1. Taxol and the Pacific Yew Tree
Tayler Barnard and Sydney Allison
Summer Bridge 2013, Appalachian State University

2. What is Taxol Extract from the Pacific Yew Tree
Used for cancer treatments
Taxol named after the botanical name for Yew tree, Taxus brevifolia
What is Taxol

3. The History of Taxol Found in the 1960’s by Jonathon Hartwell
Arthur Barclay isolated the active compound
Natural Products Laboratory discovered what the identity of the active compound was
The History of Taxol

4. The Structure of Taxol Discovered using X-ray crystallography
Cancer cells contain protein Bcl-2, which allows the cancer cells to continue multiplying
Protein Bcl-2 stops apoptosis
Taxol binds to protein Bcl-2
The Structure of Taxol

5. Clinical Trials 1983 – initial phase I studies abandoned
Taxol formulated in cremophor
Neutropenia is combined with Taxol and limits Taxol’s toxicity
Need to be paired with another chemical with exact dosing
Most promising drug
Clinical Trials

6. Taxol and Cancer Helps mostly ovarian and breast cancer
The meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in San Diego in 1992
Taxol and Cancer

7. Putting the Pacific Yew Tree in Danger
1kg of Taxol requires 9000kg of bark from 2-3 thousand trees
Need about 3 trees to help one patient
Trees are limited and they are slow growing
Cutting down large amounts of trees lead to their extinction
Putting the Pacific Yew Tree in Danger

8. Saving the Pacific Yew Tree
Make Synthetic Taxol
A group of French scientists developed a way to make 10-DAB, a “relative” to Taxol
Use pine needles from English Yew to get 10-DAB
Florida State University scientists used taxusin, to make synthetic Taxol
Developed fully synthetic Taxol
Saving the Pacific Yew Tree
Taxol

9. 1. "The Story of Taxol. " Pharmacognosy. N. p. Web. 28 Jul 2013
1. "The Story of Taxol." Pharmacognosy. N.p.. Web. 28 Jul < 2. "Serendipity: Cell Structure Study Uncovers Taxol's Secrets." National Science Foundation. National Science Foundation, 07 Jan Web. 28 Jul "Taxol." Lancet (06/13/1992): Web. 28 Jul Stephenson, Frank. "A Tale of Taxol." Florida State Office of Research. Florida State Office of Research, n.d. Web. 28 Jul Kolata, Gina. "Tree Yields a Cancer Treatment, But Ecological Cost May Be High." The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 May Web. 28 Jul "About Pacilitaxel." Vital Aid Net. N.p.. Web. 28 Jul <
References

10. Dr. Rahman Tashakkori Dr. Alexander D. Schwab Professor Nathan Weigl Dr. Katrina Palmer Professor David Sittar Dr. Cindy Norris Dr. Jennifer Burris Zachary Andrews Kristen Vroom Noah Hughes Michael Kelly Appalachian State University Academy of Science Summer Bridge Program National Science Foundation
Acknowledgements