Speaker
Description
The growth and evolution of our civilization have been based on the use of biodiversity. Throughout history, human survival has been intricately intertwined with the utilization of diverse plant species, serving as vital sources of nutrition and medicinal remedies. The exploration of natural products is a cornerstone in the quest for innovative pharmaceuticals. A staggering 67% of all globally approved drugs trace their origins back to natural sources, whether as pure compounds, semi-synthetic derivatives, or bioinspired pharmacophores.
Natural product researchers have been studying the medicinal properties of plants, and significant advances regarding biosynthesis, ecology, and biological properties were achieved in the last century. The biodiversity of tropical and equatorial environments is plentiful. It could offer a particularly rich potential in the search for biologically active compounds to be used as models for product discovery and medicinal chemistry. This extraordinary biodiversity and its rich chemical diversity hold immense potential for the development of bioproducts, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food supplements, and agricultural pesticides.
In this talk, we will shed light on our ongoing effort to bring order and accessibility to the biochemical information available in a structured and organized manner, automated through Large Language Models, to unlock its full potential. Our final goal is to reduce the time spent on scientific studies and processes involving technological development and research of sustainable products and assist in the development of different fields of science, technological development of bio-friendly and sustainable products with high added value, as well as the establishment of novel public policies.
