Dr. Sang-Hyuck Park discusses his research and what we can expect from his talk “Inhibitory Effects of Cannabidiol (CBD) on the Growth and Development of Tobacco Hornworm Manduca sexta” during the Spring 2020 CANN Virtual Symposium in The Second Annual ElSohly Award session on Wednesday, May 6.
Dr. Sang-Hyuck Park completed his PhD in plant, soil, and microbial sciences at Michigan State University. As a postdoctoral fellow, he joined the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Arizona. Before joining the cannabis research team, he worked for two years at the Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Unit, for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Agriculture Research Service (ARS) as a molecular biologist. Since April 2018, Dr. Park has served as a senior scientist/research liaison in the Institute of Cannabis Research (ICR). Dr. Park has been leading a multi-tiered research project with the assistance of multiple student researchers, seeking insights into fundamental cannabis biology and cannabinoid chemistry to address the intrinsic questions of why cannabis plants produce secondary metabolites such as cannabinoids and terpenoids. To address these research questions, he has been collaborating with numerous academic institutes to better understand cannabis plants through investigating the genetic regulations underlying cannabinoid biosynthesis. The research uses a wide range of molecular-level approaches from next generation sequencing technology to proteomics. Additionally, he conducts a variety of research projects to explore new therapeutic uses of cannabidiol (CBD). Here he discusses some of his research and what we can expect from his presentation on May 6.
What will your talk at the CANN symposium focus on?
Dr. Sang-Hyuck Park: Cannabidiol (CBD) has recently been garnering a great deal of global attention in part because of its potential therapeutic uses in human disorders. Despite the increased interests in CBD, little has been known about the evolutionary role that this might have conferred to cannabis plants. For my talk at the CANN symposium, I will primarily focus on the defensive role of CBD against the pest insect, tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta, and how CBD deters the insect feeding behavior as well as inhibiting their growth and development.
What do you hope attendees at the symposium will take away from your talk?
Park: I hope attendees have different perspectives about CBD other than its therapeutic uses. CBD is actually used to protect cannabis plants from pest insects by acting as a repellent. Once it is consumed, CBD becomes fatal to the organism. Our findings suggest that cannabis might have evolved to produce the secondary metabolites as part of a defensive mechanism, and clearly demonstrates the toxicity effect of CBD in the insect model, limiting their growth and development.
How will winning the ElSohly Award impact your research efforts or future projects?
Park: The award enables me to present my recent cannabis study at CANN virtual symposium. This opportunity will allow me to gain insights from peer scientists for future research directions, and to meet other scientists to discuss collaborative opportunities, as well as with business representatives for agricultural applications.
How did you get started with cannabis research?
Park: Before joining the Institute of Cannabis Research (ICR) as a senior scientist, I worked for USDA for two years. My family moved to Colorado in 2016 where the new cannabis research institute (ICR) was established. My educational and research background were well aligned with the institutional mission and scope, which was to support cannabis research and education. Since I joined the institute in 2017, I have been leading multitiered research projects to seek insights into fundamental cannabis biology and cannabinoid chemistry to address the intrinsic questions of why cannabis plants produce secondary metabolites such as cannabinoids and terpenoids, how they exploit the chemicals for their survival, and what evolutionary benefits they may have. Additionally, I conduct a variety of research projects to explore new therapeutic uses of CBD.
How do cannabis plants utilize cannabinoids and terpenoids for their survival?
Park: Cannabis plants utilized the naturally occurring CBD as a feeding deterrent against pest insects. Our study demonstrated that high doses of CBD (>1 mM) effectively inhibits the larval growth and development, resulting in high mortality. Recently, you discovered that CBD can be used as an ethanol detoxifying agent.
Can you provide further detail on this research and what impact it will have on future?
studies?
Park: High dose CBD (>1 mM) has clearly shown toxic effects on the pest insect survival. However, the lethal amounts of CBD function differently in the presence of ethanol (EtOH) stress, becoming protective. When the EtOH-stressed tobacco hornworm M. sexta larvae were treated with CBD, their survival rates significantly increased by 40%. The CBD study revealed the potential use of CBD or CBD enriched hemp extract as an insecticide and also potential therapeutic treatment for alcohol poisoning or addiction treatment. The results were published in the peer-reviewed journal, Scientific Reports in 2019 and can be found at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-47017-7.
