Objectives

The Aim of the Consortium

To identify novel therapeutics from the America’s unique biodiversity resources.

To engage in scientific diplomacy and cooperation, build bridges and foster connections among policymakers, scientists, scholars, biological collections, specialized laboratories, private collectors, and entrepreneurs.
To articulate options for the support of scientists and research centers to transition from research discovery to early and late development of pharmaceuticals from natural products.
To support the development of local herbaria, fungaria, library databases, medicinal gardens, culture collections, and depositories of extracts
To support conservation and sustainable agricultural practices for harvesting medicinal plants and other genetic resources.
To facilitate the translation of scientific discoveries into therapeutic products that reach people in a timely and equitable way.

Issue	Description
Focus diseases	Infectious diseases, like COVID-19, and neglected diseases such as Chagas, dengue, leishmaniasis., Mental health and aging-related diseases, like cancer and Alzheimer's
Therapeutics types	Antiviral, antibiotics, antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal), anti-inflammatories, anti-senescence, anticancer, and neuroprotective
Source class	Terrestrial and marine flora, fungi, and microorganisms
Intellectual property	Novel or existing molecules conforming to domestic legislation and the Nagoya protocol, including the sharing of monetary and non-monetary benefits
Scientific disciplines	Multidisciplinary: global health, social sciences, ecology, life sciences —biodiversity, pharmacology, and natural products chemistry.
Partners	Harvard University Herbaria
	Scientists, scholars, collectors
	Screening laboratories
	Entrepreneurs