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It has now been one year since Dr. Jane Goodall passed away. Looking at this photograph of us together, I feel deep gratitude for having known her and for the lasting difference she made in my life.

Jane dedicated her life to understanding and protecting animals, supporting local communities, and inspiring people to care for our shared planet. She touched so many lives, including mine, through her compassion, courage, and belief that each of us can make a difference.

Her example profoundly shaped my path and helped inspire the mission of our Ethnopharmacology and Zoopharmacognosy research group: to learn from animals and people, approach research with curiosity and respect, and better understand the connections between human, animal, and environmental health. Her legacy will continue to guide our work.

Thank you, Jane, for the responsibility you encouraged us to embrace. You are deeply missed. Your inspiration lives on. 💚

NEW PUBLICATION:

Could wild African elephants possess their own repertoire of medicinal plants? 🐘🌿

Our new study, published today in Scientific Reports, presents—to our knowledge—the first systematic documentation of local experts’ accounts of a broad repertoire of possible medicinal plant use by wild African elephants, based on research at Mount Elgon, Kenya.

Eight Sabaot experts, each with more than 20 years of experience observing these elephants, helped us identify 35 plant species associated with elephant feeding and health. Of these, 25 were perceived by the experts as medicines for elephants.

Key findings include:

🌿 Targeted plant use: Eight species were associated with particularly specific health-related contexts, including selection by visibly unwell elephants.

🐘 Maternal care: Participants reported remarkable instances of mothers processing plant material and administering it to their calves for a perceived health benefit. We cautiously describe this as allocare, or other-directed maternal care, while we work to document the behaviour directly.

🔬 Pharmacological potential: Many of the identified plants are also used in Sabaot traditional medicine, and published studies report antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic or other relevant biological activities for several species. The next step is to test the plants ourselves at our lab, and determine whether they genuinely benefit elephant and human health.

The study does not yet prove self-medication or therapeutic effects in elephants. Instead, it transforms decades of local observational and Indigenous knowledge into specific, testable scientific hypotheses.

The findings point towards a potentially far richer medicinal repertoire in African elephants than previously recognised—and highlight a powerful One Health connection between animal health, human knowledge and intact ecosystems.

The study was conducted in close with partners such as the Mount Elgon Foundation, Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences, and the National Museums of Kenya.

🔗 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-53610-4

A warm welcome to Njova Tembo, who has just arrived at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM)! 🎉

Njova is joining the JRG Ethnopharmacology and Zoopharmacognosy as a Visiting PhD student and is already hard at work extracting medicinal plant species for the next phase of her fascinating research.

Her PhD project investigates medicinal plants traditionally used to treat snakebite in Malawi — a topic that is as urgent as it is scientifically fascinating. In many rural areas, where access to modern healthcare and antivenom can be limited, traditional medicine remains an important first line of treatment. Yet, remarkably little research has investigated many of the plant species used by local healers.

Njova has already conducted extensive fieldwork in southern Malawi, interviewing 31 traditional healers across Phalombe, Machinga and Zomba districts. Together with the healers and local collaborators, the project documented an impressive 77 medicinal plant species used in the traditional treatment of snakebite.

The project now enters an exciting new phase here at BNITM: laboratory-based pharmacological investigation. The plants will be screened for antibacterial and wound-care activity, in collaboration with the Research Group Neglected Diseases and Envenoming at BNITM.

This work brings together traditional knowledge, ethnobotany and modern pharmacological research—with the long-term aim of better understanding these medicinal resources and exploring their potential contribution to improved and more accessible snakebite care.

We are very happy to have Njova with us in Hamburg and Neubrandenburg, and look forward to following her journey over the coming years. Welcome to the team, Njova! 🐍🌿🧪

#PhD #Ethnopharmacology #Ethnobotany #Snakebite #Malawi #MedicinalPlants #GlobalHealth #OneHealth #BNITM #NeglectedDiseases #Envenoming

Introducing Ivan! 🌿🔬

As part of our ongoing "Who is Who" series, we are excited to introduce Ivan Kahwa, our newest research associate at the Ethnopharmacology and Zoopharmacognosy Research Group (E&Z JRG) at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM)!

Ivan joins us as a final-year PhD student in Pharmaceutical Microbiology, with a double affiliation between Mbarara University of Science and Technology (Uganda) and Leipzig University (Germany), where he is also a researcher on the Bund-Länder-Programm project "Improving the Use of Traditional Medicinal Plants in Uganda II" at the Institute for Drug Discovery.

