Groundbreaking research into the development of new medicines from the earth's natural resources will be the focus of a symposium in March, hosted by the University of Aberdeen.

"The role of natural products and synthetic biology in drug discovery" symposium will bring together academics and industry representatives from across the UK, working in biomedicine and biotechnology.

Registration is now being invited for the event which is hosted by the University's Marine Biodiscovery Centre and will take place on March 21, 2012.

The symposium aims to highlight the ways in which industry and scientists can work together to fully harness the potential of nature's tools to treat diseases including cancer, bacterial infections and parasitic and inflammatory diseases.

Guy Carter, Consultant with Carter-Bernan Consulting and former Assistant Vice President with responsibility for the Natural Product Division at Wyeth/Pfizer will speak at the symposium, providing an insight into the relationship between industry and scientists working at the cutting edge of natural products-based drug discovery and development.

Whilst Dr Bradley Moore from the UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences will discuss the re-engineering of Nature's toolkit for making new chemical structures which can be used as novel pharmaceuticals.

The University of Aberdeen Marine Biodiscovery Centre launched in 2010, focusing on research into the development of new medicines from unique marine organisms.

It is one of only three in Europe dedicated to the exploration of the natural resources from our seas, and one of very few in the world to bring together chemists and biologists to work together on the development of new pharmaceuticals.

Professor Marcel Jaspars, Director of the Marine Biodiscovery Centre said: "We are delighted to host this symposium which provides a unique opportunity for those working in the field of biomedicine and biotechnology to discuss latest developments in this cutting-edge field of science.

"The event will highlight how important it is for industry and academia to work together, so that we can fully harness the potential of using nature's tools to development potentially groundbreaking new medicines.

"We hope the symposium will provide a key opportunity to network and forge future collaborations."

The role of natural products and synthetic biology in drug discovery symposium takes place on Tuesday March 21, 2012 at the University of Aberdeen's Polwarth Auditorium.

Those wishing to register for the symposium should email m.jaspars@abdn.ac.uk.

For more information on the University of Aberdeen Marine Biodiscovery Centre visit www.abdn.ac.uk/ncs/chemistry/research/mbc/