Executive Director of the University of the West Indies’ Natural Products Institute (NPI), Dr Trevor Yee has been awarded a Bronze Musgrave Medal by the Institute of Jamaica.
 
An Awards ceremony has been scheduled for October 16 at the Institute of Jamaica.
 
 
The Award was made by the Council of the Institute and recognizes Dr Yee’s distinguished eminence in the field of natural products.  The field of natural products is one focused on identifying, extracting and commercializing substances found in nature for the purpose of human growth, development and health.
 
 
The recent work of the NPI has included: The development of a commercial extraction process for Jamaican Bitterwood - the active ingredients of which have a global usage but the extraction of which has been done overseas, historically; the development of control measures against several agricultural pests, inclusive of novel control measures against two introduced citrus pests; the investigation of various plant, marine and fungal extracts for anticancer and cancer preventing properties; a collaborative investigation, with the Department of Basic Medical Sciences, into an ethno-medical plant extract against high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels, and the investigation of potential drug-herb interactions. Much of the Institute’s research is both novel and with commercial potential, with the result that it has been granted several international patents for its research.
 
 
The Work of the NPI has also included the development of botanical pesticide formulations for the management of cruciferous vegetables, coffee, and other economic plants, as well as the control of ticks of cattle; development of nutraceuticals as well as the preparation of organic fertilizers – to name a few.
 
 
The Musgrave Medals, named after former Governor of Jamaica Sir Anthony Musgrave, are awarded each year in gold, silver and bronze to persons who have made significant contributions to the development of literature, science and the arts in Jamaica and the West Indies.
 
 
 Photo Credit: The photograph shown is a Gleaner Photo