Here at BNITM, Ivan is exploring the antimicrobial properties of Ugandan propolis (the resinous substance bees collect from plants to protect their hives) from various agro-ecological regions across Uganda. He will assess the activity of propolis and Lethocerus spp. extracts, as well as propolis nanoemulsions, against multidrug-resistant bacteria. He will also bring his expertise to bear on our joint research on stingless bee honey and propolis from the Amazon rainforest 🌳.

His PhD research represents the first comprehensive study of the chemical diversity of Ugandan propolis across agro-ecological zones, combining advanced chemical profiling, computational metabolomics, and antimicrobial testing to develop scientifically validated treatments for drug-resistant infections. A remarkable bridge between Uganda's biodiversity, traditional knowledge, and modern pharmaceutical science!

Beyond the lab, Ivan is also a co-founder of KivanWoods Herbal Products and KIVNORICA Integrated Solutions, two ventures that reflect his deep commitment to translating research into real healthcare solutions.

And here is our favourite part of Ivan's story: growing up beside a forest, he was told that when resin oozed from trees, it meant a wizard was nearby, and so he grew up fearing it. He has since decided to dedicate his PhD to studying resinous substances. He hopes one day to return to his village and study the very tree resins he used to avoid because, as he puts it, they might have hidden medicinal value. 🧙‍♂️🌳

Welcome to the team!

𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 — 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔.

In 2019, Dr. Fabien Schultz and his wife Inken set out on their very first scouting trip to search for chimpanzees in Budongo Forest, as part of his initial work on chimpanzee self‑medication. What you see here is the moment curiosity turned into commitment — the moment that eventually led to the foundation of the "Zoopharmacognosy" part of the Schultz junior research group at BNITM in Hamburg in 2024.

Since then, our work has grown far beyond this first field moment! Today, we collaborate closely with local communities around the world and study self‑medication and behavioral ecology across a wide range of species — from gorillas and chimpanzees to elephants, bees, and many more. Each partnership and each species has added a new layer of understanding to what began as a single question in the forest.

Fieldwork often starts long before funding, equipment, or established structures. It starts with people who are willing to look, listen, learn, and follow a question into the unknown. This picture reminds us of exactly that spirit.
Here’s to the beginnings that shape everything that follows — and to the people who dare to take the first step.

Trust yourself and shape your personal journey. 🦋🪼🌱🦇🍄

NEW PUBLICATION ALERT:

Dolphins that guide fishermen to fish. Honeyguides that lead honey-hunters to bees' nests. Cleaner fish that advertise their services with colour. Ants that protect caterpillars in exchange for food.

These are not just charming animal stories, they are examples of something scientifically fascinating: genuine cooperation between different species, mediated by a shared language of signals and cues. And our very own Dr. Elodie Freymann (E&Z JRG, BNITM) is one of the authors on this sweeping new review just published in "Animal Behaviour" that asks: how does this actually work? And what more do we need to do in order to learn more?

Swipe through to find out. 🐦🐬🐜🐟

👉 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2026.123611

#AnimalBehaviour #InterspeciesCooperation #WildlifeScience #BNITM #EandZJRG

Hamburg just got a little more international... Over the past weeks, the 𝐄&𝐙 𝐉𝐑𝐆 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐌, and there is no better way to kick things off than with a tour of the institute and a stroll through Hamburg! 🏛️🌊

On the photo (left to right, back to front):

🇩🇪 𝐅𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐳: our group leader, who was thrilled to finally meet everyone in person and kick off what promises to be a very exciting season of science at E&Z JRG.

🇩🇪 𝐉𝐨ë𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦: one of our student assistants in the Neubrandenburg lab, who has been quietly holding things together behind the scenes for a while now, and who now just got started with her lab work in Hamburg for the first time!

🇧🇷🇺🇸 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚: a collaborator from Amazon Research International joining us in the lab until mid-September as part of our stingless bee project. We are very happy to have the Amazon in the room!

🇺🇬 𝐈𝐯𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐡𝐰𝐚: a visiting PhD student from Mbarara University of Science and Technology and the University of Leipzig, working on the medicinal propolis project. Welcome back to Germany, Ivan!

🇩🇪 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧: our other student assistant, also very much part of the group by now, and a wonderful guide for our Hamburg newcomers!

