Development of Novel Metal-Based Anti-Cancer Agents

MON 28 SEPTEMBER, 20:00
Auditorium, Minderbroedersberg 4-6

Burgert Blom, PhD
Assistant Professor Inorganic Chemistry, UM

Traditional chemotherapeutic interventions often involve the use of platinum-based drugs, which exhibit harsh side effects. Blom’s research has focused on the development of new agents using alternative metals such as ruthenium

and iron, and particularly on combining transition metals with p-block elements (such as tin and germanium), resulting in new classes of potential chemotherapeutic agents. So far, the work has uncovered agents that, in vitro, exhibit very promising activities and selectivities. Exciting aspect of this work is that the synthesis has been carried out by undergraduate students from the Maastricht Science Programme.