The beginning and challenges of Natural Products in cancer treatments

This episode of Innovate and React explores the fascinating
history of natural product research and its pivotal role in
developing life-saving cancer treatments. The journey begins
in the 1950s and 60s with the National Cancer Institute's efforts
to screen thousands of plant extracts for biological
activity. Through the stories of landmark compounds like
camptothecin and Taxol, Kevin illustrates the complex collaboration
required between botanists and chemists to isolate active
ingredients from nature and transform them into viable medical
therapies. The episode delves into the origins of Taxol, originally
discovered in the bark of the Pacific Yew tree. You will learn
about the significant hurdles researchers faced. From the tedious
workup to supply chain restrictions caused by harvesting bark from
slow-growing trees. Find out how chemists made Taxol a
marketable drug and overcame these problems.