Using nature's pharmacy to improve lives

Medicines from natural sources are powerful tools for combating cancer and other diseases, having contributed 60% of today's anticancer and anti-infective drugs. The complex molecules in nature have evolved over millennia to provide robust, disease-fighting mechanisms.

We examine bioactive compounds in nature such as plants, bacteria, and fungi. We focus on anticancer, antifungal, antibacterial, and central nervous system drug discovery. In addition, we explore herbal supplements and their interactions with cancer and conventional cancer treatments.

Each year, we analyze more than 2,600 plants, fungi, and bacteria gathered from diverse sources and places across the globe. We are the only organization in the world that has discovered two major life-saving drugs from natural products: Taxol and camptothecin.