Ijeoma Uchegbu on using nanoparticles to transform medicines

Ijeoma Uchegbu 谈利用纳米粒子改造药物

The Life Scientific

科学

2024-09-03

28 分钟
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Imagine a nanoparticle, less that a thousandth of the width of a human hair, that is so precise that it can carry a medicine to just where it’s needed in the body, improving the drug’s impact and reducing side effects. Ijeoma Uchegbu, Professor of Pharmaceutical Nanoscience at University College London, has spent her career with this goal in mind. She creates nanoparticles to carry medicines to regions of the body that are notoriously hard to reach, such as the back of the eye and the brain. With clinical trials in the pipeline, she hopes to treat blindness with eyedrops, transform pain relief and tackle the opioid crisis. Ijeoma took an unconventional route into science. Growing up in the UK and in Nigeria, she tells Professor Jim Al-Khalili her remarkable life story, from being fostered by a white family in rural Kent, while her Nigerian parents finished their studies, to struggling to pay the bills through her PhD as a single mum with young children. So passionate is Ijeoma to spread her love of science, she’s even turned to stand-up comedy to help get her message across! Presented by JIm Al-Khalili Produced by Beth Eastwood

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  • BBC Sounds Music Radio Podcasts hello, and.

  • Welcome to the Life Scientific Podcast.

  • I'm Jamal Khalili and this is the show where I get to talk with some of the world's leading scientists and you get to find out what inspires them.

  • So sit back, get comfortable and enjoy the episode.

  • Imagine for a moment a particle on the nanoscale, less than a thousandth of the width of a human hair that operates with such precision that it can carry a medicine to a specific site in the body and and release it just where it's needed, improving the drug's impact and reducing side effects.

  • This idea has inspired and driven the research of my guest today.

  • Ijoma Uchebu is Professor of Pharmaceutical Nanoscience at University College London.

  • She uses the nanoparticles she's created to carry medicines to regions of the body that are notoriously hard to reach.

  • The back of the eye and the brain.

  • With clinical trials in the pipeline, her hope is to treat blindness with eye drops, transform pain relief and address the opioid crisis.

  • Ijoma grew up in the UK and in Nigeria and took an unconventional route to becoming a scientist.

  • A single mother with three small children trying to make ends meet.

  • She might have given up on the idea, but she didn't.

  • In fact, she's had an illustrious scientific career and in October she takes up the role of President of Wolfson College at Cambridge University.

  • And her passion for science and sharing it with others is as strong as ever.

  • She's even turned to stand up comedy to help get her message across.

  • Professor Ijerma Acheibu, welcome to the Life Scientific.

  • Thank you very much, Jim, for having me.

  • Before we get into the science, I've got to ask you about your stand up days.

  • What drew you to comedy?