Chemical conversion of cannabinoids in cannabis sativa**

InPlanta Biotechnology是一家专注于大麻新品种培育的育种公司。具体而言，目标是开发具有药用特性的品种。大麻花含有高水平的各种大麻素，特别是四氢大麻酚（THC）和大麻二酚（CBD），其浓度可高达干花总重量的30%。目前在加拿大种植大麻的法规要求植物的THC浓度低于总干重的0.3%。沿着这些路线，加拿大批准的栽培品种具有非常低的CBD浓度，通常低于1%。InPlanta正在努力注册新一代大麻品种，这些大麻品种具有高水平的CBD。随着法规的改变，大麻种植者将被允许收获种植大麻的花和叶。从高CBD栽培品种中提取将使相对便宜地获得大量CBD成为可能。相比之下，四氢大麻酚更难以大量生产，因为高四氢大麻酚品种只能由有执照的生产商在专门的室内设施中种植。InPlanta对开发提取大量THC的技术感兴趣。* 在浏览旧的科学文献后，InPlanta已经确定了将CBD转化为THC的潜在技术。InPlanta希望聘请Paul Hayes教授开发此类技术。InPlanta和Hayes博士已经会面并讨论了这次订婚的细节。因此，该拨款申请将与Hayes博士建立合作，以建立将某些大麻素转化为其他大麻素的方法，从CBD转化为THC开始。拥有从CBD产生THC的能力将使InPlanta能够进一步探索这一过程作为商机。这对加拿大人和加拿大经济都非常有利。

InPlanta Biotechnology is a breeding company that focuses upon the generation of new hemp cultivars. Specifically, there is an aim to develop varieties that possess medicinal properties. Cannabis sativa flowers contain high levels of various cannabinoids, particularly tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), concentrations of which can be as high as 30% of the total weight of dry flowers. Current regulations for growing hemp in Canada require plants to have concentration of THC lower than 0.3% of the total dry weight. Along these lines, approved cultivars in Canada have very low concentration of CBD, often lower than 1%. InPlanta is working toward registration of a new generation of hemp cultivars that have a high level of CBD. With the change in regulations, hemp growers will be allowed to harvest flowers and leaves of cultivated hemp. Extraction from high CBD cultivars will make it possible to obtain large quantities of CBD relatively inexpensively. In contrast, THC is much more difficult to produce in large quantities, since high THC varieties can only be grown by Licensed Producers in specialized indoor facilities. InPlanta is interested in developing technology for extracting high amounts of THC. ****Upon browsing old scientific literature, InPlanta has identified potential techniques for converting CBD to THC. InPlanta would like to engage Prof. Paul Hayes to develop such techniques. InPlanta and Dr. Hayes have met and discussed the details of this engagement. This grant application is thus to establish collaboration with Dr. Hayes to establish methodologies for transforming certain cannabinoids to other cannabinoids, starting with the conversion of CBD to THC. Having the capacity to generate THC from CBD would put InPlanta in position to further explore this process as a business opportunity. This would be highly beneficial for Canadians and the Canadian economy.