Conference Programme FULL (1)

Assessment of synthetic chalcones as cancer chemopreventive agents
Hiba Jasim, Satya Sarker, Sharon Moore, Kenneth Ritchie
Chemoprevention is an utilisation of natural or synthetic products to eliminate or minimize the development of
cancer. Many cancers are thought to occur due to processes such as oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation by
damaging DNA. Chemopreventive compounds may prevent such damage from occurring to DNA. Additionally,
chalcones are a family of flavonoid based compounds which have been reported to act as cancer
chemopreventive compounds.
In this study we investigated the ability of synthetic chalcones to act as chemopreventive agents. The aim was
to assess the ability of the synthetic chalcones to switch on the transcription factor Nrf2 thus inducing many cell
defence genes. This was achieved using the AREc32 reporter cell line that contains the luciferase gene linked to
the antioxidant response element (ARE) portion of DNA to which the Nrf2 transcription factor binds.
Methodology: The luciferase reporter ARE32 cell line was exposed to varying concentrations of synthetic
chalcones to determine a suitable non-toxic concentration to use (MTT assay). The AREc32 cells were then
exposed to this non-toxic concentration of chalcones for 24 hours after which the amount of luciferase activity
(Nrf2 activity) was quantified.
Results: The MTT assay results showed that 11 chalcones were non-toxic at 1000nM, Meanwhile, four chalcones
were toxic at 1000nm, two chalcones were toxic at 500nM and three were toxic at 100nM,
Conclusion: Synthetic chalcones were tested for their cytotoxicity through ARE32 cell line using MTT assay. The
toxicity of compounds was depended on the presence, number and position of alkoxy and/or benzodioxole
groups.
Planning and Designing Public Open Spaces as a strategy for Disaster Resilience
R.R.J Chathuranganee Jayakody, D Amarathunga, R Haigh
The current focus of planning and designing Public Open Spaces has been mostly given on creating sustainable cities.
However, the negative implications of rapid urbanization increase the risk of disasters in cities putting more pressure on
the path to achieve sustainable city concept. Therefore, the strategies to create sustainable cities should encompass the
improvements of disaster resilience. Further, the literature findings provide evidences of potential use of public open
spaces as an agent of recovery in an event of disaster, to provide essential life support, as a primary place to rescue and
for shelters and potential for adaptive response. Yet, it is little known in the field, ‘How to plan and design public open
spaces as a strategy for disaster resilience within the sustainable city concept’.
Accordingly, the aim of this research is to develop a framework to plan and design public open spaces to increase the
ability of the city dwellers to resist, absorb, accommodate and recover from the effects of a natural hazard. The answer
to the research question will be found through a deep investigation on potential uses of public open spaces for disaster
resilience and methods and approaches that can be used to enhance the identified potentials through the use of experts’
knowledge and community knowledge. The findings will contribute to change the lives of the city dwellers as it indicates
how to use the public open spaces in day today life and also in an event of emergency or recovery and mitigation