The ASP community mourns the passing of Dr. Jerry L. McLaughlin on May 15, 2023. He dedicated his life to the pursuit of knowledge and teaching, making remarkable contributions to medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy.
News
New funding opportunity from the Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative is seeking proposals that open new interdisciplinary lines of inquiry.
Honoring Jon Clardy’s election to the National Academy of Sciences
Celebrate Jon Clardy’s election to the National Academy of Sciences and his groundbreaking contributions to pharmacognosy and natural products research.
Welcome to Melissa Henckel: Editor of the ASP Newsletter
We are thrilled to introduce Melissa Henckel as Editor for the ASP Newsletter. Melissa, who holds a BS in neuroscience from Purdue and an MS in Microbiology and Immunology from U of L, is currently a research assistant in Dr. Amy Keller’s laboratory at the U of C Anschutz Medical Campus.
Margaret (Maggie) Hill Appointed Inaugural Director of Social Media
The ASP is very excited to welcome Margaret (Maggie) Hill as the inaugural Director of Social Media for the ASP. Maggie, who received both BS and MS degrees from the University of Rhode Island, is currently pursuing a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Illinois,
Editor’s Corner: A Farewell
It is with mixed emotions that I am writing this final “Editor’s Corner.” I remember 20 years ago when then-ASP President Bill Fenical asked me to edit the Newsletter. My journalist background was limited to editing my high school newspaper…
NIH CARBON Displays Its Strength
Last fall, at a moment of both scientific momentum and policy transition, more than 140 researchers, from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other stakeholders from around the world logged into the 2025 CARBON Virtual Symposium.
ASP President Cichewicz Addresses Members
Today, we find ourselves at a pivotal crossroads. Our society’s membership and participation have waned because the landscape of natural products research and the innovators who drive it have profoundly expanded the scope of our scientific field.
ASP Annual Meeting 2025 a Grand Success
It is my pleasure to share the highlights from the 2025 ASP Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan! The theme of the meeting was “A Grand Natural Products Adventure/Pharmacognosy Infused Health and Wellness Solutions.”
Remembering Our Late Colleague and Friend Gordon Cragg
ASP Fellow, Dr. Gordon Mitchell Cragg, died on August 25, 2025. He was a devoted member of ASP throughout his long and illustrious career in natural products research. The following tribute has been written by his two longtime friends.
In Memoriam: Richard G. Powell
Richard (Dick) G. Powell, a long-time associate editor of the Journal of Natural Products and an outstanding phytochemist, passed away in May 2025. He was a retired research leader at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research.
Wright Receives 2025 Farnsworth Award
Dr. Amy Wright delivered the Norman R. Farnsworth Research Achievement Award lecture. Wright has had a productive scientific career discovering and elucidating the structures of highly bioactive marine natural products.
Exploring the Role of Professional Societies when Science Is Under Attack
Since taking office, the second Trump Administration has carried out a series of legislative actions that continue to severely weaken our nation’s scientific infrastructure. They have employed both physical intimidation and financial hostage-holding.
Moore Named Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Natural Products
Dr. Bradley Moore from UC San Diego has started his term as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Natural Products with a vision of continuing the trajectory of our previous editors-in-chief.
ASP 2025: A Grand Natural Products Adventure
This year’s ASP annual meeting, ASP 2025, will be held in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan from August 2 to 6, 2025. The theme of the meeting is “Pharmacognosy Infused Health and Wellness Solutions.”
Taking Action: DEI Careers and Current Events in Higher Education
On Thursday, April 24, 2024 the ASP Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee invited Terrance Harris, Jason J. Dorsette, and Dr. Amanda Marie James to give a webinar on “DEI Careers and Current Events in Higher Education.”
In Memoriam: Mark O’Neil-Johnson
ASP member Dr. Mark O’Neil-Johnson passed away in Saint Louis, Missouri from lymphoma on December 11, 2024. He is fondly remembered for his smiling face, passion for natural products, and significant contributions to planning several ASP annual meetings.
ASP Member Takes the Fork in the Road
Being a Program Officer at NCCIH for the past 16 years has been the most rewarding job I have ever held. The ability to shape priorities and support the ASP research community was enormously gratifying… the work environment has taken a dramatic turn for the worse recently.
Hot Topics in Pharmacognosy: What’s Old Is New Again
This column will cover a variety of topics culled from a number of recent publications including: potential methodologies against resistant microbes involved in biofilms; recent reports on boron-containing potential antibiotics, some old, some new…