Collaborative partnership – Indigenous medicine and modern science

An Australian-first $1.01 million research and commercial partnership has been announced to explore Indigenous knowledge of traditional medicinal plants growing in Northern Australia and develop a sustainable agribusiness model in partnership with Indigenous Australians.

The partnership between Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies), Traditional Homeland Enterprises (T.H.E.), Integria Healthcare (Integria) and The University of Queensland has received $363,363 in funding over 18 months from The Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA). Project participants have also committed additional funding to the project.

The partnership will see a significant increase in investment in research on Indigenous medicinal plants – a rich, underexplored natural and cultural resource.

Another core feature of this venture is that the exploration is being undertaken in collaboration with, and under the guidance of, Indigenous custodians who possess intimate knowledge of medicinal plants developed over thousands of years of use.

The development of Australia’s traditional medicinal plants has the potential to bring great health benefits to the Australian community by developing knowledge of bush medicines.

The project will also provide the opportunity to collaboratively develop sustainable agribusiness opportunities alongside Indigenous communities, providing employment and training, regional development in northern Australia and the prospect of new, uniquely Australian health product exports.

To read more about this forward-looking project that embodies collaboration and mutual learning between traditional cultures and modern science, click here.

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