Cannabis Science and Technology September 2021

In this interview, Dr. Marion McNabb discusses her latest study as well as her background and key insights into the medical cannabis industry.

How Dr. Marion McNabb is Looking to Take the Medical Cannabis Industry to the Next Level

Sheila Gibson, the founder of Aura IP Law, shares her insights, knowledge, and advice on cannabis IP, including emerging topics.

Intellectual Property and Cannabis: A Look at the Current Landscape and Emerging Topics

Isolated CBD, full-spectrum oil, and even smokable hemp are all being diluted down by a draconian regulatory framework that needs to be changed to facilitate growth, innovation, and prosperity throughout the industry.

Hemp Regulations and the Restrictions on Innovation

Until now, the discussion about cannabis cultivation has been dominated by the debate over indica versus sativa. However, with the recent emergence of autoflowering varietals, cannabis ruderalis-based genetics have garnered significant notoriety for various reasons; including their relative ease to cultivate and their independence of a traditional photoperiod. In this piece, we touch on the benefits and challenges associated with autoflowering genetics, and provide justification for why these unique varietals may be the catalyst for making cannabis medicine more accessible and approachable for the general population.

As the cannabis industry continues to evolve and progress from one perceived “fad” to another, one has to wonder to what extent these new developments will improve the growth and sustainability of this multidisciplinary enterprise moving forward. For example, the seemingly systematic adoption of cannabidiol (CBD) as a panacea, has made for its rather ubiquitous integration into a wide range of household products: from creams and lotions to BBQ sauces and even pillows. Unfortunately, this has led to a FOMO-induced (fear of missing out) mania that saw Group III cannabis (hemp) cultivation experience exponential growth, which ultimately triggered a precipitous decline in hemp commodities pricing, with many once-keen farmers and entrepreneurs holding the bag. One could argue that the unregulated surge in hemp cultivation fueled its own demise and did not make a resounding beneficial impact on the cannabis industry for more than a couple of years. With that in mind, is there something else out there on the cannabis cultivation horizon, beyond the mass production of a single cannabinoid, that can have a lasting and sustainable effect on this burgeoning industry? The answer may come from a humble provenance.

 genetics originated from Asia and Europe, where they adapted to extreme environments and relatively short growing seasons. 

 plants are generally short and stocky compared to their 

 counterparts, but are most famously known for producing flower material that is grown independent of photoperiod. As a result of this characteristic, ruderalis-based varietals are often referred to as “autoflowers” as they uniquely flower in conjunction with producing vegetative mass. 

 genetics are often unfairly characterized by the synonymous term “Ditch Weed,” which is a reference to the robust ability to grow almost anywhere, such as the barren terrain one might find on the side of a railway line, and its relatively low phytochemical content. Many associate 

varietals with “fiber-type” hemp, which generally expresses very low levels of the primary cannabinoids (tetrahydrocannabinol [THC], CBD, cannabichromene [CBC]), and little-to-no terpene content. Nonetheless, the latest commercially available autoflowering genetics have come a long way in recent years, both in phytochemical production and in the ease of use.

One of the most compelling attributes of autoflowering varietals is their ease to grow. Because of their independence from the traditional photoperiod, autoflowers or “autos” can be grown by anyone from a renowned Master Grower to a keen newbie with little-to-no experience. Imagine going into your local grow store and buying an auto seedling in a 5-gallon pot of premium soil that you can then put on your porch or in a window and enjoy cannabis cultivation on the easiest level. It’s akin to the “set it and forget it” style of making a delicious pot roast (pun intended) in your Instant Pot while spending your time away from the kitchen. And while the perception of cannabis as a viable medicine is continuing to expand well beyond the initial sub-culture, autoflowering varietals could be the gateway for any untrained, yet interested party, to dabble in personalized cultivation, thus making cannabis more approachable en masse.

It’s important to mention that current autoflowering varietals express all of the same medicinal benefits and phytochemicals (cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids) as their photoperiod counterparts, with the additional ability to grow and flower pretty much anywhere in the world. Furthermore, using regular non-feminized auto seed for food and textile crops is a reproducible process that could create unique economic opportunities for developing nations with very little investment.

Additionally, autoflowering analogs of specific photoperiod strains can be produced through selective breeding cycles, just like any other genetic. The ability to breed autoflowering characteristics into any Groups I, II, and III strain of cannabis has allowed the industry to enjoy a much more robust repertoire of options, compared to the undesirable 

 genetics that occupied grow rooms as little as 5 years ago (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Autoflowering cannabis can easily be grown outdoors (left), in a greenhouse (center), or indoors under your favorite full-spectrum lights (right). Genetic is Cattail Grape by ZED Therapeutics.

Another positive attribute of autoflowering varietals is the relative speed of their growth cycles. Autoflowers outpace their photo-dependent counterparts quickly after germination, reaching their adulthood after around two to three weeks versus four to six. From there, autos immediately begin their reproductive stage, producing the first pistils that will multiply into buds. But the vegetative growth doesn’t stop at this point. Autoflowers continue to show how specialized they are in producing plant material quickly, as they grow in stature rapidly through the first month or more of flowering (Figure 2). After that, outward growth comes to a halt and the plant focuses on producing terpenes and cannabinoids. Historically, autoflower varieties have taken from 12-14 weeks from germination to reach their height of ripeness. Today’s skilled breeders have created genetics that produce better quality flowers in an amazing 8–10 weeks from germination. In contrast, common photo-dependent cultivars need an additional 4–6 weeks of long-day, vegetative growth before their 8–10 weeks of flowering time to achieve the same production.

Figure 2: The Cattail Grape cultivar grown in shallow soil beds maturing rapidly over the course of multiple weeks (from left to right, <10 weeks from seed to finished flower).

Autoflowering genetics have been characterized as having generally poor taste and aroma profiles; in many cases characteristic of fresh cut grass and hay. Historically speaking, the phytochemical profiles of many autos have been relatively devoid of terpenes and flavonoids. Breeders have been moving forward with these original 

 types and dramatically improving their flavor and aroma by mixing them with market proven genetics and selecting for the auto flower traits.

