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What do venomous animals and fighting slime have to do with saving lives? Come and check out how these sinister organisms are turning into medical innovations. Make sure you try the specially brewed Pint of Science festival beer by Newstead Brewing Co!
Radical coatings to fight slime and infections
Dr Nathan Boase
(Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology)
Chronic and drug resistant infections are a huge challenge facing society. These infections are often caused by bacterial slimes, called biofilms. What if we could create new coatings of radicals that prevent biofilms from forming on surfaces?
Dr Boase completed his PhD in 2015 before joining QUT as a lecturer. His research focuses on making new nanomaterials to fight health problems such as infection and cancer, and he enjoys sharing his passion for chemistry with his students.
Dr Boase completed his PhD in 2015 before joining QUT as a lecturer. His research focuses on making new nanomaterials to fight health problems such as infection and cancer, and he enjoys sharing his passion for chemistry with his students.
Deadly cures: drugs from venomous animals
Professor Glenn King
(NHMRC Principal Research Fellow, University of Queensland)
Don't mean to alarm you, but about 15% of all animals on planet Earth are venomous. We're surrounded! Yet despite their sinister reputation, venomous animals have yielded drugs for treating human disorders as diverse as diabetes, hypertension, and pain.
Professor King is a pioneer in developing drugs and insecticides from animal venoms. He founded Vestaron, an agricultural biotech company, to develop eco-friendly insecticides. He is currently developing a stroke drug from the Fraser Island funnel-web spider.
Professor King is a pioneer in developing drugs and insecticides from animal venoms. He founded Vestaron, an agricultural biotech company, to develop eco-friendly insecticides. He is currently developing a stroke drug from the Fraser Island funnel-web spider.
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