BSLC At The 1st International Congress of The African Phytomedicine Scientific Society
After many meetings and deliberations on the gaps identified in African medicinal plant research, Professor Namrita Lall and her medicinal plant science research team have taken action. The need for a focussed phytomedicinal collaborative platform that aims to connect African researchers with industry professionals and Traditional Health Practitioners, foster scientific alliance, and facilitate the transfer of knowledge and equipment is the innovative principle on which the African Phytomedicine Scientific Society (APSS) is based.
The African Phytomedicine Scientific Society aims to serve as a collaborative African research network on medicinal plants and natural products, to serve as a platform to represent Africa’s rich biodiversity and world-class roleplayers in the natural products chain. The vision and mission of the society is to stimulate and facilitate the interaction of African phytomedicinal researchers with other roleplayers in the natural products chain, to foster new scientific developments in ethnopharmacology and natural products research, to expand regional research capacities, and finally to facilitate networking and the exchange of research platforms.
Image on the Left: Exhibition Area during the 1st International Congress of the African Phytomedicine Scientific Society (APSS)
Image on the Right: At The Bruno Steiner Lab Consultancy Exhibition Stand (from left to right): Mrs Yvonne Steiner
with Prof. Namrita Lall (Host of the 1st International APSS 2023 Congress)
The society encourages the participation of all roleplayers in the natural products chain. From the initial ethnobotanical selection of medicinal plants by Traditional Health Practitioners to the final stage of pharmaceutical development by industry representatives, APSS encompasses a multidisciplinary effort to provide, to connect and to promote phytomedicinal research and development in Africa.
The 1st International Congress of the African Phytomedicine Scientific Society, which took place at the prestigious University of Pretoria on the 9th to 10th of November 2023, has been a resounding success. This milestone event brought together a diverse assembly of over 90 esteemed researchers, practitioners and enthusiasts from across the globe, representing over 10 countries and united by a common passion for advancing phytomedicine in the African context.
Bruno Steiner Lab Consultancy (BSLC) was proud to serve as a sponsor at this congress. It was an opportunity to support the success of the envisioned goals of the congress and to foster advancements in phytomedicine. BSLC partnership with APSS allowed for a shared commitment in promoting scientific collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation in the field. By supporting this prestigious event, BSLC contributed to the robust platform that the congress provides for researchers, practitioners, and enthusiasts from around the world. As a sponsor, BSLC seeks to catalyse discussions, facilitate networking opportunities, and empower the collective efforts of the African Phytomedicine Scientific Society in shaping the future of phytomedicine research and development. They believe that investing in such initiatives is pivotal for driving positive transformations in healthcare and wellness, aligning with their dedication to excellence in providing high-tech laboratory instrumentation and scientific progress.
BSLC aims to play an important role in the success of these future endeavours. One of these events will be taking place in Cape Town in October 2024. The joint meeting of the 23rd International Congress of the International Society for Ethnopharmacology and the 2nd International Congress of the African Phytomedicine Scientific Society (ISE-APSS 2024) will be proudly hosted by the University of Pretoria from 23 to 26 October 2024, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa. The theme of the congress is “The footprint of ethnopharmacology in drug discovery”.
The aim of the congress will be to build collaborative and networking opportunities between national and international institutions and showcase the academic merit of research being conducted on the African continent, with the objective to establish multidisciplinary collaborations within the field of ethnopharmacology and to potentially provide access to important infrastructure that may not be available at African institutions. This would aid in improving the quality and impact of the research conducted in Africa by ensuring new technologies are implemented and established to prove the safety and efficacy of medicinal plants and natural products.
