This page collects the Institute’s updates: what we have done, where we are now and what comes next. Each update sticks to facts, and unpublished research stays private until it is ready. Earlier statements are kept unchanged as a historical record and marked as archived. For articles from the laboratory, the field and the library, see the blog.
Updates
Date: September 2026
Institute Update – September 2026
What the Australian Institute of Pharmacognosy has done since May 2025: the Cardwell laboratory, field surveys, publications and where its work stands now.
Archive
Archived – published 17/05/2025
Archived statement, kept as published. The period it covers has ended. It does not report what was delivered; see the September 2026 update for that. The Institute is not yet DGR-endorsed, and donations are not tax-deductible.
Australian Institute of Pharmacognosy Planned Activities Summary July 2025- July 2026
The Australian Institute of Pharmacognosy is a newly established, non-profit scientific research organisation dedicated to advancing pharmacognosy—the study of drugs of botanical origin. As a fledgling institution in its foundational year, our primary focus is on building the core infrastructure, partnerships, and funding base necessary to initiate our research and educational programs.
The following is a summary of our intended activities over the next 12 months. These reflect both our immediate operational priorities and the future directions we are preparing to undertake as resources become available. All activities are aligned with our principal charitable purpose: to conduct and support scientific research and public education in pharmacognosy.
1. Organisational Establishment and Infrastructure Development
- Securing initial funding through grants, philanthropic donations, and DGR-eligible public contributions to enable the launch of our research initiatives. (Note added 17 September 2026 by the Head of Legal and Compliance: this plan was written in 2025. The Institute is not yet a registered charity or a Deductible Gift Recipient, so contributions to it are not tax-deductible. See Legal Status and Fundraising.)
- Acquiring essential laboratory and field equipment required for plant-based drug investigation, such as chromatographic tools, and extraction apparatus.
- Establishing a research and administrative base, including office space and secure data storage, to support long-term operations.
2. Scientific Research Planning and Partnerships
- Designing and preparing for future ethnobotanical fieldwork to document medicinal plant use by herbalists, traditional healers and Indigenous communities.
- Developing protocols for laboratory research into the phytochemistry and pharmacological activity of plant-derived substances.
- Initiating conversations and collaborations with universities, research centres, and clinical practitioners to co-design projects and secure ethical oversight for future studies.
3. Educational and Outreach Foundations
- Planning and delivering a limited series of introductory seminars and workshops for both the general public and health professionals to raise awareness of pharmacognosy and its relevance to healthcare.
- Developing a suite of open-access educational materials, including written content and short video lessons to be released via our website and social media platforms.
- Laying the groundwork for future student engagement, including volunteer opportunities and supervised research placements.
4. Knowledge Dissemination and Public Engagement (Preliminary Phase)
- Establishing internal systems and editorial policies for future publication of research findings, both in peer-reviewed journals and in public-facing formats.
- Outlining a framework for an annual scientific symposium, to be launched in subsequent years as capacity and funding allow.
- Promoting ethical engagement with traditional knowledge holders, including the development of consent protocols and benefit-sharing models.
All current and proposed activities are intended to create a stable foundation from which the Institute can grow into a respected research body contributing to scientific knowledge, health outcomes, and the preservation of ethnomedical wisdom. Public support, grants, and donations will be instrumental in moving from planning into full implementation.
Prepared by Dr Luke A. Iggulden ND, Chair & Chief Scientific Officer
Australian Institute of Pharmacognosy