The officers and members of the ASP Executive Committee have submitted a letter to provide comment on a new guidance document at USPTO (http://www.uspto.gov/patents/announce/myriad-mayo.jsp), Guidance For Determining Subject Matter Eligibility Of Claims Reciting Or Involving Laws of Nature, Natural Phenomena, & Natural Products (Guidance), which has implications for the patenting of natural products, derivatives and those compounds that are modifications of or inspired by natural products.  Read the letter here.

NCCAM will hold a pre-application teleconference on Monday, January 27, 2014 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm (EST) to discuss a exciting new Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), entitled “Center for Advancing Natural Products Innovation and Technology” (U41).  For additional information about this FOA, please click on the following link: RFA-AT-14-006 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AT-14-006.html).  Interested participants should contact Anita McRae-Williams at anita.mcrae-williams@nih.gov to RSVP by or before 12:00 noon on 1/27/14, and they will be provided the telephone number and access code for this event.

NCCAM Program Director Craig Hopp reminds the natural products research community of the Botanical Dietary Supplement Research Centers grant opportunities.  More information may be obtained at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OD-14-001.html

“Marilyn K. Speedie, Ph.D., dean of the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, is the recipient of the 2014 Remington Honor Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA)” (http://www.pharmacy.umn.edu/news/remington/).  Dr. Speedie is a long-time member of the society and former member of the ASP Executive Committee.