This year we are celebrating the 70th birthday of our “continuously vivid and dynamic old lady” – the GA (Gesellschaft für Arzneipflanzenforschung), now Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Products Research.
We are extremely proud and honored that our Society, which is supported and sustained by more than 1300 members from all over the world, is in such a good shape and health. It is the largest European learned society focusing on research on natural products, nature-based drug discovery, medicinal plant research and quality control of herbal products.
Be involved in the GA and celebrate with us!
On September 15, 2023, at 3 pm (CET) we invite you to join the virtual event for celebrating the 70th birthday of the GA – see leaflet (more details will follow).
Afterwards, 5 pm (CET), all GA members will have the chance to join the virtual members meeting including the election of the new bord of directors and the executive council (president, vice-presidents, treasurer, and secretary).
We are looking forward to celebrating with you and to have you being part of shaping the GA future!
Looking back into the GA’s history:
It was a small group of scientists interested in medicinal plant research, who founded the GA in Camberg/Taunus (Germany) in April 1953. The physician Ernst Meyer, specialized in phytotherapy served as the first president. The purpose of the new Society was to foster and promote scientific work related to medicinal plants, including research, production, cultivation, breeding, and therapy. For a more detailed insight into the history of the GA have a glance at our homepage.
The annual conferences of the GA have been installed from the very beginning and are still the main events of the Society. This year, we meet for the 71st annual conference taking place in Dublin in the first week of July. Every 4 years the conference is organized as joint meeting with other important sister societies in the field of natural product research, such as the PSE being the organizer for the upcoming joint meeting 2024 in Krakow, Poland.
Support of early-stage researchers and awards for outstanding researchers: Since 2005, the workshop for young researchers has been installed as part of the annual GA congresses. The workshop offers a unique opportunity for our early-stage researchers (undergraduates, PhD students, young post docs) to present and discuss their research in a free and relaxed atmosphere.
To enable the participation of many young scientists at the annual congresses, travel grants are awarded for excellent contributions from early-career members. During the congress outstanding posters are rewarded with monetary poster awards.
Our Society donates a number of awards, which are funded either by the GA, such as the prestigious Egon-Stahl Awards, or supported by companies, such as the by the companies Bionorica AG and Dr. Willmar-Schwabe GmbH or by private individuals.
Continuously evolving since 70 years:
New offers to our members include regular and free access to podcasts from renowned researchers from different disciplines, eSeminars and eSymposia on timely and hot topics, free access to the GA´s researcher network GA@net for and from GA members, continuous updates and exchanges via our homepage, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook as well as reduced registration fees not only for our annual GA conference, but also for many other conferences and symposia, which are endorsed or co-badged by the GA.
Please click here to register.
You can download the flyer here.
