Sea Sponge Toxin Synthesis in the Fight against Cancer

May 16, 2021 00:22:07
Sea Sponge Toxin Synthesis in the Fight against Cancer
Campus Beat
Sea Sponge Toxin Synthesis in the Fight against Cancer

May 16 2021 | 00:22:07

/

Show Notes

Following a pivotal January 2019 announcement that certain ocean floor sea sponges were found to have toxins that can cause cancer cells to retract, on Thursday May 13th 2021, Queen’s University announced that scientists conducting research on this project have successfully reproduced a toxin found in a marine sponge in the fight against cancer.  Joining us in this episode to chat about this groundbreaking research are Dr. John Allingham, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Structural Biology in the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences as well as Dr. Andrew Evans, Professor and Alfred R. Bader Chair of Organic Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry.  From them, we learn much about the art of the science of reproducing a natural toxin found in sponges that can block cancer cells from metastasizing, the potential impact of this research, the critical importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to this type of research, and next steps in the project.

 

 

Other Episodes

Episode

March 15, 2022 00:14:27
Episode Cover

UNESCO Sites in Ukraine under Threat

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had many humanitarian, geopolitical and international strategic impacts, some of which we discussed in a special roundtable last...

Listen

Episode

October 23, 2020 00:27:29
Episode Cover

The Faculty of Law & Removal of Sir John A. MacDonald’s Name

In this episode of Campus Beat, we are joined by Dr. Mark Walters, Dean and Professor of Law in the Faculty of Law at...

Listen

Episode

September 29, 2021 00:24:36
Episode Cover

Conversations with New Royal Society Inductees

On Tuesday September 7th, Queen’s University announced that four of its researchers have been elected to the Royal Society of Canada, one of the...

Listen