Glossary Terms

How large the treatment effect actually is — separate from whether it’s statistically significant.A large enough trial can make a

The structural scaffolding that surrounds cells in tissues — a complex mesh of proteins and sugars that gives tissues their

The dose that produces exactly half the maximum possible effect — a standard way of comparing how potent different compounds

The connection between how much of a compound you take and how strong the effect is — ideally a smooth

A chemical link between two specific amino acids (cysteines) that acts like a molecular staple, holding a peptide in a

A cluster of specialized cells at the base of the hair follicle that act as the follicle’s "command center" —

A molecular add-on that causes a peptide to bind to a blood protein, dramatically slowing how quickly it’s cleared from

A mirror-image version of the normal amino acid — enzymes that break down standard amino acids typically cannot break down

Small signaling proteins secreted by immune and other cells that coordinate inflammation and immune responses — the "messenger chemicals" of

A peptide whose ends are joined together in a ring — making it more resistant to degradation and often more