Sustainable international drug discovery using natural products
Dr Cordell has been retired from full-time teaching and research for a while. His major area of research was patient-focused medical treatments. However, he still consults with researchers, collaborates with project initiators, and helps identify partners. He focuses on developing products where sustainability is considered from the beginning of the process. He currently uses Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to analyze previous research to provide a starting point for new investigations. He pointed out that research is always collaborative.Natural products are the basis of almost everything that we use for shelter, clothing, and prescription medicines. Our history, present, and future depend on plants. So we must ensure plants stay around. Many factors can cause changes because the environment changes. For example, there was a drought in Vietnam that caused growers to switch from coffee to durian fruit. This led to a worldwide shortage of coffee and rising prices.
Sustainability Challenges
Many drugs are made from plants and we may not realize this. What we know as Aspirin was first used in 384 BCE and extracted from willow bark. The German company Bayer started synthesizing Aspirin in 1899. A large number of anti-cancer drugs are being found from research into plants. There are methods fo extraction that are not sustainable, such as using the bark of a tree instead of leaves.
Research into plants can give us drugs for common needs, neglected diseases (minimal persons with the disease), and improve the quality of traditional medicine. Another important goal for sustainability is to develop pesticides from natural products.
There are 8.18 billion people on earth and 4 billion cows. The cows contribute 25% of the methane which is the most potent global warming gas, trapping 25 times more heat than CO2. This is leading to habitat/biodiversity loss and environmental change.
Dr Cordell has created the acronym EDGE (Experiencing the Disaster of a Gutted Earth). Next week he will offer some direction to avoid catastrophe.