BotanyElla Thomas Vardeman
2020 The Anne S. Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany

Bioactivity and Chemotaxonomy of Plants Used by Haitian Immigrants for Women’s Health
Ella Thomas Vardeman is a PhD candidate in the joint plant sciences program at the City University of New York and New York Botanical Garden. Using ethnobotanical, microbiological, and phytochemical methods, she will research medicinal plants used by Haitian immigrants in New York City for women’s health conditions. Specifically, Vardeman will address the risks and benefits of plants used for intravaginal cleansing and treatment of gynecological infections. Her research will also contribute to a larger urban ethnobotany project for New York City aimed at informing doctors and medical students about traditional health practices of Caribbean and Latino immigrants.
The Anne S. Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany
To protect, preserve, and expand knowledge about the medicinal use of plants, thus preventing the disappearance of plants with therapeutic potential. Providing this research opportunity for botanists can, in turn, assist medical science to develop therapies that improve the quality of life of patients and develop life-saving medicines.
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