News
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.
Editor’s Corner
We are extremely pleased to announce the relaunching of the ASP Newsletter, now in a web-only format. It has been almost a year since we published our last Newsletter, and that time was spent working on developing this new format and was not an easy task.
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…
In Memoriam: Norman R. Farnsworth (1930-2011)
Norman Farnsworth was a towering figure in pharmacognosy from the 1960’s to the present. This is a tribute to renowned pharmacognosist, honoring his life, legacy, and lasting impact on natural products research.