Additionally, there is very little time during an autoflower growth cycle to address critical issues in the grow. If you are not growing for commercial use then airy buds and smaller-than-average yield are no big deal. However, for a farm operating on thin margins, bud structure, yield, and phytochemical content can be make-or-break issues. Understanding how to optimize growing conditions and feeding regimens is key for scale production of these genetic types. As we drift further away from the ruderalis tendency and only identify the autoflower trait we see less and less of these issues, but it is important that we feed these plants for dense flowers, having a readily available source of organic nutrients abundantly available in the soil for uptake as needed.

The major selling point of an autoflower is its ability to flower under a myriad of lighting cycles. However, this is also a downfall of this type. If you identify a winning phenotype it is not possible to take a clone that can be perpetuated for selfing. Even under a 24 hour-a-day lighting cycle it will continue to flower. Through filial breeding you can work varieties into a close representation of uniformity but this is a daunting task, especially when creating feminized seed. It is important for many to use feminized autoflowering genetics as the males can and will drop flowers and pollen very quickly after germination. One missed male will pollinate and seed your entire crop. Furthermore, to get an auto to reverse you must start your chosen reversal method very quickly leaving very little time to observe each plant’s genetic expression. It is imperative to start multiple plants for reversal so you can select your actual donor further into flower. This takes time, daily observation, and a bit of luck. Ideally you will find a pair, one reversed one female, that are nearly identical to each other, from which to create your first filial generation.From there you can further work that line using the aforementioned strategies until you reach uniformity. Most home growers don’t mind autoflowering genetics that aren’t exactly uniform but at a legal market level the crop batches must be uniform for accurate tests and consistent product. This is commonly achieved with clones from a mother that are 100% the same. The inability to clone autoflowering genetics makes this nearly impossible. Therefore, all autoflowering genetics must be grown from seed.Even with a years-long lockdown and uniformity breeding regimen on these genetics there is always a chance for a genetic mutation in a seed that can express in many ways. It could be as benign as a differing terpene expression or as detrimental as a hermaphrodite that pollinates and dramatically drops the value of your crop.

When done properly, one can create an autoflowering genetic that is uniform, consistent, and able to produce multiple crops per year in outdoor or greenhouse settings with very little additional work and no need for supplemental lighting. It is also amazing for locations on the globe with +/- 12/12 hour lighting cycles where typical plants flower before the vegetative cycle can complete, or where there are highly variable lighting conditions. Autos are plants that, at the base level, are extremely simple and fun to grow for a home gardener or hobby grower, but strict steps and robust knowledge are crucial to use them at a commercial level. Is it extremely important as a commercial grower not to buy random market autoflowering genetics because of likely, massive heterogeneity in flowering times, aroma, flavor, plant morphology, and analytical testing results. With all of that being said, it’s time to celebrate autoflowering genetics and the opportunities that they present for more folks to explore cannabis and hemp cultivation.

 is with Curtis Mathes Corporation. Direct correspondence to: 

Articles

In this piece, we touch on the benefits and challenges associated with autoflowering genetics, and provide justification for why these unique varietals may be the catalyst for making cannabis medicine more accessible and approachable for the general population. 

Autoflowering Genetics Present Unique Opportunities

Students at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale (Carbondale, Illinois) are working on a project that aims to promise consumers that they are getting what they pay for when purchasing cannabidiol (CBD) products (1). Students from all over are able to take part in the university’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. The program funds students to visit other universities to conduct research.

Roberto Santos-Torres came to SIU from a university in Puerto Rico this summer and worked with two other researchers, Mary Kinsel and Gary Kinsel, utilizing some of the university’s high-tech analytical equipment to examine various CBD products to verify their active ingredients. The project investigated the accuracy of product labelling on hemp-derived consumer products such as CBD tinctures intended for humans and pet consumption, CBD gummies, and topical CBD creams.

CBD found in both cannabis and hemp plants does not populate a “high” effect or any other form of intoxication that may be caused by another cannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It is marketed as a stress reliever, sleep aid, pain reliever, and holds many other beneficial health uses.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported large amounts of hemp products that do not contain the active ingredients in the amounts listed on their respective product labels. Those involved in the cannabis industry wish to see standardization implemented throughout the industry from analytical testing to extraction processes.

“It is problematic when the public cannot trust that the product labelling is accurate,” said Mary Kinsel, associate scientist in the Office of Sponsored Projects Administration at SIU (1). Along with Gary Kinsel, vice chancellor for research, Mary Kinsel guided Santos-Torres as he learned practical laboratory skills, such as instrument calibration, standard preparation, and extraction of samples combined with liquid chromatography separation and mass spectrometric detection of cannabinoids.

As with many states throughout the United States, Santos-Torres’s home in Puerto Rico is growing interest in the medical cannabis sector. Mary Kinsel brought up the suggestion that Santos-Torres look into the emerging problem of labeling issues. “I was delighted, since it was a project that could start on my island before I got to SIU,” he said (1). “I hope this study can clarify the problem that currently exists with the label content of CBD products, and for the FDA to be more rigorous with this market.”

His first step was preparing standard solutions of five different known CBD concentrations. This provided a way to measure the CBD content of the consumer products. Once the stock solution with a known concentration of CBD was prepared, it was then diluted to make standards of the desired smaller CBD concentrations.

Through planning out the instrument response of each CBD standard signal against the known concentrations, the researchers applied an equation to the data which could be used to determine the CBD concentrations in the consumer products.

Working together with the Kinsels, Santos-Torres learned to operate one of SIU’s liquid chromatograph mass spectrometers, using it to separate the CBD from other components extracted from the consumer products. Two detectors—a UV-vis photodiode array detector recorded light absorption and a mass spectrometer which recorded positive ions—detected the CBD levels.

“Roberto took the two types of data, measured the area of the CBD signals, and calculated the amount of CBD using the standard calibration equations,” Mary Kinsel said (1). “We repeated the extractions up to three times to calculate an average amount of CBD for the CBD consumer products.”