Dr. Park will be presenting his talk “Inhibitory Effects of Cannabidiol (CBD) on the Growth and Development of Tobacco Hornworm Manduca sexta” during the Spring 2020 CANN Virtual Symposium in The Second Annual ElSohly Award session on Wednesday, May 6.
Register for free here: https://www.cannabissciencetech.com/e-learning-tools/spring-2020-cann-virtual-symposium.
Cannabis, US Presidential Election 2024, and Beyond: A Roundtable Discussion, Part II
December 17th 2024With the recent 2024 presidential election behind us, the future of cannabis still has many unknowns moving forward and questions still to be discussed. In this roundtable discussion with four knowledgeable industry leaders, we explore the nuanced political landscape of cannabis legalization and rescheduling in the context of the election, including state and federal policies and possible paths forward for testing standardization. Join us in the second part of a compilation of responses from Kim Anzarut, CQA, CP-FS, CEO of Allay Consulting; Susan Audino, PhD, founder of S.A. Audino & Associates, LLC; Zacariah Hildenbrand, PhD, research Professor at the University of Texas at El Paso; and David Vaillencourt, CEO of The GMP Collective.
Cannabis, US Presidential Election 2024, and Beyond: A Roundtable Discussion, Part I
December 16th 2024With the recent 2024 presidential election behind us, the future of cannabis still has many unknowns moving forward and questions still to be discussed. In this roundtable discussion with four knowledgeable industry leaders, we explore the nuanced political landscape of cannabis legalization and rescheduling in the context of the election. We discuss what drives support or opposition from both sides of the aisle, the complexities of balancing state and federal priorities, and more. Join us in the first part of a compilation of responses from Kim Anzarut, CQA, CP-FS, CEO of Allay Consulting; Susan Audino, PhD, founder of S.A. Audino & Associates, LLC; Zacariah Hildenbrand, PhD, research Professor at the University of Texas at El Paso; and David Vaillencourt, CEO of The GMP Collective.
Empowering Women in Cannabis: Susan Audino, PhD, on Inclusivity, Integrity, and Industry Challenges
December 11th 2024Founder of S. A. Audino & Associates, LLC, Susan Audino, PhD, recently co-founded Saturn Scientific, LLC, a collaboration of five experienced individuals providing unbiased evaluations on the data and science for stakeholders in the cannabis industry. In this interview with Cannabis Science and Technology, Dr. Audino shares her unexpected path into analytical science and the cannabis industry as well as the obstacles she’s faced throughout her career. She highlights the gender bias she’s observed, such as unequal recognition of credentials and workplace challenges, while advocating for inclusivity and mentorship to empower women in science. Additionally, Dr. Audino recounts her experiences of navigating the male-dominated cannabis space, pushing for transparency, collaboration, and integrity in laboratory practices. Ultimately, Audino believes fostering mutual respect and knowledge-sharing is vital for the industry’s growth and resilience.
Collaboration, Gender Diversity, and Progress: Julie Kowalski on Advancing Cannabis Science
December 10th 2024In this interview with Cannabis Science and Technology, Julie Kowalski, an experienced analytical chemist, discusses her path into the cannabis industry, starting with early work in gas chromatography. Kowalski reflects on her perspectives as a female scientist, highlighting biases she’s experienced and the benefits of gender inclusivity in the cannabis space. Greater unity and professionalism could benefit the industry as a whole, she explains. She also encourages collaboration and more women in leadership positions in order to build a stronger scientific community, and also urges women to advocate for themselves, noting that women in cannabis face unique obstacles but often demonstrate consensus-building strategies and solutions.
Gender Diversity and Innovation in the Cannabis Space: Insights from Tess Eidem, PhD
December 9th 2024Cannabis Science and Technology sat down with Tess Eidem, PhD, PCQI, member of Saturn Scientific, LLC, to discuss her journey from antibiotic research to cannabis microbiology and her observations throughout her career. Dr. Eidem highlights challenges women face in this male-dominated industry, including limited representation in leadership roles and frequent experiences of bias and discrimination. She emphasizes the importance of gender diversity in fostering innovation, improving product safety, and addressing women’s health needs in cannabis applications. Her advice to women scientists is to build strong professional relationships and carefully evaluate work environments to advance their careers in this evolving and often challenging space.