Dr. Jane Goodall
Dr. Fabien Schultz leads the Ethnopharmacology and Zoopharmacognosy Junior Research Group (E&Z JRG) at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) in Hamburg, Germany.
Dr. Fabien
Schultz
Research Featured
by the Press
As seen on
our mission
Nature-inspired
healing
At the Ethnopharmacology & Zoopharmacognosy Junior Research Group (E&Z JRG), we explore how humans and animals use natural substances for healing. By combining traditional knowledge with cutting-edge science, our goal is to discover new medicines and preserve biodiversity, all the while fostering ethical collaborations with communities worldwide.
Facts and Figures
Why nature is a matter of health
~80%
of the world’s population relies on traditional medicine for primary healthcare.
~40%
of modern therapeutic molecules come from natural sources. 25% from plants, 13% from microbes, 3% from animals.
~10%
of all known vascular plants are currently used for medicinal purposes.
Shared knowledge,
lasting impact
In close collaboration with local traditional communities, the E&Z JRG has documented over 140 medicinal plant species across Africa and Europe, building a library of 550+ extracts, with 50–70 new species added each year. Through community workshops, these findings are now being shared back with the knowledge holders, strengthening cultural heritage, promoting sustainable health, and supporting local capacity-building.
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Ethnopharmacology and Zoopharmacognosy at BNITM