This project laid the groundwork for future work beginning this fall which will be continued by Chloe Leonard, a senior in physiology at SIU. She opted to study under Mary Kinsel after taking her “Introduction to Forensic Science” course in the fall of 2020. “I was very intrigued by her research and asked if she had any openings for undergraduate research,” Leonard said (1). “She was kind enough to allow me to join her this semester in the lab and presented the idea of furthering Roberto’s research.”

Leonard believes this will give her a better understanding for potency testing and proper laboratory procedures that she could use in the future. She will repeat Santos-Torres’ work with the objective of identifying extraction efficiency by adding known quantities of CBD to consumer products and then extracting it to measure how much can be recovered. These results will help optimize the extraction method.

“During this semester, we expect her to validate the extraction processes we came up with and carried out this summer,” said Santos-Torres (1). “After that, she’ll continue to examine more CBD products.”

As the project continues, the research that will come from it will hopefully be able to aid consumers in choosing the best and most accurate products to treat their various health conditions.

https://news.siu.edu/2021/09/092121-Students-explore-truth-in-CBD-labeling-at-SIU-Carbondale.php

The Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale (Carbondale, Illinois) has formed a project that allows students to research the accuracy of Cannabidiol (CBD) products, ensuring consumers are receiving exactly what is found on CBD product labels.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale Students Work to Ensure Proper CBD Labeling

Unrivaled Brands—a multistate vertically integrated company focused on the cannabis sector with operations in California, Oregon, and Nevada—recently announced the launch of their new state of the art cultivation facility operating in Oakland, California (1).

The new facility is designed to supply the company’s Korova brand with its premium, high-potency strains. It has various technological improvements compared to prior cultivation operations. According to the company’s announcement, this establishment contains four flower rooms with 60 lights each and is planned to yield more than 3500 pounds per year of expertly crafted flower.

“With the planting of specific Korova strains last week, we are pleased to launch our latest cultivation facility, which we expect to increase supply of cannabis in support of the growth of the Korova brand throughout California,” stated Uri Kenig, Unrivaled’s Chief Operating Officer. “We are pleased to bring this operation online, which is expected to both triple our estimated annual production and provide us with the unrivaled ability to manage the quality of the flower sold under our brand names.”

For more information about Unrivaled Brands, please see the recent interview we conducted with their CEO Frank Knuettel titled “

An Insider’s Perspective: Challenges, Growth Plans, and Insight from a Multistate Operator

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/09/15/2297524/26002/en/Unrivaled-Brands-Launches-New-State-of-the-Art-Cultivation-Facility.html

https://www.cannabissciencetech.com/view/an-insiders-perspective-challenges-growth-plans-and-insight-from-a-multistate-operator

Unrivaled Brands recently announced the launch of their new state of the art cultivation facility operating in Oakland, California.

Unrivaled Brands Launches New Cultivation Facility

Can you tell us about Volunteer Botanicals and your partnership with Hempleton Investment Group?

 Both companies met at the Medical Cannabis Summit in Atlanta, Georgia in 2019 and forged not only a business relationship, but friendship. With the understanding that more cannabinoids other than cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) would find their way into the hearts and bodies of consumers, we aligned a similar vision to create delivery systems that utilize pharmaceutical quality technology and combine different cannabinoids. As a result, we developed a first-of-its-kind instant release tablet compounding minor cannabinoids with CBD and terpenes. The goal was to create a deliverable that was familiar, effective, and easy to understand.

What are the Prolifera Instant Release Tablets?

 These tablets were designed to deliver specific combinations of different cannabinoids coupled with CBD. The backbone of the tablets come from the pharma space and the bioactive ingredients are cannabinoids and terpenes, in powder form.

 is a term used to define how a solid particle moves or flows in a non-static state. The goal of moving cannabis oils into flowable powder is to remove the variables associated with different extracts, creating a “level playing field” of consistent particle size, density, and content uniformity. This conversion technique lends itself to the reconstitution of cannabinoids, compounding with different vitamins and nutraceuticals, and are designed for dynamic capsule and tablet formulas. Once cannabinoids and terpenes are consistent, they can easily move to high-speed tableting systems and high-speed encapsulation machines. 

Can you tell us a little about the patent-pending Lipid Neutralization System?

 The current challenge for the industry is developing products that fit modern consumer preferences. As the cannabinoid market moves from dispensaries to mainstream retailers, customers will be seeking familiar delivery methods they feel comfortable using. The ability to provide these compounds in enjoyable form factors will set brands apart. But today, basic extracts like cannabis crude, distillate, and even isolates still require conversion before they can become an appropriate ingredient for most product formulators. The Lipid Neutralization System powderizes’ plant extracts and terpenes, creating pharmaceutical-quality powders directly from extracts. To date, we have converted more than 10 different cannabinoids to flowable powder and countless terpenes. By using “flowable powders,” it is possible to produce reliably consistent ingredients that can bring cannabinoids and terpenes to tablets and other traditional form factors without interfering with existing manufacturing processes. 

Can the tablets be personalized by consumers to make the product to benefit their specific health needs?

 Prolifera offers a variety of tablet combinations to meet the needs of its customers. You can buy a 30-day supply of tablets, blister-packed with specific combinations, or pick three different 10-day blister-packs to experiment and find a regimen that works best for the specific customer. The goal is to allow a consumer to personalize their experience rather than providing a one-size-fits-all approach the industry is known for. Hempleton and Volunteer Botanicals share the belief that each cannabinoid holds a great deal of unknown potential. CBD was just the first example of this. But as any cannabinoid consumer already knows, everybody is different. Cannabinoids effect people in different ways. The safest way to provide options for consumers is in delivery forms that are consistent, convenient, and easy to take daily.

How many cannabinoids are used in the instant release tablets? Are there plans to expand to include other cannabinoids?

