Harnessing plant biosynthetic pathways to explore novel chemical space in a class of compounds with significant pharmaceutical potential
Lead Research Organisation:
John Innes Centre
Department Name: Metabolic Biology
Abstract
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People |
ORCID iD |
| Anne Osbourn (Principal Investigator) |
| Description | The Pathfinder award was used to research potential targets for drug development. Based on this we have put together a business plan and created a shell company. Discussions with potential investors are currently underway. |
| Exploitation Route | The purpose of the award was to identify potential targets for development for a proposed spin-out company. Once investment has been secured the company will recruit and commence operations. |
| Sectors | Chemicals Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | A new spin out, HotHouse Therapeutics (previously referred to as HotHouse Bioengineering in its early conceptual stage), is now about to start its seed phase. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | Member, UK Engineering Biology Steering Group (not the Engineering Biology Advisory Panel |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/engineering-biology-advisory-panel |
| Description | EBioAct: Environmentally sustainable production of bioactive triterpenes |
| Amount | £1,395,148 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/Y007751/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2024 |
| End | 02/2026 |
| Description | Engineering wheat for take-all resistance |
| Amount | £663,638 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/Y513544/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2024 |
| End | 01/2026 |
| Description | Drug delivery |
| Organisation | University of Fribourg |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have initiated a collaboration to investigate the anti-cancer properties of plant medicinal compounds |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative work involving assays of purified compounds |
| Impact | This is a multi-disciplinary collaboration involving plant metabolic biology and medicinal chemistry |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Drug delivery DK |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have sent samples of purified and commercially sourced plant natural products for use in bioassays |
| Collaborator Contribution | They are carrying out bioassays of compounds for ability to disperse fibrin amyloid microclots |
| Impact | No outputs as yet - experiments underway |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Company Name | HotHouse Therapeutics |
| Description | HotHouse Therapeutics develops natural biotechnology solutions. |
| Year Established | 2020 |
| Impact | A shell company has been set up and discussions with potential investors are underway. |
| Description | Biochemistry Focus Webinar Series: Developments in Industrial Biotechnology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Developments in Industrial Biotechnology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj3gNIInKA0&feature=emb_title |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj3gNIInKA0&feature=emb_title |
| Description | High-Value Biorenewables Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | High Value Biorenewables Network Meeting 20-21 October 2020 https://www.highvaluebiorenewables.net/events/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.highvaluebiorenewables.net/events/ |
| Description | Norwich Science Festival satellite event at Diss Corn Hall |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We took an activity stand to a science discovery day at Diss Corn Hall. This event was set up as a satellite venue for the very popular Norwich Science Festival to try and reach a broader audience. There were 3 workshop sessions throughout the day for 50 children per workshop and their families, all of which were fully booked! We took a stand that focused on the instructions held within DNA to 'make stuff' which was explained by inviting people to engage with our robot DNA Dave, pushing buttons and turning cogs to complete transcription and translation to make new products. We used examples from plants that people would be familiar with such as menthol, limonoids, vanillin and anthocyanins and then invited children to extract anthocyanins from red cabbage to use to make colour-changing paint. Many of the parents were amazed how easy the process was and were keen to build on the experiment at home with their children to make a colour palette of paints using pigments from plants and acids and bases. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Science, Art and Poetry activity |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Delegates at the Anne Osbourn Novozymes Prize Symposium held at the John Innes Centre on Sep 9th and 10th 2024 participated in plant natural product-themed art and poetry activities run by the SAW Trust, during the refreshment and poster sessions. Colour pigments, ice cubes and diffusion were used to create flower-like patterns that were added to a display that grew over the course of the event and acrostic poems using key words related to the research topics were generated by people each adding a line. These were performed during the closing remarks of the event as a collaborative piece. The activities created an opportunity for delegates to work together, create and play which fostered an atmosphere for relaxed dialogue and a chance to consider novel approaches to science communication. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://sawtrust.org/ |