Science and Conservation of Medicinal Plants from San Diego and Beyond: Updates from 2022-2024 and a Case Study on Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon)

September 23, 2024 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

Benjamin Naman, San Diego Botanical Garden

108 Wartik Laboratory
University Park

Invited, and Hosted, by Plant Biology Graduate Students.

Abstract:
We have begun to build a national medicinal plants collection for both scientific research and plant conservation. We proactively attempted to create equitable partnerships with meaningful societal contributions including plant conservation efforts, ecosystem restoration projects, and joint development of phytochemical knowledge that aims to bridge traditional and modern medical practices. We thus established real partnerships with members or governments of indigenous communities (i.e. Native American Indians), which brings great opportunities along with operational challenges, and a paramount ethical responsibility. We created a consortium of research partners that includes other non-profits, academia, industry, and tribal governments to find ways to work together to improve outcomes and remove barriers from more traditional past research programs. We have developed early educational programming to engage community members from diverse backgrounds both in-person and online. We have led multi-institutional natural product drug discovery and development projects studying two native medicinal plants, California yerba santa (Eriodictyon californicum) and California sagebrush (Artemisia californica). These plants were grown under different controlled conditions in our greenhouse and nursery areas to then evaluate covariant transcriptomic and metabolomic responses. In vitro pharmacological testing has been conducted by partner institutions. We have conducted the first phytochemical study of the rare endemic plant, E. traskiae ssp. traskiae, along with a genus-wide study of habitat suitability, climate change resilience, and seed germination trials for Eriodictyon.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Naman joined San Diego Botanic Garden in 2022 to lead a program studying the chemical biology of medicinal plants with the potential for commercial translation while also implementing sustainable development projects. He obtained a BS degree in Chemistry and Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University, a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences with Specialization in Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy from The Ohio State University, and did postdoctoral research at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. Ben has four years industrial experience discovering new plant-derived natural flavors and fragrances to use as ingredients for food and beverage products. He later opened a small start-up company focused on preclinical development of anticancer agents. Ben helped establish a new College of Food and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Ningbo, China, and there led a federally funded research program studying South China Sea marine algae and selected plants used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. He has been a long-time member of the American Chemical Society, the American Society of Pharmacognosy, the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is an author or coauthor of over 50 published journal articles, book chapters, and awarded patents, and has given more than 70 refereed conference lectures or invited seminars on natural products chemistry, drug discovery, dietary supplements, natural medicine, bioprospecting, research ethics and biodiversity protection.

Contact

Alisa Chernikova
azc6415@psu.edu