🇳🇬 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐡: researcher and lecturer at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI) in Nigeria, joining us through the TWAS-DFG cooperation program. Caroline will be studying the effects of Solanum incanum on the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, in collaboration with the Spielmann and Bruchhaus labs here at BNITM.

🇲🇼 𝐍𝐣𝐨𝐯𝐚 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐨: joining us as a PhD student to investigate medicinal plants used to treat snakebite in Malawi, which will be screened for antibacterial and wound-care activity (in collaboration with the RG Neglected Diseases and Envenoming). A topic as urgent as it is fascinating.

Yesterday, Henrike, Alex, and Max had the pleasure of visiting our fellow research group member and collaborator Dr. Godwin Anywar at Makerere University in Kampala, where he leads research in Ethnobotany at the Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology & Biotechnology.

The visit was a two-in-one: for Alex, it was a reunion. Godwin was his lecturer back in the day, and there is something really lovely about watching a student return to greet a mentor. For all of us, it was also a working meeting. Godwin is our local partner in both the TracePlant and SpiriPharm projects, and we used the time to sit down together and plan our upcoming field days.

There is something truly special about meeting a collaborator in person. Walking through their labs, standing in front of their department, sitting down to plan the work ahead... We are really excited to continue building on this partnership!

#TracePlant #SpiriPharm #Ethnobotany #MakarereUniversity #FieldWork

🎉 Exciting News from the E&Z JRG | Fabien joins the Editorial Board of JEET!

We are thrilled to announce that our group leader, Fabien Schultz, has joined the Editorial Board of the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (JEET), one of the leading open-access journals in our field, published by BioMed Central / Springer Nature. 🌿📖

JEET is dedicated to the exchange of innovative research across ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, with a particular focus on the relationships between human cultures and the environment: traditional knowledge, local ecological knowledge, and their relevance for health, nutrition, and conservation. With a Journal Impact Factor of 5.1 and over 2.6 million downloads in 2025, it is a cornerstone publication for anyone working at the intersection of people, plants, and medicine.

This is a wonderful recognition of Fabien's contributions to the field and a fantastic opportunity for E&Z JRG to play an active role in shaping the future direction of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine research. We couldn't be more proud! 🥳

If you work in ethnobiology, ethnomedicine, or related fields and are looking for a home for your research, JEET is well worth considering. You can find out more here 👇

🔗 https://link.springer.com/journal/13002

Congratulations, Fabien! 🎊

NEW PUBLICATION ALERT:

Berries are delicious, but could they also help calm your immune system when it goes haywire? A new chapter published in Berries and Nutrition: A Holistic Approach to Health takes a close look at the science behind berries and allergic reactions. From blueberries to strawberries, blackcurrants to grapes, researchers reviewed what we currently know (and what we still don't) about how the natural compounds in berries might help ease allergy symptoms, and what risks to be aware of.

Swipe through for a breakdown of the key findings of our research group member Dr. Godwin Anywar and collaborators. As always with emerging research: promising, but not a replacement for medical advice! 🍓🫐

👉 https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-33935-6.00022-9

#Allergy #Berries #NaturalRemedies #BNITM #EandZJRG

🌿 Welcome to Hamburg, Caroline! 🌿

We welcome Dr. Ogochukwu Caroline Chiamah to the JRG Ethnopharmacology and Zoopharmacognosy at BNITM. Caroline was warmly welcomed at the airport by Max and Henrike and has now started her three-month research visit at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM).

Caroline is a researcher and lecturer at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI) in Ebonyi State, southeastern Nigeria. Her visit is part of the TWAS-DFG Cooperation Programme, which promotes scientific exchange and collaboration between researchers worldwide.
During her time with the Ethnopharmacology and Zoopharmacognosy group, Caroline will investigate the effects of Solanum incanum on 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum — research that may provide valuable insights into malaria biology and potential new approaches for malaria research.

The research will be conducted in close collaboration with the Spielmann lab (research group Malaria Cell Biology) and the Bruchhaus lab (research group Host-Parasite Interaction) at BNITM.

We are excited to have Caroline with us and look forward to a fruitful exchange, inspiring discussions, and great scientific collaboration! 🧪🌍

Welcome to the team, Caroline! ✨

NEW PUBLICATION!

Can modern primatology benefit from revisiting some of the strengths of classical natural history?

In this review, our research group member Dr. Elodie Freymann argues that while today's primatology has gained enormous scientific rigor through specialization, it has also lost some of the holistic perspective that once characterized natural history.

