about us
Exploring Nature Through Science and Tradition
Our research integrates ethnopharmacology and zoopharmacognosy:
Who we are
Ethnopharmacology & Zoopharmacognosy
The Ethnopharmacology and Zoopharmacognosy Junior Research Group (E&Z JRG), led by Fabien Schultz, brings together scientists, local knowledge holders, and conservation partners to explore how both humans and animals use natural resources for healing. We aim to understand and preserve these practices, include them in the scientific framework, and ensure that the benefits of research return to the communities and ecosystems that make it possible.
Ethnopharmacology
explores how plants, fungi, insects, and other natural materials are prepared, administered, and valued in local medicinal traditions. In essence, this is a translation job, bridging traditional wisdom and biomedical scientific inquiry, all the while respecting the contexts in which these ways of knowing live.
Zoopharmacognosy
looks at how animals, from primates to insects, actively select and use natural substances for therapeutic purposes. Here the key is knowing to differentiate the consumption of medicinal foods in regular diets from those that arise from self-medication behavior, where the animal shows an active healing objective.
our research objectives
- Documentation of human traditional medical knowledge alongside behavioral observations of animals, including the systematic collection of samples.
- Early-stage drug discovery and AI-powered discovery of bioactive compounds
- Pharmacological pre-clinical assessment of natural remedies and the preservation of nature’s chemical diversity, ensuring future generations can study these resources in the face of global biodiversity loss.
- Contribution to best practice recommendations for implementing international research ethics, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Nagoya Protocol within the fields of ethnopharmacology and zoopharmacognosy; this includes actively ensuring fair Access and Benefit-Sharing agreements and promoting community and conservation projects.
What we do
Combining traditional wisdom and scientific innovation to discover nature-inspired medicines and preserve biodiversity.
