Chemical conversion of cannabinoids in cannabis sativa**

InPlanta生物技术是一家专注于新一代大麻品种的育种公司。具体来说，有一个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四氢大麻酚浓度低于总干重的0.3%。沿着这些路线，加拿大批准的品种具有非常低的CBD浓度，通常低于1%。InPlanta正在努力注册具有高水平CBD的新一代大麻品种。随着法规的变化，大麻种植者将被允许收获种植大麻的花和叶子。从高CBD品种中提取，可以相对廉价地获得大量CBD。相比之下，大量生产四氢大麻酚要困难得多，因为高四氢大麻酚品种只能由持牌生产商在专门的室内设施中种植。InPlanta有兴趣开发提取大量四氢大麻酚的技术。****通过浏览旧的科学文献，InPlanta已经确定了将CBD转化为四氢大麻酚的潜在技术。InPlanta希望聘请Paul Hayes教授来开发这种技术。InPlanta和Hayes博士已经会面并讨论了这项合作的细节。因此，这项拨款申请是为了与Hayes博士建立合作，建立将某些大麻素转化为其他大麻素的方法，从将CBD转化为四氢大麻酚开始。拥有从CBD中产生四氢大麻酚的能力将使InPlanta能够进一步探索这一过程，并将其作为一个商业机会。这将对加拿大人和加拿大经济非常有利。

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.