Cassandra Quave

Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D., is an author, professor, speaker, podcast host, mother, explorer, and ethnobotanist. She works as an Associate Professor of Dermatology and Human Health, Herbarium Curator, and Assistant Dean of Research Cores at Emory University, where she leads anti-infective drug discovery research initiatives. Quave is a Guggenheim Fellow, Fellow of the Explorer’s Club, and recipient of The National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communication. Her science memoir, ‘The Plant Hunter: A Scientist’s Quest for Nature’s Next Medicines’, was critically acclaimed as one of the best books of 2021 by Kirkus Reviews. Her science podcast, Foodie Pharmacology, is now in its sixth season. A leader in medical botany, she holds seven patents and has authored more than one hundred scientific publications. Quave is the co-founder of two biotech startups: PhytoTEK and Verdant Scientific, which are developing novel natural product-driven solutions for wound care and dermatology. Quave’s research has been profiled in the New York Times Magazine, BBC Science Focus, PBS, NPR, and National Geographic. She writes a biweekly newsletter on Substack, ‘Nature’s Pharmacy’, and has authored pieces for The Conversation, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.