On Monday, August 4, 2025, the Biofarmaka Cultivation Conservation Unit (UKBB), a flagship unit of the Tropical Biopharmaca Research Center (TropBRC) at IPB University, hosted students from the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA). The students were participants in a Summer Course with the theme “Chemical Approaches to Utilizing Indonesian Biodiversity for Herbal Medicine,” which highlighted the importance of chemical methods in developing herbal medicine from Indonesia’s rich biodiversity.
UKBB Manager, Taopik Ridwan, S.P., M.Si., warmly welcomed the participants and introduced the unit’s strategic role in conserving, cultivating, and educating the public about Indonesia’s biofarmaka plants. This visit was a significant opportunity to bridge fundamental science with practical applications in medicinal plant management.
The first session, led by Prof. Dr. Ir. Sandra Arifin Aziz, M.S., introduced medicinal plants based on their morphological types, such as herbs, shrubs, trees, and rhizomes. Participants were guided to classify the plants by type and botanical family, helping them understand the basic characteristics from both a scientific and practical perspective.
The second session, led by Prof. Dr. Waras Nurcholis, S.Si., M.Si., gave a comprehensive overview of harvesting and post-harvest handling. In a hands-on session, the students learned the process of producing simplisia, including harvesting, washing, slicing, oven-drying, and packaging. These skills are crucial for a strong foundation in the phytopharmaceutical industry and the sustainable processing of natural products.
This program not only broadened the students’ understanding of Indonesia’s rich biodiversity but also provided valuable practical experience to reinforce their theoretical knowledge. Through this interdisciplinary and hands-on approach, the course is expected to motivate the younger generation to contribute to sustainable innovations based on Indonesia’s natural resources.