 Currently, the Prolifera Instant Release Tablet line include combinations of CBD + hemp terpenes, CBD + cannabinol (CBN), CBD + cannabigerol (CBG) and CBD + cannabichromene (CBC). As new data is provided about different cannabinoids, new formulations are inevitable. This is just the beginning of cannabinoid reconstitution for Volunteer Botanicals and Hempleton. The next line of products we will be co-launching are dynamic capsules. Blending cannabinoids and terpenes with well-known sleep supplements, inflammation supporting supplements, and wellness vitamins will give consumers a clear and easy path for a one-capsule approach. This line of products will be called Prolifera Plus and will act as a standalone supplement or can work in conjunction with the different capsules. You can take one in the morning as a natural mood and energy enhancer, one in the afternoon for aches and pains, and one before bed for a restful night sleep. Simplicity is key. Effectiveness is critical. By combining cannabinoids and terpenes with other effective ingredients, this is all possible.

Are the cannabinoids used in these tablets derived from cannabis or hemp? Or are they produced from synthetic cannabinoids? Can you tell us about the process of how they are made?

 All cannabinoids are derived from hemp strains. The difficulty of reconstituting these extracts is that they all have different consistencies, melting points, boiling points, viscosity, and tackiness. This means converting a sticky extract into a free-flowing powder takes a great deal of work. Each extract has a different standard operating procedure (SOP) to make the throughput consistent. All extracts in the Prolifera project either came directly from Hempleton or were sourced from licensed, vetted extraction partners in the United States. Minor cannabinoids are relatively new and finding pure and consistent extract isn’t always easy. Relationships are everything and understanding your suppliers is critical to a smooth supply chain. Our small role of converting those cannabinoids and terpenes into free-flowing powder is critical for compounding successfully, batch-to-batch.

What do you think consumers should know when looking into Volunteer Botanicals products?

 We are on the bleeding edge of new discoveries with not only cannabinoids and terpenes but many different botanical-based ingredients. We feel plant-based whole health is critical to the survival of humans and the planet. By combining specific pharma practices with pure extracts, we will begin to unlock new and novel ingredient combinations. We are working with botanical-based ingredients from all over the world and we are building our first combo capsule utilizing mushrooms, cannabinoids, terpenes, and ingredients with clinical trials. This is just the beginning.

Do you offer any education for novice cannabis consumers?

 Volunteer Botanicals and Prolifera both offer personal consultations. Volunteer offers it online and Prolifera offers it through their website and their brick-and-mortar stores called The Hemp Farmacy. Both companies have an open-door policy for communication, consultations, and phone calls.

Do you face any challenges in the industry as a result of the stigma surrounding cannabis?

 The main challenges for anyone in or entering the cannabinoid industry is the lack of clear regulation and policy. The negative stigma that has permeated the country for the last 80 years has created a huge amount of misunderstanding. Without Federal legalization and completely freeing the cannabis plant, we will continue to create piecemeal legislation that only addresses small concerns at state levels. The plant has well over 100 different cannabinoids and the stigma around specific parts of the plant only creates more confusion. For example, fiber plants often contain higher levels of Delta-9-THC, but it is difficult to access due to the makeup of the plant, which creates more confusion on regulating. Certain cannabinoids are bio-synthetically created so they too carry an entirely different set of regulations. If we could legalize and set standards in place across all 50 states, the stigma would immediately go away. We would have a clear path forward and consumers across the country and world would have an opportunity to understand and work with the plant.

What are your future plans for Volunteer Botanicals?

 Volunteer Botanicals just completed a research and development headquarters in Tennessee this month. The goal at the new facility is to provide conversion options to extraction labs and product creators utilizing our proprietary technology to compound and reconstitute cannabinoids and terpenes for robust ratios, unlocking the potential for the cannabis plant. In time, we believe that cannabinoids will become standard ingredients in millions of products.

 We’re excited for the future and believe that our work with Hempleton is just the tip of the iceberg as we pursue the advancement of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds as unique, powerful ingredients for a variety of wellness products. The combination of various cannabinoids as well as other botanical extract will pave the way to a brand-new set of plant-based supplements. There has never been a better time to be working in this industry.

Medical cannabis patients and adult-use consumers alike are faced with an overwhelming amount of options when they first enter a dispensary. Across the industry, producers are looking for ways to simplify things for consumers. One company, Volunteer Botanicals, recently partnered with an investment group to create cannabidiol (CBD)-based tablets that also combine other cannabinoids and have the potential to create a unique consumer experience. In this interview, Jason Pickle, co-founder and chief sales officer for Volunteer Botanicals, sits down to discuss this recent product, the need for standardization throughout the cannabis industry, and more.

How the Cannabis Market Can Expand with Innovative Products Like CBD Instant Release Tablets

https://www.cannabissciencetech.com/cst_w/buildouts

In this data packed webcast, participants will learn how to think about setting up a solventless processing division for maximum profitability and product quality. Topics will include a deep dive discussion into solventless SKU strategy, how labs should plan for their anticipated processing volume, and ultimately what makes for successful solventless operation. Anyone in the cannabis industry is sure to glean immediately actionable insights from the presentation. If your business is interested in increasing profits by leveraging top shelf concentrate SKUs, this webinar is for you.

How processing operations and extraction labs can set themselves up for success to start creating solventless SKUs

What kinds of starting material are necessary and how to create a pipeline of suitably high-quality cannabis to make premium solventless products

Which SKUs are popular by market maturity and how to select the right ones for each business’s market

Cultivators seeking expansion opportunities

Anyone interested in the topic of top shelf concentrates or infused products.

Ali Britton serves as the CEO and Lead Designer for PureCannalabs, the leader in solventless processing consulting, lab buildouts, and training. With an extensive background in interior design, code compliance, and every other aspect of successful space planning, Ali’s knowledge of cannabis processing lab development is supreme.


Director of Marketing & Business Development
PurePressure & PureCannalabs


Eric Vlosky is the Director of Marketing and Business Development for PurePressure, world’s #1 solventless equipment and technology provider. As a premier speaker and solventless expert, Eric has worked in the cannabis space for the last 7 years. Eric is passionate about cannabis education, brand building, and marketing.

