On Monday, August 12, 2025, the TropBRC Laboratory (LabTropBRC) at IPB University, which is part of the Tropical Biopharmaca Research Center (TropBRC), welcomed students from the International Summer Course program. The group was greeted by the LabTropBRC Manager, Dr. Rudi Heryanto, S.Si., M.Si. This visit was a key part of the Summer Course, which also included a prior visit to the Biofarmaka Cultivation Conservation Unit (UKBB).
The International Summer Course ran from July 28 to August 12, 2025, using a hybrid format that combined online and offline sessions. The online phase took place from July 28 to August 1, followed by offline activities from August 4 to August 12. The program’s theme, “Chemical Approaches to Utilizing Indonesian Biodiversity for Herbal Medicine,” aimed to introduce students to Indonesia’s rich biodiversity and its potential for developing herbal medicines through a chemical approach.
Throughout the course, participants explored a wide range of topics, including biodiversity exploration, medicinal plant cultivation, natural product chemistry, herbal extract standardization, preclinical evaluation, isolation and characterization of active compounds, metabolomics applications, and industry perspectives on herbal medicine development.
Participants came from Gifu University (Japan), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, and IPB University. During their visit to LabTropBRC, they participated in various practical sessions, including Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), phytopharmaca analysis, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and the hands-on preparation of two traditional Indonesian herbal drinks, Kunyit Asam and Segar Bugar.
The lab sessions were guided by expert staff: Laela Wulansari, S.Si., M.Si.; apt. Nunuk Kurniati Nengsih; Endi Suhendi; and Dinan Aliyah Yasyfa. The students were also accompanied by representatives from the Department of Chemistry at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, IPB University. These representatives were Prof. Dr. Dra. Dyah Iswantini Pradono, M.Sc.Agr. (Head of Department), Dr. Henny Purwaningsih, S.Si., M.Si. (Department Secretary), and Dr. Tetty Kemala, S.Si., M.Si. (Head of Education Commission).
It is hoped that this program will provide a meaningful and enriching experience for all participants. Beyond gaining new knowledge, they are encouraged to build cross-cultural friendships and collaborative research partnerships. The activity is expected to strengthen our shared vision of using natural resources responsibly for the benefit of human health.
