On Thursday morning, July 16, 2026, eight internship students from the TropBRC Laboratory (LabTropBRC) visited UKBB TropBRC LRI-PGKH IPB University. UKBB stands for the Biopharmaca Conservation and Cultivation Unit. This organized learning activity offered students direct exposure to medicinal plant conservation and cultivation. These essential plant care practices create a strong foundation for ongoing medicinal plant research. In addition, the field activity gave young researchers practical insights into biopharmaca innovation. Consequently, the participants learned directly from experienced laboratory experts during the morning program.
UKBB Manager Taopik Ridwan, S.T.P., M.Si., and the UKBB team warmly welcomed the students. During the field tour, the team presented various living plant species kept at the unit. Specifically, the interns explored the useful scientific properties and basic cultivation techniques for each plant. Furthermore, the staff explained how these grown species support diverse university research projects. For this reason, the session strongly stressed the need to conserve Indonesia’s rich plant biodiversity for future scientific work. This rich plant diversity helps scientists create new health products over time.
Advancing Medicinal Plant Research and Processing
Beyond field observations, the student group observed several key downstream processing steps. These practical demonstrations showed clear, effective methods in applied medicinal plant research. For example, the students watched the precise steps of essential oil distillation. They also learned the technical procedures for high-quality simplisia production. In this way, the live demonstrations clearly showed how staff transform raw plant materials into standardized research samples. Through careful processing, the unit maintains sample quality, safety, and natural purity.
Ultimately, the visit provided practical learning that connected classroom lessons with actual laboratory work. As a result, the interns gained a clear view of the entire medicinal plant value chain. First, they learned about plant conservation and cultivation. Next, they studied research methods and final product creation. Overall, the students gained useful knowledge about sustainable biopharmaceutical innovation.
✍️ Author & Editor: Tiest
📸 Documentation: UKBB Team