Webcasts

Tuesday, September 21, 2021 at 1pm EDT | 12pm CDT | 10am PDT

Solventless Lab Buildouts: Setting Up for Success 

Zacariah Hildenbrand, PhD, of Inform Environmental, LLC and one of 

’s Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) members, is hosting a new seminar series called “The Science of Cannabis and Hemp.” The first installment of this series will air on Thursday, September 16th at 2 pm EST from this link: 

Hildenbrand will be joined by several friends and colleagues throughout the series where they plan to have enlightening conversations on several technical topics in this new frontier of medicine. Topics of coverage include the various chemical classes found in cannabis and hemp, commercial cannabis/hemp analysis, genetics, and the effects of various environmental factors on phytochemical content. Each installment will also feature a live q&a session with the audience. The series is being presented by Curtis Mathes Grow Lights, Orxata Media Group, Medusa Analytical, and Shimadzu.

Zacariah Hildenbrand, PhD, of Inform Environmental, LLC and one of Cannabis Science and Technology’s Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) members, is hosting a new seminar series called “The Science of Cannabis and Hemp.”

Educational Science Seminar Series Launching Today

Agtech innovator, Dewey Scientific, announced the online publication of new data expressing the first experimentally validated disease resistance gene in cannabis (1). The research article is titled, “

Discovery and Genetic Mapping of PM1, a Powdery Mildew Resistance Gene in Cannabis sativa L

,” (2) and able to be found under the special topic “Cannabis IPM – Insect Pests and Diseases” by 

Dewey Scientific’s main objective from this study was to provide the groundwork for the discovery of additional sources of genetic resistance to the various pathogens that can infect 

“This discovery and characterization of naturally occurring powdery mildew resistance breaks important new ground, helping to elevate our understanding of the cannabis crop to that of other economically vital agricultural commodities such as hops, berries, or grapevines,” said Dr. Jordan Zager, Dewey Scientific cofounder and CEO (1). “The identification and characterization of PM1 is the first step in establishing the next generation of cannabis cultivars that are suited both for large scale production and optimal efficiency. At Dewey, we’ve already integrated this key resistance gene into over a dozen commercial-ready varieties through classic breeding techniques.”

Authors included on this peer-reviewed research are Dewey Scientific cofounder Paul D. Mihalyov, PhD and Oregon CBD Director of Research & Development Andrea R. Garfinkel, PhD. Genotyping technologies were provided by Lighthouse Genomics and Génome Québec. Dewey Scientific’s founding team also includes Chief Science Officer Dr. Mark Lange, who is one of the world’s foremost experts on terpene biochemistry and natural product biosynthesis. Lange and Dr. Zager have published additional research in peer-reviewed scientific journals, such as 

“Pest control strategies that require active management can be difficult to communicate and synchronize across vulnerable farms. Instead, using plant varieties with a naturally robust immune system can make a grower’s life much easier,” said Mihalyov (1). “Taking advantage of natural genetic resistance is also a more sustainable approach than the ‘spray and pray’ method.”

For several plant pathogenic fungi, powdery mildew has become a commonly used term. This includes fungi from the genus 

, affecting both commercially cultivated hemp and cannabis. In other studies, resistant plants may have been occasionally recognized. This scientific investigation is the first to track and verify its genetic heritability. Located in the open-access manuscript (2), the authors were also able to develop a genetic marker to detect 

 with a simple assay, allowing the trait to be introduced into any cultivar using classical breeding methods instead of transgenics or gene editing.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210830005595/en/Dewey-Scientific-Announces-Peer-Reviewed-Research-Identifying-the-First-Powdery-Mildew-Resistance-Gene-in-Cannabis

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2021.720215/full?utm_source=F-NTF&utm_medium=EMLX&utm_campaign=PRD_FEOPS_20170000_ARTICLE

https://academic.oup.com/plphys/article/180/4/1877/6117720

Dewey Scientific discovers the first powdery mildew resistant gene found in cannabis.

Peer-Reviewed Research Identifies the First Powdery Mildew Resistance Gene in Cannabis 

Suppose some medical problem arises and you go to a doctor to have your problem treated. To be able to perfectly treat any problem you might have, your doctor would have to have a complete understanding of:

. Your doctor would have to have a perfect understanding of the science behind human health, including, for example, human anatomy, physiology, cell biology, neurology, and psychology. He would have to have perfect understandings both of the body functioning that’s common across people in society (population health), as well as that which is idiosyncratic to you (genomics).

. Your doctor would have to have a perfect understanding of the science behind the symptoms, causes, and nature of progression of all human disease, including, for example epidemiology and pathology.

How medications and treatments address disease

. Your doctor would have to have a perfect understanding of disease treatment, including, for example, pharmacology, physical therapy, and surgery.


Of course, no doctor out there has such a complete understanding of human health and disease. In fact, all doctors on the planet taken as a whole do not have such a complete understanding of health and disease.

Society’s ability to treat medical conditions is intimately tied to the extent of its knowledge and use of science and technology. No doubt, we’ve come a long way over the millennia. On the other hand, we still have so far to go.

Focus, now, specifically on medications used to treat dysfunction and disease (as opposed to devices, surgery, diet, etc.).

Before the 19th century, medicines generally consisted of plants and plant-based extracts, which contain a large variety of bioactive compounds. Advances in natural product chemistry and extraction technologies during the 19th century stimulated a “seminal” transition in Western medicine, shifting the focus away from multi-component extracts (whole plant), toward purified isolates, either natural, or later, synthetic (see Figure 1).

The isolation of morphine from opium by Friedrich Sertürner in 1805 was “the first isolation of a natural product from a plant,” which “kick-started natural product chemistry.” As researcher Eyan Huxtable notes (1):

"The isolation of morphine from opium —the first isolation of a natural product—was a seminal event in the development of pharmacology as an independent discipline. The purification kick-started natural product chemistry and quickly led to the isolation of a host of other alkaloids [including strychnine, caffeine, quinine, nicotine, and codeine].…

As a consequence of his studies, Sertürner established the principle that plants contain active substances that, on isolation, carry the therapeutic properties of the plant."

Over subsequent decades, analytical chemists and apothecaries (medicinal chemists) continued to isolate and characterize “the active principles in medicinal plants.” By the latter half of the 19th century, pharmacology had been established as a scientific discipline (2). Furthermore, the isolation and purification of plants’ active compounds became increasingly essential for medications for several reasons, including the newfound ability to administer accurate doses, the ability to prevent toxic effects due to impurities in the plant, and, by the end of the century, the ability to synthesize structurally similar substances based on better understandings of chemical structures (3).

