Novel biologics provide access to targeted treatments for some of our most pressing medical conditions and meet the needs of an ageing global population. Biologics promise fewer side effects and the first steps towards personalised medicine, but the field is still in its infancy.
The pharmaceutical sector can trace its roots to the isolation of natural small molecules with biological activity. It was this that drove synthetic organic chemistry and led to the development of a new industry.
Our ocean is under threat. Multiple impacts, ranging from the consequences of climate change – increasing sea surface temperatures, ocean acidification, sea level rise and deoxygenation – to poor management practises, damaging gear and overfishing has led to more than a third of known marine species threatened with extinction.
Negative consumer sentiment, regulation and a global focus on sustainability have combined to push plastics sustainability to the fore. Future projections of a circular economy emphasise that a combination of recycled and bio-based resources will serve as a feedstock.*