and therapeutic-dose pharmacokinetics across species to inform first-in-human dose selection

This study demonstrates that integrating whole-body PET microdosing data with therapeutic-dose pharmacokinetics in non-human primates within a PBPK framework successfully predicts first-in-human exposure and tissue distribution for dolutegravir, validating a novel workflow to inform dose selection.

Nguyen, B. T., Barrail-Tran, A., Ursino, M., Goutal, S., Caille, F., Naninck, T., Le Grand, R., Lambotte, O., Tournier (…)2026-09-08
📄 pharmacology and toxicology

Patient-Derived hiPSC-Cardiomyocytes and Engineered Heart Tissues Reveal Distinct Functional Phenotypes in Inherited Cardiomyopathies

This study demonstrates that patient-derived hiPSC-cardiomyocytes and engineered heart tissues carrying specific HCM and DCM mutations exhibit distinct genotype-dependent molecular, structural, and functional phenotypes, including differential responses to hypertrophic stimulation and unique patterns of tissue failure, thereby validating these 3D models for investigating inherited cardiomyopathy mechanisms and drug responses.

Pohjavaara, S. A., Majid, Q. A., Huttunen, L., Aalto-Setälä, K., Ruskoaho, H., Välimäki, M. J., Kinnunen, S. M., Tal (…)2026-09-04
📄 pharmacology and toxicology

Investigation into the effects of sodium valproate on prepubertal mouse gonads in vivo

This study demonstrates that short-term prepubertal exposure to sodium valproate in mice does not cause overt gonadotoxicity or alter steroidogenic gene expression in either sex, although a non-significant trend toward reduced testicular germ cell density in males suggests a need for further investigation into long-term fertility risks.

Liugaila, A., Mitchell, R. T., Gadd, A., Duffin, K., Stefansdottir, A.2026-09-04
📄 pharmacology and toxicology

Novel Dissymmetric Ionizable Lipid-Assembled Lipid Nanoparticles for Delivery of Ferroptosis-Related siRNA in Diabetic Treatment

This study develops novel dissymmetric ionizable lipid-based nanoparticles that efficiently deliver ferroptosis-related siRNAs to treat diabetic metabolic disorders and restore islet function in mouse models, offering a safe and potent therapeutic strategy for type 2 diabetes.

Zhang, H., Liu, Y., He, F., Xue, G., Kang, Y., Zhang, Z., Ma, J., Xiao, J., Meng, Q.2026-09-01
📄 pharmacology and toxicology

Transcriptomic assessment of the effects of cisplatin and TiO2 nanoparticles in Drosophila melanogaster.

This study demonstrates that co-exposure to cisplatin and titanium dioxide nanoparticles in *Drosophila melanogaster* induces a synergistic transcriptional suppression of genes critical for cell division, metabolism, and immunity, leading to impaired climbing performance despite unchanged mortality rates.

Costa, C. N., Ciapina, L. P., Bahia, A. C., Neto, V. B. d. S., da Silva, F. A. B., Lopes, F.2026-08-25
📄 pharmacology and toxicology

Evidence from three taxonomically distinct species for a non-AhR mechanism of developmental neurotoxicity of an environmentally derived mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

This study demonstrates that a complex, environmentally derived mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons causes conserved developmental neurotoxicity across three distinct species through mechanisms that extend beyond the canonical Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) pathway.

Phelps, S. E., Chernick, M., Huayta, J., Webster, A., Joyce, A. S., Ettinger, K. M., Beggs, C., Zibo, S., Ferguson, L. (…)2026-08-21
📄 pharmacology and toxicology

An AI System for Autonomous Algorithm Evolution in Drug Development

The paper introduces DrugEvolve, a multi-role large language model system that autonomously evolves and optimizes algorithms across the entire drug development pipeline, achieving significant performance improvements and generalizability across diverse tasks and data modalities through a closed-loop process of design, implementation, evaluation, and refinement.

Zhou, Z., Nan, Y., Mou, M., Qian, Y., Liu, Y., Zuo, Z., Yang, H., Xu, W., Li, B., Jiang, W., Ren, Y., Liao, Y., Wang, Y. (…)2026-08-20