Botanical Origins of Pharmaceutical Medicines (external event)

Our partners at the Royal Society of Chemistry are hosting a special lecture from our former president Professor Alan Boyd.

Lecture details

Compounds isolated from plants have been mainstay of drug therapy for centuries, such as digoxin for heart failure and aspirin for pain. Around 25% of current prescription medicines are derived from plants treating many diseases. There around 250,000 plant species, but very few have been investigated to see if they are useful as a medicine. The lecture details current and future medicines derived from plants.

Biography

Professor Alan Boyd BSc MB ChB FRSB FFLM FRCP FFPM, a graduate in Biochemistry and Medicine, is a Fellow and Past-President of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, Royal Colleges of Physicians. Following post-graduate training, over the last 35 years whilst working in the pharmaceutical industry he has been closely involved in developing around 15 prescription medicines for a range of diseases and has an international reputation for his expertise in medicines development.

Professor Boyd is world respected pharmaceutical physicians and in 2022 he was awarded the President Medal by the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine and Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

There will be a wine reception with nibbles at the end of the lecture. The event will finish at 20.30.