Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in PNG

描述（由申请人提供）：本ICBG的总体目标是通过一套致力于描述、评估、合理利用和保护巴布亚新几内亚生物多样性的综合方案来改善人类健康和福祉。巴布亚新几内亚拥有世界上大约5%的生物多样性。了解巴布亚新几内亚现有生物资源的范围，对于管理这些资源、保护对土著文化至关重要的物种以及制定可持续利用战略至关重要。我们的中心假设是，有效的新疗法可以从巴布亚新几内亚生物财富的天然产物中得到。这种治疗方法可以为当地利益相关者和负责任的巴布亚新几内亚机构提供所需的收入，并激励保护生物多样性。以大学为基础的药物发现部分将侧重于人类免疫缺陷病毒和结核分枝杆菌，而以工业为基础的药物发现部分将侧重于寄生虫病，动物健康和其他治疗靶点。药物发现的来源生物将是海洋和陆地微生物以及海洋无脊椎动物。关于巴布亚新几内亚药用植物使用的传统知识的记录和保存将是这项工作的第二个重点。药用植物调查将由支持传统药物工作组的项目和学生论文补充，以提供药用植物的药理学验证和化学标准化，以及鉴定新的生物活性分子。这项研究将为合作的科学家和学生提供专业发展、教育机会和技术转让。保护和生物多样性研究将以CTFS/SIGEO森林动态地块为中心，该地块已在巴布亚新几内亚的Wanang建立，是上一个赠款周期成就的一部分。该地块是研究森林动态、碳固存和气候效应的独特而有力的研究工具。小区活动将整合植物调查和生态系统研究，包括土壤微生物和小型植物。作为传统药物和植物调查工作的一部分开展的外联活动将促进资源的保护和可持续利用，并为利益攸关方提供利益。在政府投入下制定的立法措施，促进科学交流、保育和可持续利用资源。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overarching goal of this ICBG is to improve human health and well being through an integrated set of programs dedicated to the description, assessment, rational utilization, and conservation of biodiversity in Papua New Guinea (PNG). PNG is home to approximately 5% of the world's biodiversity. An understanding of the range of biological resources existing in PNG is essential for their management, for the preservation of species critical to indigenous cultures, and for the development of strategies for sustainable use. Our central hypothesis is that effective new therapeutics can be derived from the natural products of PNG's biological wealth. Such therapeutics can provide needed revenue to local stake-holders and responsible PNG institutions, and an incentive for the preservation of biological diversity. The university-based drug discovery component will focus on human immunodeficiency virus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, while the industry based drug discovery component will focus on parasitic diseases, animal health and other therapeutic targets. The source organisms for drug discovery will be marine and terrestrial microbes and marine invertebrate animals. Documentation and preservation of traditional knowledge concerning medicinal plant use in PNG will be a second emphasis of this work. Medicinal plant surveys will be complemented by projects in support of the Traditional Medicines Taskforce, and student theses, to provide pharmacologic validation and chemical standardization of medicinal plants, and the identification of novel bioactive molecules. This research will provide professional development, educational opportunities and technology transfer for collaborating scientists and students. Conservation and biodiversity studies will center in the CTFS/SIGEO forest dynamics plot that has been established in Wanang, PNG, as part of the previous grant cycle's achievements. This plot is a unique and powerful research tool for studying forest dynamics, carbon sequestration and climate effects. Plot activities will integrate the botanical survey with the ecosystem study to include soil microbes and small plants. Outreach activities conducted as part of the Traditional Medicines and botanical survey work will foster the conservation and sustainable use of resources and provide benefits to stake-holders. Legislative initiatives developed with government input promote scientific exchange, conservation and sustainable resource use.