During this period, the latter half of the 19th century, the top ten causes of death were all due to bacterial infections. Bacteria, such as those causing tuberculosis, diphtheria, scarlet fever, and whooping cough, spread through the air from person-to-person. Bacteria, such as that causing malaria, spread from insects or animals to people. Bacteria, such as that causing dysentery, cholera, or typhoid fever, spread due to lack of proper sanitation. Finally, bacteria causing post-injury infections spread due to lack of proper medical sanitation practices (see Figure 2 below).

Paul Ehrlich, a late-19th century German researcher, significantly shaped the course of drug discovery in Western medicine. Ehrlich studied how our immune systems respond to bacterial infections, that is, how our bodies generate antitoxins, or antibodies, to fight the toxins released by bacteria that have invaded our systems. Ehrlich’s research led to the 

concept: the idea that an isolated compound (the treatment) could be used to hit a single disease target in the body (bacterial infection), thereby curing the disease, while leaving the rest of the body intact. Magic bullets are 

: they have single actions with few side effects (4). Ehrlich’s 1909 discovery of Salvarsan, “the first effective – but rather toxic – remedy for syphilis,” was the first magic bullet discovered (penicillin was another) (5). In 1908, Ehrlich received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his research on our immune response to toxins (6). He also pioneered the concept of cell receptors, ligands, and the lock-and-key concept of drug target mechanisms (7). That is, he provided the notion of a clear entity (a receptor) for medications to target.

Ehrlich’s work has had a profound effect on drug discovery since then, for establishing the 

"Currently, the main paradigm in drug discovery is the development of target-specific inhibitors... This mainstream view has its origins in the so-called “magic bullet” as enunciated by Paul Ehrlich over 150 years ago. Indeed, such concept was engraved in the mind of many health professionals and researchers as the top achievement in drug discovery."

In short, subsequent drug discovery efforts focused on matching isolated substances (one drug) to isolated targets. Researchers searched for isolated compounds (as opposed to whole plant extracts) from natural products — or better yet, they artificially synthesized compounds to serve as treatments. And they used those isolated compounds to act as activators (ligands) of isolated targets, such as specific enzymes or cloned receptors (as opposed to more holistic tissue cultures). This new paradigm was strictly adhered to by Western medicine. The Western medicine perspective starkly contrasted with the approach taken by Eastern medicine, namely, using whole plant medicines to address holistic health problems (see Figure 2).

Continued research efforts led to advances in pharmacological science and technology. Efforts to focus on single or isolated 

were aided by advances in (i) extraction technologies (mass spectrometry) enabling researchers to better isolate compounds from natural ingredients; (ii) chemical science enabling researchers to understand and recreate the structures of extracts; and (iii) synthesis technologies that enabled researchers to artificially recreate and potentially enhance natural products (9)

tissue cell culturing (10). Efforts to match isolated treatments to isolated targets were aided by advances in bioinformatics (such as genomics, metabolomics, proteomics) and screening (for example, HTS, microarrays, assays, chemical libraries) technologies (11).

Bifurcation of Holistic and Western Medicine

The development of the science and technology needed for researchers to be able to identify and isolate single compounds from plant extracts changed the course of Western medicine. This ability led scientists to the principle that a single active component in a plant acting on a single target in the human body was wholly responsible for the plant’s therapeutic effects. And it was this principle that caused the practice of medicine to bifurcate into two forms: conventional and alternative.

Centering around the use of purified isolates in treating disease, 

, is reductionistic in nature. Its paradigm is “one drug, one target and one disease" (12). In contrast, traditional 

forms of medicine, which include, among others, herbal or whole plant medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and Ayurvedic (Indian) medicine, are more holistic in nature. Alternative forms of medicine view plants and people each as embodying intertwined systems of activity. This alternative paradigm views diseases as being due to systemic problems in the body and draws upon synergistic relationships in whole plant extracts to treat multifaceted dysfunction in the body (13).

The newfound ability to isolate individual compounds, together with the one-compound-one-target presumption, radically changed how plants were used in Western medicine. Henceforth the 

healthcare industry insisted on the exclusive use of isolated compounds in healthcare – rather than whole plant extracts – for three reasons (14). The use of isolates enabled:

2. Elimination of toxic effects due to impurities in plant product, and

3. Synthesis of related compounds for use in other valuable drugs.

(15). This demand for purity comes from the assumption that the compound forming the basis of the drug is the sole factor causing the desired outcome. In this case, the presence of any impurities – intentional (dilutors or toxins) or unintentional (residual plant compounds) in nature – might influence the efficacy (potency) and/or safety of the pharmaceutical products (16). This assumption, which forms the basis of Western medicine, stands in stark contrast to the fundamental assumption held by practitioners of whole plant medicine that multiple compounds within plants work together in our bodies to create synergistic therapeutic outcomes (17).

The Current State of Pharmacological Science and Technology

Sertürner’s isolation of morphine kicked off 19th century through early-20th century advances in microbial and pharmacological science and technology. Numerous other discoveries occurred in compound extraction, purification, and synthesis, not to mention Ehrlich’s work in establishing the one drug-one target paradigm. Taken collectively, these myriad advances paved the way for the introduction of a series of vaccines, together with improvements in sanitation, that largely eradicated death due to acute disease (see Figure 3).

Now that acute infections were treatable, mid- and late-20th century people were able to live longer lives. The bad news is that since treatments have since been available for acute infections, people have been living long enough to suffer and die from chronic health conditions (see Figure 3).

The ability to treat acute infections was, indeed, a tremendous achievement of the 19th and 20th century pharmaceutical industry. At the same time, however, during this period, Western society became locked into a specific drug discovery paradigm: one drug, one target. This paradigm was designed to address a specific disease environment (single-faceted bacterial infections), which has since been replaced by a completely different environment (multi-faceted chronic conditions). Yes, acute infections still occur, but we now have the treatments to address them (18).

Yet, since we’ve conquered acute diseases, what we’ve needed – and still lack – are treatments that effectively address the new, multi-faceted diseases that have come to replace acute diseases as the main causes of death.

