New drugs for cancer

May 2011

The development of new anti-cancer drugs is a major challenge facing the research community. On the Norwich Research Park, we are harnessing the complex machinery used by plants to produce biologically active natural products. For instance, we are studying a popular ornamental plant, the Madagascar periwinkle, which also produces the drug vincristine to understand how it could produce new and improved drugs.

For clinical use, drugs need to be both effective and safe. Studies in Norwich have shown that tadpoles from the South African toad, Xenopus laevis, are a useful tool for testing potential new treatments for skin cancer.

The presentations below, highlight the latest developments in interdisciplinary research that the Norwich teams are applying to the identification and assessment of the next generation of potential anti-cancer drugs.

The presentations

1. Introduction to Interdisciplinary Research in Norwich - Prof Rob Field, Dept of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre
2. Controlling Nature: Harnessing Plants for the Development of Improved Cancer Drugs - Prof Sarah O’Connor, Dept of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre and School of Chemistry, UEA
3. Tadpoles on Drugs: Identifying New Compounds for Skin Cancer Treatment - Prof Grant Wheeler, School of Biological Sciences, UEA