ASP Newsletter: Fall 2022, Volume 58, Issue 3
The Journal of Natural Products, co-published with the American Society of Pharmacognosy, opens Volume 89 for 2026 with notable changes and achievements. Dr. Cedric Pearce will be stepping down as Executive Editor after years of exceptional leadership and contributions to the Journal’s scientific direction. Professor Wenjun Zhang of the University of California Berkeley has been welcomed as Associate […]
by Robert Cichewicz, PhD
This article appears in the ASP Newsletter Volume 61, Issue 3.
Thank you for your dedication to our field and to this remarkable society. Each and every one of you is the heart and future of our community.
Today, we find ourselves at a pivotal crossroads. Our society’s membership and participation have waned, not because of a lack of exciting science, but because the landscape of natural products research and the innovators who drive it have profoundly expanded the scope of our scientific field. Genomics, metabolomics, microbiome science, synthetic biology, and many other disciplines now intersect with our work, continually redefining what it means to be a natural product scientist. The possibilities are greater than ever, but so too is our challenge to remain vibrant, relevant, and united as we move forward.
by Melany P. Puglisi, PhD
This article appears in the ASP Newsletter Volume 61, Issue 3.
On behalf of the organizing committee, 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.” I would like to thank our sponsors including Amway, Waters, Camag, Verdure Sciences, USP, Proctor and Gamble (Younger Members Committee), American Chemical Society and the Brady Fund.
by David J. Newman, DPhil and Sheo Singh, PhD
This article appears in the ASP Newsletter Volume 61, Issue 3.
ASP Fellow, Dr. Gordon Mitchell Cragg, died on August 25, 2025, at the age of 89. 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, colleagues, and ASP Fellows, Drs. Dave Newman and Sheo Singh.
by Brian Murphy, PhD
This article will appear in the ASP Newsletter Volume 61, Issue 3.
Since taking office in January of 2025, 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 of university students and financial hostage-holding of institutions to force compliance with their policies.
by William Gerwick, PhD
This article appears in the ASP Newsletter Volume 61, Issue 3.
At the 2025 ASP Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dr. Amy Wright of the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University delivered the Norman R. Farnsworth Research Achievement Award lecture. Wright has had a lengthy and productive scientific career discovering and elucidating the structures of highly bioactive marine natural products. A highly distinctive aspect of her work is that she has largely focused on deep-sea marine invertebrates, as her home institution is one of the few in the world to have access to deep-sea diving vessels.
by A. Douglas Kinghorn PhD
This article appears in the ASP Newsletter Volume 61, Issue 3.
ASP member Richard (Dick) G. Powell, a long-time associate editor of the Journal of Natural Products and an outstanding phytochemist, passed away in May 2025 at the age of 86. He was a retired research leader at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, where he worked for 31 years. Powell served as associate editor with great acumen for a total of 23 years, from 1991 through 2013. In recognition of his outstanding editorial service, he was named on the journal masthead page as “Honorary Editor” from 2014-2015. Powell was very capably aided by his late wife, Rosemary, as his editorial assistant during his tenure.
ASP membership has its advantages! Members of the American Society of Pharmacognosy who publish open access in JNP may request a $500 article processing charge discount by sending an email directly to oaops@acs.org. The provided promo code can be used during the payment process for an open access article accepted for publication in JNP. With […]
We are sorry to announce that longtime member, Fellow and Past President of ASP, Gordon Cragg, has passed away. We will be sharing more information with the community about his accomplishments and impact on the field very soon.
by William Gerwick, PhD
This article appears in the ASP Newsletter Volume 61, Issue 1.
Distinguished Professor Bradley Moore from the University of California 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, namely staying current with the newly emerging dimensions of natural products while maintaining the highest levels of rigor and ethics in scientific research.
NEWSLETTER STAFF
Edward J. Kennelly, PhD
Editor In Chief
Patricia Carver, MA
Copyediting & Proofreading
Nancy Novick
Design & Production
Gordon Cragg, PhD
Mario Figueroa, PhD
Joshua Kellogg, PhD
Michael Mullowney, PhD
Guido Pauli, PhD
Patricia Van Skaik, MA, MLS
Jaclyn Winter, PhD
ASP Newsletter Committee
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