Behind the scenes of drug discovery

Discover how plants are used in the fight against disease, and as a special bonus, take a tour through the labs at Kew!

Plants play a much larger role in today’s medicine than you might think. About 60% of the drugs used to treat cancer are derived from natural sources. Plants are also providing hope for the future in treating other major diseases. Nestled within the blooms and blossoms of Kew Gardens, scientists are discovering new weapons in the fight against HIV. They extract compounds that mimic the structure of simple sugars, which appear to inhibit the virus’ genetic material moving from cell to cell. Kew’s scientists are also targeting tuberculosis, by looking at traditional plant remedies and using knowledge of plant chemistry and taxonomy to select which plants justify further research.

This event also features a unique bonus – after the main event, the audience will all have the chance to tour Kew’s Jodrell Laboratory! This is your chance to see the chemistry laboratories used to isolate and identify active molecules in medicinal plants, the molecular labs where scientists bring plants for DNA fingerprinting, and the anatomy labs that are used to assist with forensic enquiries involving toxic plants. It’s a rare opportunity to see behind the scenes of cutting-edge scientific enquiry.

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