Modern medicine uses many compounds which are isolated from plants. For example, vinblastine, which is used to treat many types of cancer, is isolated from the leaves of the Madagascar periwinkle.
From hairy roots to new medicines
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Sarah O'Connor will talk about her work in understanding the process by which the plant makes this substance. Not only will this lead to cheaper vinblastine but also to the production of slightly modified versions of vinblastine which may have improved medicinal properties.
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The Oxford Botanic Garden is a national reference collection of 7,000 different types of plant, making it the most compact yet diverse collection of plants in the World - there is even more biological diversity here than there is in tropical rain forests and other biodiversity hotspots.
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