Drug Discovery & Biodiversity Conservation in Madagascar

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal requests funds to create a drug discovery program in Madagascar that will provide economic benefits and contribute to biodiversity conservation in the bio-rich moist forests surrounding Ranomafana National Park in southeastern Madagascar. The Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments (ICTE), based at Stony Brook University, will build on its 17 years experience in Madagascar to negotiate agreements with Malagasy officials and local traditional leaders, obtain permits and assist with the logistics of working in Madagascar. ICTE manages a research station in Ranomafana that will be used as the local base of operation and also supply some chemical laboratory space. The University of Antananarivo in Madagascar will continue the pursuit of ethnobotanical drug discovery leads while the California Academy of Sciences will expand its bio-survey activities to include bioprospecting and supply novel materials for extraction. The Institute for Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery (ICB&DD) at Stony Brook will provide expertise in structure determination, structure-activity relationship studies, and selection of drug candidates. INDENA SPA., a private company dedicated to the commercial development of pharmaceutical, health-food, and cosmetic products, which has a base of operations near Ranomafana, will be responsible for bulk purification and the commercial development of pure compounds and/or extracts. Initial drug discovery activities will focus on a traditional cough remedy and plants that appear to contain anti-malarial ingredients. The ICBG will work with experts in strategic planning and business development to plan sustainable economic incentives related to these drug discovery activities. The Group is dedicated to training Malagasy people in all aspects of drug discovery and to using the best practices towards developing both sustainable and fair commercial use of the biodiversity-rich resources of the Ranomafana region.