The grant is divided into five associate programs that include assessing the diversity of plants; building a database of information; conducting two phases of drug discovery; and chemistry. Barrows will lead one phase of drug discovery, screening plant extracts for activity against tuberculosis, HIV, malaria, and cancer (with the help of J. Jensen, Ph.D., professor of microbiology at Brigham Young University). Ireland will direct the chemistry program, which will include preparing extracts from plants and traditional medicines used for generations by the people of Papua New Guinea. Wyeth Research will contribute with a strong microbial discovery and drug development program.
Part of the grant, $100,000, has been used to build a pharmacology laboratory at the University of Papua New Guinea. As compounds are discovered from plants, a cottage industry may be jump-started. Barrows and Ireland hope that as the people of Papua New Guinea see the economic value of those plants, they'll realize that conserving those resources will help them earn a livelihood.
"Based on the diversity of plant species there, chances are good that we'll find compounds active against tuberculosis and HIV," Ireland said. But even in the best case, it is likely that new drugs can't be tested in people sooner than five years.
When the project is under way, students and physicians from Papua New Guinea will come to the U of U to take advantage of the laboratories and sophisticated equipment, as we
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Contact: Louis Barrows, Ph.D.
Louis.Barrows@pharm.utah.edu
801-581-4547
University of Utah Health Sciences Center
3-Feb-2004