The paper proposes four principles for a "next-generation primatology":
• Multidisciplinary approaches
• Democratized participation
• Acknowledgment of subjectivity and interpretation
• Creative communication and public engagement

In essence, it highlights the value of local researchers, field staff, Indigenous knowledge, and creative storytelling as essential (not secondary!) to advancing primate research and conservation.

The goal isn't to return to or erase the past, deeply rooted in colonial and exclusionary practices, but rather to selectively pick some aspects of that history (mainly interdisciplinarity, inclusivity, reflexivity, and creativity) to better understand and conserve the world's primates.

With nearly 70% of primate species threatened with extinction, embracing broader perspectives may be essential for understanding and properly protecting these species.

Full article here: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-026-01241-8

#Primatology #NaturalHistory #Conservation #WildlifeScience #PrimateResearch

We have a new project collaboration!

🐝 A bee that cannot sting has just made history.

In the Peruvian Amazon, a tiny pollinator that most of the world has never heard of has become the first insect on Earth to be granted legal rights. Not protected as a resource, not managed as a commodity, but recognised as a living being with the right to exist and to flourish.

Let that sink in.

Why does this matter so much?

These stingless bees are among the oldest bee species on the planet, and they are quiet giants of the rainforest. In Peru alone, at least 175 species pollinate more than 80% of rainforest plant life, from cacao and coffee to the exotic fruits on distant supermarket shelves. When they disappear, forests lose their seed-setters and communities lose their harvest.

But their story was never only about ecology.
For the Asháninka and Kukama communities, stingless bees carry medicine, foods, memory and knowledge passed between generations. In one survey, communities described using honey from 17 stingless bee species to treat 14 different illnesses. Protecting the bee means protecting a living library of biocultural knowledge.

This world-first belongs to an extraordinary alliance:
🔬 Amazon Research Internacional & Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza
⚖️ Earth Law Center
🌍 Reserva Comunal Ashaninka
🌳 EcoAsháninka & Asháninka communities
🐝 Asociación de Meliponicultores Región Loreto & Kukama communities
🌿 Dr. César Delgado (IIAP – Peruvian Amazon Research Institute)

We can't wait to join this important work along with:
🍯 Länderinstitut für Bienenkunde Hohen Neuendorf e.V. & Dr. Norman Tanner
🧪 Ivan Kahwa

This is the Rights of Nature moving from principle to practice, where science, ancestral wisdom and legislation converge on one truth: the forest needs its smallest workers.
A bee that cannot sting is now protected by law. And in protecting it, we are, whether we see it or not, protecting our own survival. 🌿

Because a healthy planet was never a gift we give to nature. It is the only ground on whic#RightsOfNature #StinglessBees #Biodiversity #Conservation #Amazon #IndigenousKnowledge #OneHealth #Ethnobiology #Meliponiculture #Pollinators #Peru #Melipona

Global challenges require global collaboration.
The continued partnership between FDA and EMA demonstrates how scientific exchange and regulatory alignment can support innovation and ultimately benefit patients worldwide.
Encouraging to see regulators working together toward common goals.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-fda-and-european-medicines-agency-ema-share-7471212120999890945-2qip/?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=android_app&rcm=ACoAACeIoH0BRw42Gry4fQgtuSUj7U4rQVzMZAM&utm_campaign=copy_link

From collecting plants in tropical rainforests🌿, to the investigation of plant extracts in the laboratory🧪, and finally to publishing the results in scientific journals📄, our new research display at Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences illustrates the work of the Ethnopharmacology and Zoopharmacognosy Junior Research Group.
The exhibition shows how we document knowledge about medicinal plants through interviews with traditional healers, observations of wild chimpanzees in the context of zoopharmacognosy, and research in historical medical books. This knowledge is then investigated using chemical and microbiological scientific methods to better understand the potential of these plants. The display also provides insights into our international collaborations, some of the plant and animal species we study, and selected scientific publications from our research group.
It can be viewed in Building 3, Second Floor @hochschuleneubrandenburg
A special thank you to everyone who contributed to this exhibition at the Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences — especially Emely Jette Müller and Jannigje Teuntje van der Ham!

Fun fact: Apparently, a Playmobil version of me (Fabien) also made it onto the display. Can you spot me? 😉

Junior Research Group Schultz

Gruppenleiter

Dr. Fabien Schultz

Telefon: +49 40 285380-997

E-Mail: fabien.schultz@bnitm.de