Fuente: Society for Medicinal Plants Research Lugar: News The 56th International Congress of the Korean Society of Pharmacognosy (KSP; https://ksp.or.kr/) in collaboration with the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA) and the 13th KSP–JSP–CPA Joint Symposium were held in Seoul on November 6–7, 2025. Over 400 researchers and students from Korea, Japan, China, USA, Germany, UK and other countries participated.
The meeting successfully offered an excellent opportunity to present the latest research data, exchange innovative ideas in pharmacognosy, and to strengthen collaborative networks across the region. A series of invited talks covered a very wide range of topics, including biotchnology, marine natural products, the interface of biotechnology and medicinal plant research, the use of artificial intelligence in natural products research, clinical studies on plant ingredients from the region, and bio-actives from East Asian plants and fungi. The discussions after the oral presentations and in front of the posters were vibrant and intense.
 
The meeting was organised by a team led by KSP president Prof. So-Young Park, Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacognosy College of Pharmacy, Dankook University, South Korea. She highlighted that “KSP’s core values are scientific excellence, global collaboration, and a commitment to advancing innovative natural products research for the benefit of future generations.“
 
The GA actively supported this conference with representations by GA president Prof. Michael Heinrich (London, UK/ Taichung, Taiwan), and GA members Dr. Stefan Gafner (Austin, USA) and Dr. Kenny Kuchta (Goettingen, Germany).

The main outcomes of the conference were:
Shared cutting-edge research in pharmacognosy, natural product chemistry, and biotechnology
Strengthening links between the relevant industries especially in the Republic of Korea and the academic institutions in the region
With well over half of all research outputs now coming from Eastern and South-eastern Asian countries it offered a showcase of current academic developments

For the GA, it offered an opportunity to discuss the planning of the next joint conference ‘ICNPR’ to be held in South Korea in 2028. Every four years, seven societies join for an international congress on natural product research, the last one was held in Krakow, Poland in July 2024 (https://icnpr2024.syskonf.pl/) and KSP the will be in charge of organising the next congress, most likely late in August 2028. Originally planned to be held in the USA, the participating societies decided to have it organized in the Republic of Korea. It will again be a collaborative effort of the Korean and Japanese societies for Pharmacognosy, the Association Francophone pour l’Enseignement de la Recherche en Pharmacognosie, the Phytochemical Society of Europe, the American Society for Pharmacognosy, the Società Italiana di Fitochimica and the GA.
 
The Korean Society of Pharmacognosy (KSP) was founded in 1969 to advance Korean pharmaceutical sciences, promote academia–industry collaboration, support the scientific study of herbal medicines, and enhance international academic exchange. Since its establishment, KSP has held an Annual Congress each year, featuring diverse themes across natural products chemistry (plants, microorganisms, and marine organisms), natural product pharmacology, herbal medicine quality control, biotechnology, and the industrialization of traditional herbal resources. In 2025, the Society successfully celebrated its 56th Annual Meeting and currently has approximately 400 members.
For further information, visit the congress website or contact the organisers via email.
Der Beitrag The 56th International Congress of the Korean Society of Pharmacognosy (KSP) & the 13th KSP–JSP–CPA Joint Symposium November 6–7, 2025. erschien zuerst auf Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA).