Zeller Medicinal Botany Scholar Seeks Solutions to Global Health Challenges
The Garden Club of America Funds Medicinal Botany Research
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October 30, 2024
By: Sid Hancock
Paul Sprowl, 2024 Zeller Summer Scholar in Medicinal Botany, says that GCA-funded studies provided “valuable hands-on experience in botanical research,” allowing for a deeper understanding of the processes involved in drug discovery and development. Sprowl, an undergraduate in biology at Morehouse College, conducted research with The Quave Research Group at Emory University, focusing on the medicinal properties of the American Beautyberry and its potential to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Sprowl explains, “My work in Dr. Quave's lab has solidified my interest in exploring natural products as potential solutions to global health challenges like antibiotic resistance. It has equipped me with the skills and knowledge necessary to contribute to this critical field.”
The impact of the GCA’s merit-based scholarship on the advancement of Sprowl’s work on natural products and their potential in addressing global health challenges is significant. “The GCA scholarship has provided essential support,” says Sprowl, “enabling me to focus on my botanical research and academic studies without financial stress.”
Dr. Cassandra Quave, a renowned ethnobotanist, was a 2007 GCA Chatham Fellow in Medicinal Botany and is a 2024 GCA Honorary Member.
Sprowl is one of 100 recipients in the GCA’s Class of 2024 Scholars. In 2024, a record $459,000 was awarded to young people in fields including desert studies, pollinator research, and ecological restoration.
Applications for the Zeller Summer Scholarship in Medicinal Botany and the GCA’s 28 other merit scholarships are now open on the GCA website: https://www.gcamerica.org/scholarships.
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