BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk// X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The translation of discovery research with nanostructured bio-mine rals: from Cancer to Crohn’s disease’ - Prof Jonathan Powell\, Group L eader\, Biomineral Research Group\, MRC Human Nutrition Research DTSTART:20160810T150000Z DTEND:20160810T160000Z UID:TALK66813@talks.cam.ac.uk CONTACT:Fiona Roby DESCRIPTION:The term ‘mineral’ is often used incorrectly in bio-medici ne to indicate an essential element. Minerals\, in fact\, are solid phase inorganic materials: either crystalline or 3D cross-linked polymers. They are generally nanostructured\, meaning that their primary particles tend t o be sub 100 nm in one dimension. A further common misconception is that n ano is ‘small’: in fact nano is large. Even the smallest studied nanop articles in bio-medicine (say 5-10 nm) are the size of large proteins and have molecular weights of tens of thousands of Daltons. Biology has some well known minerals such as bone\, teeth and the central core of the iron storage protein\, ferritin. However\, both the nano scale and mineral stru ctures are far more common in biology than is generally appreciated. Over the years we have identified\, in a range of animal species\, novel iron o xides\, calcium phosphates and silicate structures that all have essential roles ranging from nutrition through immuno-tolerance to detoxification: these will be briefly reviewed. It is the flexibility of structure within these various minerals that ‘bio-inspired’ us to develop new mineral c hemistry and thus mineral structures of therapeutic benefit. These have be en licensed\, or are still being developed\, for applications ranging from Crohn’s disease through novel antimicrobials to Cancer\, and have wides pread human and veterinarian applications. These\, and the processes for t heir effective translation\, will also be presented LOCATION:Lecture Theatre 2\, Department of Veterinary Medicine END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR