SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME
Introduction
The role of natural products for health maintenance and disease prevention is becoming increasingly important globally, while promoting the urgent need of sustainable innovation. Changing climate and geopolitical events present new challenges and opportunities that require agile, informed and visionary scientific approaches.
This year in Ireland, GA2023 presents the best of global research in diverse areas that are well established, as well as those areas which are rapidly emerging as hot topics. The themes of the congress, to name but a few, draw from global expertise, which will discuss the phytochemistry of the world’s diverse ecosystems from rainforests to polar regions to boglands; will present cutting edge research on the promising role of fungal derived psychedelic drugs in the treatment of ‘treatment resistant depression’; will present the successful journey of a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional natural products drug discovery research program elaborating novel anticancer compounds from a range of organisms; will present AI and metabolomic approaches for innovation and deconvolution within the field of natural products; will present advances in methodology in the areas of analysis and formulation.
In addition, we will come together to discuss these developments and challenges from the perspective of sustainability, while considering the impact of the global regulatory landscape on the progression of plant derived extracts, molecules and foods to the clinic and to international markets.
This event will have a special focus on ‘Unlocking Nature’s Pharmacy for a Sustainable Future’, offering a platform for exchange of international science to stimulate debate, to create collaborations and to inform policy. We aim to expand global private-public network with positive engagement with natural capital.
We also offer our attendees networking opportunities, as well as the chance to present their work in poster presentations and liaise with exhibitors on latest technology in this arena.
Themes, keynote speakers and talks’ topic
Natural products chemistry. Challenges and opportunities in the natural products and medicines supply
Prof. A. Douglas Kinghorn
Discovery of Anticancer Agents of Diverse Natural Origin
Phytochemistry, biological and pharmacological activities of natural products
Prof. Clara Bik-San Lau
Exploration of beneficial herb-drug combinations – will this advance the development and application of herbal medicines?
Dr Aedin Cassidy
Dietary flavonoids and cardiometabolic health
Prof. Lyndy McGaw
African plants: valuable sources of phytogenic alternatives to antibiotic feed additives in poultry
Metabolomics, molecular networking, molecular modelling, AI
Dr Young Hae Choi
NMR chemical profiling medicinal plants with new perspectives: how to do, what to expect and where to apply
Ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology and traditional medicine
Prof. John Thor Arnason
New directions in Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology of Turtle Island (North and Central America)
Cannabis research
Dr Jürg Gertsch
Cannabis and the endocannabinoid system: Translating basic research into clinical trials
Psychedelic drugs. A revival for mental health
Dr David Erritzoe
Psychedelics in mental health – Therapeutic potential and possible brain mechanisms
Macromolecules
Prof. Aiping Lyu
A lymphatic route for oral polysaccharide to trigger immune responses
Analytical methods, new developments, new applications
Dr Emerson Queiroz
From the discovery of bioactive natural products to the development of innovative strategies for their chemo-diversification and generation of potential new leads
Prof. Wirginia Kukula-Koch
Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (CPC) – principles and applications in the recovery of natural products of pharmacological significance
Regulatory Affairs – Herbal medicine, novel foods, medical devices, cosmetics and emerging therapies
Prof. Ioanna Chinou
Deep dive into the world of medicinal plants - “The Chamber of secrets has been opened, enemies of HERBS… beware”
Delivery and formulations
Prof. Lea Ann Dailey
Pharmacokinetic considerations for inhaled natural product mixtures to treat lung infections
Sustainability
Dr Una FitzGerald
The Rise of Lab Greening as a Climate Action
Regulatory Pathways - Challenges and Opportunities in the Development of Natural Products
Monday Afternoon, 03rd July 2023
A regulatory insight on challenges and opportunities in the development of plant-based products to support human health, as consumers’ demand of herbal products continuous to grow globally. Those products are classified on the market under a variety of categories, to which different regulatory pathways apply.
This event will invite regulatory experts to discuss regulations and quality spanning across herbal medicine, novel food, medical devices, cosmetics, cannabis and psychedelic drugs. We will be engaging in laws, challenges and opportunities through case studies presented by experts across markets, followed by the opportunity to participate to a Q&A panel to address regulatory roadmaps across herbal medicine, food, new and emerging therapies and medical devices.
