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Dear Fellow Natural Product Enthusiasts,
“Natural Products Rising to the Top,” was selected as the theme for the 2015 American Society of Pharmacognosy (ASP) Meeting. This topic symbolizes both the fact that this year's meeting will take place at the highest altitude of any ASP meeting held to date, as well as the profound rise in interests in natural products across many disciplines. The last half decade has witnessed a revolution in natural product research throughout the world and particularly in the United States. What makes these developments so exciting is the divergent evolution of how natural products are currently studied and used in research. This year's meeting reflects these broadened and escalating interests in natural products by highlighting a rich variety of topics that will be presented by our symposium speakers, in parallel sessions, by award winners, throughout poster presentations, and within workshops. Scanning the enclosed abstracts reveals a breadth of topics including natural product drug discovery and development, medicinal and synthetic chemistry, genomics, ecology, botanicals, health and beauty, law, neuroscience, instrumentation, microbiome studies, and much more. These topics are sure to stimulate the hearts and minds of young and mature researchers alike as we join together to witness the wonderful science of our colleagues and friends.
A few additional special features are notable about this year's meeting of the ASP. First, special efforts have been made to highlight the wide range of perspectives on natural products offered by colleagues from academic, government, and industrial backgrounds. Second, this year's lineup of parallel session speakers was selected solely by each session leader to best reflect the broadest possible spectrum of scientific interests and viewpoints. Notably, many of the parallel session leaders have been assembled from a growing number of 'junior' faculty (recently appointed assistant and research professors) whose voices are important to the growth of the ASP. And third, we are introducing a new session this year, ASP Younger Members Research Spotlight led by James Fuchs, which is devoted solely to the contributions of some of our most outstanding graduate and postdoc researchers.
Such a wonderful meeting would not be possible without the help of many outstanding individuals and organizations. Special thanks are given first and foremost to our terrific sponsors and vendors who have helped us achieve an all-time record for meeting support. Appreciation is also given to our presenters for sharing their original work and ideas about natural products. The great assistance of our scientific organizing committee is also acknowledged, especially my co-chair, Susan Mooberry who has helped recruit speakers and provide advice about session topics. It is important to note the enduring support and organizational acumen of Ms. Candace Coker who is the project manager for the Institute for Natural Products Applications & Research Technologies at the University of Oklahoma, which is the host of this year's meeting. She has been at the heart of all matters related to the development, planning, and organization of the meeting and her dedication is greatly appreciated. Finally, it is vital that thanks and recognition be given to all of you who will be attending this year's meeting. Without your comradery and willingness to share your time and thoughts concerning natural products, this meeting would not be possible. It is because of you that natural products are truly rising to the top and the view towards the future of the field looks spectacular.
Sincerely,
Robert H. Cichewicz, Ph.D.
Regents' Professor and Director
Institute for Natural Products Applications &
Research Technologies at the University of Oklahoma
Chair of ASP 2015