TED Talks Daily Are life-saving medicines hiding in the world's coldest places? | Normand Voyer
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May 25, 2023 Venture into Canada's snowy north as chemist Normand Voyer unveils the hidden medicinal potential of cold-climate plants. Discover how unique organisms thrive in these frigid conditions and could lead to life-saving drugs. The urgency to explore these resources is heightened by climate change, underscoring the importance of preserving biodiversity. Explore the secrets of lichens and fungi that might hold the keys to our future health. It's a captivating journey into nature's pharmacy waiting to be unlocked!
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Unexplored Northern Ecosystems
- Northern ecosystems, especially at the molecular level, remain largely unexplored.
- Voyer's team believes these ecosystems hold unique chemicals due to the harsh conditions.
Unique Lichen Substances
- Voyer's team studied a lichen from Umiujaq, Nunavik, and found two unique substances.
- These substances are unique among the 340,000 known natural chemicals on Earth.
Mortiamide D and Malaria
- A fungus from Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, produces mortiamides.
- Mortiamide D neutralizes a drug-resistant malaria parasite.