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Pharmaceutical Time Travel: From historical plant remedies in Scandinavia to modern medicines

Plants have been used for thousands of years in the treatment of human diseases. With over 390,000 known plant species, how do we identify which plants are potential sources for novel pharmaceuticals?

Image may contain: Flower, Tap, Tool, Nutraceutical, Wood.
Image by mequable from Pixabay

Here we will look back in time, at the use of medicinal plants in Scandinavia and have a look to the future for the potential use for plants and plant components in modern medicine. This is also the aim of our interdisciplinary research group REA:Life – Rediscovery of medical plant usage in the ‘Age of Exploration’ and beyond. Focusing primarily on traditional Norwegian medicinal plants and their medicinal potential.

Half the presentations are in Norwegian, with the possibility of asking questions in English

Canapes and lights drinks will be served at Klimahuset

The event is open and free for everyone, registration is required.

Streaming online over Zoom from 5 pm.

Program

  • Welcome

Part 1: History of plant remedies

  • Medicinal beer and Viking vegetables - Past plant use for a sustainable future
    Anneleen Kool, Associate professor at the Natural History Museum, UiO. Leader of the research group "Evolution, eDNA, Genomics and Ethnobotany (EDGE).
  • The Ethnobotanical Approach to Antimicrobial Discovery 
    Cassandra Quave, Associate professor of dermatology in the Emory University School of Medicine and Emory Center for the Study of Human Health. Author of the book "The Plant Hunter: A scientist's quest for nature's next medicines"

Part 2: Natural remedies today

  • Shortage of new medicine today (tentative title)
    Steinar Madsen, Medical director of The Norwegian Medicines Agency
  • Can renal cancer be cured with a toxin from a mushroom? 
    P?l Falck, Chief Business Officer of Oncorena, a biomedical company that focuses on developing novel therapies for metastatic renal cancer
Published Dec. 3, 2021 5:07 PM - Last modified Aug. 2, 2023 9:36 AM