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Our Research Mission

The Quave Research Group at Emory University is composed of an interdisciplinary team of scientists who are passionate about translational science geared towards the improvement of human health. Our research group takes the ethnobotanical approach to drug discovery. Ethnobotany is the study of human interactions with plants. This can include anything from the use of plants for medicine, food, shelter, construction, art, crafts, and more. The focus of most ethnobotanical research is with traditional societies that incorporate wild plants into their daily life.

We study the botanical ingredients used in traditional medicines for infectious disease to discover new solutions for one of the world’s most pressing medical issues: antibiotic resistance. Our research has already shown that some medicinal plants are good sources of novel compounds that can be used to either enhance or restore the efficacy of existing classes of antibiotics.

About Dr. Quave

Cassandra Quave, Ph.D., is Curator of the Herbarium and Associate Professor of Dermatology and HumanHealth at Emory University, where she leads anti-infective drug discovery research initiatives and teaches courses on medicinal plants, microbiology, and pharmacology. As a medical ethnobotanist, her work focuses on the documentation and biochemical analysis of plants used in traditional medicine. Dr. Quave’s research is supported by the NIH, industry contracts, and philanthropy. She is a Fellow of the Explorers Club, a past President of the Society for Economic Botany, a recipient of the Emory Williams Teaching Award, and Charles Heiser, Jr. Mentor Award. She is the host of Foodie Pharmacology, a podcast dedicated to exploring the links between food and medicine. Dr. Quave has authored more than 100 scientific publications, two edited books, and seven patents. Her research has been the subject of feature profiles in the New York Times Magazine, BBC Focus, National Geographic Magazine, Brigitte Magazin, NPR, PBS, and the National Geographic Channel. Her science memoir, The Plant Hunter: A Scientist’s Quest for Nature’s Next Medicines, was published in 2021. Follow her research updates by subscribing to her weekly newsletter or following her on Facebook or Twitter. View her full Curriculum Vitae online.

Want updates on the Quave Group’s research and posts on herbal medicine?

We need your help! Make a contribution to science by supporting our work.

You can make a tax-deductible charitable donation to support research underway at the Quave Research Group through our direct link to the Emory University Giving website. Donations are critical to supporting student research and training in the Quave lab. Help us make the next breakthrough in treating antibiotic resistant infections!

If you want to cite this website:

Quave, C.L. (2005 onwards) Quave Research Group Website. Version 14.0, July 2018. https://etnobotanica.us/.