Over recent decades, pharmaceutical companies have been increasing their resource expenditures on new drug discovery. While science and technology have progressed enormously, the discovery of new drugs that have been effective in treating our current health problems has been dwindling. As Rutgers researchers report in, “Plants and human health in the twenty-first century” (19):

"… [D]espite the remarkable progress made by chemistry, pharmacology, molecular biology, genome research and high-throughput screening, the NCE [new chemical entity] pipelines of pharmaceutical companies are at historically low levels."

At the same time, historical methods used to treat disease are becoming less effective, for two primary reasons. First, new bacteria and other pathogens have been emerging that are resistant to traditional treatments. Second, existing medications designed under the one drug, one target paradigm are not effective at addressing chronic conditions with multifaceted targets. More from the Rutgers researchers (20):

"The NCE paradigm of the twentieth century attempts to treat complex diseases with a ‘single golden molecular bullet’. The first flaw in this paradigm appeared relatively recently when problems of resistance to antimicrobial and anticancer drugs became apparent. The multifactorial nature of many complex diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and psychiatric disorders, is also an important consideration. Most of these diseases cannot be ascribed to a single genetic or environmental change but arise from a combination of genetic, environmental or behavioral factors."

The healthcare industry has been using an old paradigm to address healthcare for a new world. What the industry needs is a new paradigm that will address conditions present in the new environment.

Parts of society have already been moving in a new direction. Patients, for their part, have been transitioning away from the take-a-pill-to-treat-a-symptom approach to a new holistic, live-a-healthier-lifestyle approach. What used to be considered alternative lifestyles – traditional Eastern practices, including functional foods, whole plant medicine, and meditation – are becoming more mainstream. As a case in point, a 2018 press release by Hexa Research reveals large expected growth in the global herbal medicine market, “driven by rising popularity of herbal therapeutics compared to conventional drugs” (21):

"The global herbal medicine market is expected to reach USD 117.02 billion by 2024, driven by rising popularity of herbal therapeutics compared to conventional drugs. The market for herbal medicines and remedies is anticipated to record profitable growth due to their cost-effectiveness as compared to allopathic ones."

The Federal government is also dipping its toe into the herbal water. In 1994, Congressed passed the Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act (DSHEA). Under this new act, dietary supplements, which include herbs and botanicals, can be more freely marketed, as long as no claims are made as to disease prevention, curing or detection. Instead, manufactures can make structure–function claims about products related to improving or maintaining normal physiological functions of the body (22). According to the FDA, “In the 25 years since the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) was enacted, the dietary supplement market in the U.S. has grown from approximately 4,000 products to somewhere between 50,000 and 80,000 products” (23).

At the same time, healthcare providers, while not exactly embracing whole plant extracts, have at least realized the benefits of more holistic treatments. Providers are increasingly prescribing 

, that is, combinations of single isolate pharmaceutical compounds, to treat diseases that have become resistant to single-therapy treatments or that have never been effectively addressed by single-therapy treatments. Combination therapy has been used to treat, for example, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDs, cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and autoimmune disease (24–27).

Advocates of more holistic approaches to medicine generally tout the 

associated with whole plant extracts. Essentially, whole plant synergies result from having a multiplicity of compounds that are simultaneously absorbed by the body and work on different targets to create complementary effects. As Brazilian researchers Fabio Carmona and Ana Maria Soares Pereira so pithily express (28):

"The mechanisms of synergism among the compounds present in a single herbal extract are mainly related to two factors: the simultaneous solubility of a group of substances with different polarities, and the multiplicity of targets that these substances can act on, including enzymes, receptors, ion channels, transport proteins, antibodies, and many others."

As compared with using purified isolates, the use of whole plant extracts may provide better outcomes at lower doses with fewer side effects (29).

More holistic approaches to medicine, including whole plant medicine, have tremendous potential to help our healthcare system better address the 21st century environment for a variety of reasons.

Newer technologies being developed to enhance drug discovery efforts increasingly draw upon synthetic compounds as potential treatments for disease. Synthetic compounds are structurally simpler than natural molecules, which makes them easier to characterize and analyze. This brings to mind the idea of looking for your lost car keys underneath the street lamp, because that’s where the light is. It is thus not terribly surprising that recent drug discovery efforts using synthetic compounds as potential treatments have not been fruitful. On the other hand, nature offers a virtually untapped resource for researchers, which contains vast numbers of structurally complex compounds that have been naturally designed — “co-evolved” — to work together. More from Rutgers researchers (30):

"Nevertheless, comparative analysis of structural diversity in natural-product mixtures and combinatorial libraries suggests that nature still has an edge over synthetic chemistry, despite the fact that combinatorial libraries display more elemental diversity. Indeed, superior elemental diversity does not compensate for the overall molecular complexity, scaffold variety, stereochemical richness, ring-system diversity and carbohydrate constituents of natural-product libraries. It is generally believed that the complexity, diversity and vast number of plant-produced secondary metabolites will continue to constitute a resource beyond the capacity of current synthetic chemistry."

The completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 (31) opened the research floodgates, leading to a better understanding of how our bodies work, specifically, the nature of similarities and differences across individuals and populations. The Project led to vast new areas of study, including (32):

: the study of the structure, function, evolution, and mapping of the genome.

: the study of how genes express themselves.

the study of proteins, that is, molecules that perform a host of functions in living organisms, including catalyzing metabolic reactions and responding to stimuli.

(plant and human): the study if metabolites, that is, the substances involved in cell metabolism.

Research into all the different omics has created a huge glut of information, which, in turn, has led to the development of a whole new set of tools to analyze these data, bioinformatics.


: “an interdisciplinary field that develops methods and software tools for understanding biological data, in particular when the data sets are large and complex.”

Notably, the omics technologies, together with bioinformatics platforms, are much better suited to the study of whole plant diversity and synergy than any other technologies to date. In other words, these new technologies open the door to the study of whole plant medicine (33).

Integration of the new life sciences with technologies are shifting the way researchers approach living organisms, from a reductionist view to a systems view. With a deeper understanding of how our bodies work, together with the tools needed to continue exploring new-found complex interrelationships, researchers are gaining new integrated understandings of living cells and organisms. Researchers are now redirecting their energy away from focusing on treating symptoms to focusing more on treating underlying disease.

Unsurprisingly, within this new systems paradigm there’s been an increasing acceptance of whole plant medicine, which "has been described as the ‘‘herbal shotgun’’ approach, as opposed to the ‘‘silver bullet’’ method of conventional medicine to distinguish the multitargeted approach of herbals from the monotarget approach of synthetic drugs addressing specific enzymes or receptors.…In recent years this ‘‘shotgun approach’’, understood as a therapeutic strategy which aims at multiple targets in an organism, has gained an increasing acceptance" (34).

Transitioning to 21st Century Drug Discovery

One of the primary reasons researchers have historically focused their studies on using isolated compounds to act on isolated targets is that doing so makes an intractable problem as easy as possible to manage. Unfortunately, simplifying the problem to make it easier to find solutions has led to solutions that don’t solve the problem. So then the task with which researchers are now faced is one of trying to address the more difficult problem of finding complex substances (e.g., combination therapies such as whole plant extracts) that address dysfunction in complex systems (people with chronic health conditions).

The good news is twofold. First, more systemic approaches to medicine – whole plant medicine in particular – have existed for thousands of years. A rich store of knowledge gathered over the millennia, for example embodied in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, exists to guide practitioners in developing and applying combination therapy and whole plant medicine (

Second, the science and technology of drug discovery has come a long way since Sertürner successfully isolated morphine from poppies. More than two centuries of improvements in chemistry and extraction technologies and almost three decades of improvements in omics sciences and bioinformatics technologies has better prepared researchers to shift to a new paradigm.

What’s needed is to combine the best of Eastern and Western science and technology to discover the complex substances needed to treat our modern complex conditions.

Working with complex systems is difficult because they have funky characteristics, such as 

, that is, synergies, where 1 + 1 = 3, and 

, where small changes in initial conditions can cause large differences in outcomes. Perhaps an example will help clarify the challenge.

Researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, conducted a study using two different treatments for leukemia, mercaptopurine (MP) and methotrexate (MTX).35 The researchers tested four different treatment scenarios:

: MP in combination with a low dose of MTX (L-MTX)

: MP in combination with a high dose of MTX (H-MTX)

The researchers reported, “Based on changes in gene expression, we identified 124 genes that accurately discriminated among the four treatments.” What the study showed is that the isolated treatments, MP alone and H-MTX alone, generated much more activity than the combination treatments, MP + MTX, did. Specifically, the researchers reported that “Only 14% of genes that changed when these medications were given as single agents also changed when they were given together.” If I’m understanding this correctly, when MP and MTX were administered separately, a total of 124 different genes reacted. However, when the two treatments were combined and administered together, only 17 of the original 124 genes still reacted under the new scenario. In this case, then, a lot of activity was prevented (perhaps unwanted side effects) by combining the treatments, rather than by administering either of them separately.

What we have, then, is an inability for researchers to predict what will happen when separate treatments are combined, simply by knowing what will happen when the treatments are undertaken in isolation. In this case, 

 investigate not just single components in isolation, but all different combinations of the individual components. The number of tests researchers must conduct under this new paradigm is thus exponentially greater than the number needed under the old, one drug, one target paradigm. That’s the challenge.

The current environment in Western medicine is not amenable to implementing a new system that combines traditional Eastern and Western approaches, that is, the paradigm needed to address 21st healthcare problems. Many of the forces in the current Western system – much science and technology, the FDA approval process, provider methods of practice, payment systems, etc. – are geared toward supporting a one drug, one target paradigm. As such, several aspects of the current system must change to make the environment more receptive to the new paradigm. Specifically, Western society needs: a new mindset for participants in the healthcare system; new technologies compatible with combination therapies; standardization of supply of whole plant products; and new regulations supporting development, safety, and efficacy of combination therapies.

As mentioned earlier, the new omics and bioinformatics sciences and technologies have led to whole new understandings of systems biology. Unfortunately, the majority of the Western medicine community has long-since been entrenched in the old, one drug, one target environment. Consequently, the industry must change its training and practice perspectives, from those centered around isolated bioactive agents and generic targets, to those that are more consistent with holistic conceptions of living organisms, one which recognizes both the homogeneous, as well as the heterogeneous, nature of patients (36).

The completion of the Human Genome Project marked a transition point in time regarding the process used to discover new drug candidates (37). Before the genome was sequenced, the new drug discovered efforts involved the 

. Researchers would start by finding new drug candidates. These were discovered by identifying active ingredients identified either from traditional use of medicinal products, from libraries of molecules whose pharmacology had been determined, or simply by chance. Once a drug candidate was found, researchers tried to find a target in the body that the drug could be used to affect.

The Human Genome Project provided a much better understanding of how substances act on various targets in the body to create outcomes. This new understanding changed the nature of drug discovery to the 

. Researchers now start by finding a target in the body to hit so as to change an outcome, from an “unhealthy” one, to a “healthier” one. After finding the target, new technologies are used, 

(HTS) technologies, which enable researchers to screen very large volumes of different substances.

Whole plant extracts contain hundreds of different compounds, many in trace amounts, which makes them exceedingly difficult to work with. Consequently, HST technologies have evolved to employ synthetic compounds, which are easier to characterize and analyze. Suppliers have been focusing on creating libraries of that contain vast arrays of isolated and well-characterized synthetic compounds. Unfortunately, whole plant extracts are now incompatible with many current HST technologies. What’s needed, then, is more advanced science and technology enabling researchers to more quickly and easily extract, characterize, and analyze compounds from natural sources (38).

The good news is that science and technology are both moving in this direction. For example, researchers are developing a new branch of pharmacology, 

Featured Content

Cannabis Science and Technology September 2021

How Dr. Marion McNabb is Looking to Take the Medical Cannabis Industry to the Next Level

Intellectual Property and Cannabis: A Look at the Current Landscape and Emerging Topics

Hemp Regulations and the Restrictions on Innovation