Speakers and Panel:
Deep dive into the world of medicinal plants - “The Chamber of secrets has been opened, enemies of HERBS… beware”
Ioanna Chinou
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece & Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) Greek National Organisation
Expectations of pharmaceutical industry on the legal framework for maintaining and developing herbal medicinal products
Bernd Roether
Bionorica SE, Germany
The rise of cannabis and other entheogenic plants and mushrooms. Emerging science and regulatory shifts
Nicholas Fokialakis
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
Medicinal cannabis - how to get it in Ireland in 2023
Dairine Dempsey
Dairine Dempsey Consulting, Ireland
Safety assessment of novel plant-based foods (NFs & TFs) in Europe
Eirini Kouloura
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), EU
Sustainable Approaches in Natural Products Towards Building a Bioeconomy
Tuesday morning, 4th July 2023
What is sustainability and how is it relevant to our way of living and working? In this panel session, we bring together a systemic view of sustainability applied to the use of natural products in research, development and commercialisation of plant-base products across sectors. The event aims to inform the audience and showcase sustainable, innovative approaches to support transition to bioeconomy and circular economy. It brings together a broad stakeholders’ perspective on themes spanning from green labs, biodiversity and natural capital to life cycle assessment, sustainable nutrition, upcycling and responsible sourcing. Case studies will be presented by speakers from academia and industry, followed by a Q&A panel discussion with additional contribution from Irish government and NGOs to address challenges and opportunities to lead a positive impact working with natural resources.
Speakers and Panel:
The Rise of Lab Greening as a Climate Action
Una Fitzgerald
Galway Neuroscience Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
Navigating and operationalising approaches to tackling the biodiversity and climate crises
Jane Stout
Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
Life cycle assessment (LCA) of seaweed production
Fionnuala Murphy
School of Biosystems & Food Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield
Dublin 4, Ireland
Sustainable Nutrition – An Industry Approach
Eoin Lalor
Kerry, Ireland
Biasol focuses on maximise nutrition and minimise food waste upcycling brewers spent grains
Niamh Dooley
BiaSol, Ireland
Oriflame Sweden, our responsible product development approach
Natasha Williams O’Hanlon
Oriflame, Sweden
Speakers will be joined by Rob Barnes and Pierre Kerhascoet for the Q&A Panel Discussion:
Rob Barnes
Sectoral Emissions and Bioeconomy Policy
Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Ireland
Pierre Kerhascoet
Irish Bioeconomy Foundation, Ireland
Botanical Safety Consortium Session Current Topics in Botanical Safety
Wednesday afternoon, 5th July 2023
The growing popularity and interest in botanical products on a global scale has led to an increased focus on appropriate safety evaluation of these complex materials. These include aspects related to the characterization and identification of the material, challenges within the regulatory space, and the approaches and methods that can be effectively used to evaluate safety. Various tools, including new approach methodologies (NAMs) that can help screen
for potential toxicity, are being explored and adapted for botanicals.
In addition, strategies are being developed to connect the scientific advances in analytical chemistry, substance characterization, toxicology, pharmacognosy, and regulatory science, with the aim of improving overall botanical safety. This session will highlight recent and ongoing developments and challenges related to safety evaluation of botanicals, including updates from the Botanical Safety Consortium.
Enhancing the botanical safety toolkit: The strategic approach of the Botanical Safety Consortium
Olaf Kelber
Bayer Consumer Health, Germany
Botanical identify: Importance for safety assessment
Stefan Gafner
American Botanical Council, USA
Assessing the neuroactive potential of botanical extracts using novel in vitro methods
Remco Westerink
Utrecht University, Netherlands
Evaluating botanicals for hepatotoxicity
Heather Walker
Bayer Consumer Health, Germany
Regulatory perspective on safety of herbal medicinal products
Karin Erika Svedlund
HMPC Vice-Chair and Swedish Medical Products Agency
Regulatory perspective on botanical safety issues
Ioanna Chinou
HMPC Greek National Organization for Medicines and National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dept of Pharmacy Lab of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of natural products
Draft Programme
A copy of the draft programme is available to download here.
