Speakers - 2026
Cannabis genomic variation in the Himalayas
Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
Robin Van Velzen
Biography
Robin van Velzen is a lecturer at the Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University and Research, in the Netherlands. His research focuses on Cannabis biodiversity, investigating population genomic history and reconstructing the evolution of biosynthetic pathways.
Abstract of lecture
TBA
Published research
Robin Van Velzen
Date
Daniela Vergara
Biography
Dr. Daniela Vergara is an evolutionary biologist, data analyst, educator, scientific writer, and public speaker. In addition to her multiple publications, she founded and directs a non-profit organization, the Agricultural Genomics Foundation (AGF; AgriculturalGenomics.org). AGF aims to make hemp and cannabinoid science available to a broad public. Vergara has been part of the scientific teams at private companies including Steep Hill, Inc. who are a global leader in agricultural testing, and the biotech company Front Range Biosciences.
Dr. Vergara recently joined the Harvest New York Extension Team from Cornell University as an ‘Emerging Crop Specialist’ to help hemp farmers with their crop. Dr. Vergara’s scientific publications include the comparison of the cannabinoids by the federally produced Cannabis to that produced by the private market. These results were featured in news platforms such as The Atlantic, Science, and FiveThirtyEight.
Recently, she published a comparison between the genome of these federally produced varieties to the genome of the varieties found in the private markets. Some of her other scientific publications are a compilation of the existing genomic tools available for Cannabis research that was featured in Science, and the maternally inherited genomes (chloroplast and mitochondria). Vergara has authored these publications along with collaborators from the private sector in the Cannabis industry as well as academics from several institutions worldwide. Through AGF, Vergara educates the public about science, data analysis, statistics, evolutionary biology, and genomics.
Vergara is also an international consultant and policy advisor and has advised companies in the US and Latin America. Additionally, she has worked as an expert witness for multiple legal cases in the US and abroad.
Abstract of lecture
Robin van Velzen is a lecturer at the Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University and Research, in the Netherlands. His research focuses on Cannabis biodiversity, investigating population genomic history and reconstructing the evolution of biosynthetic pathways.
Utilizing Basic Genetic Tools to Uncover Genotype-Phenotype Complexity in Cannabis
Date
Anna Schwabe
Biography
Dr. Anna Schwabe, an expert in Cannabis Science and Education, holds a B.S. in Cellular & Molecular Biology, an M.S. in Biological Sciences with a focus on Plant Population Genetics, and a Ph.D. in Biological Education and Cannabis Genetics. Her award-winning doctoral research, "A multifaceted approach to investigate genetic aspects in Cannabis sativa," has resulted in multiple journal publications. Currently an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado, Dr. Schwabe co-teaches "Modern Cannabis Science" and spearheads a comprehensive Cannabis education program at Shore/420 Organics in New Jersey. A distinguished presenter and published researcher, she is a prominent figure in the Cannabis industry.
Synopsis
Understanding the relationship between genotype and phenotypic expression in Cannabis sativa is just beginning to unfold. The utilization of basic genetic tools, in the absence of federal financial support due to legal restrictions, this research suggests that this relationship may be more intricate than previously realized. We chose reliable and cost-effective de-novo simple sequence repeat markers to explore genetic diversity within strains. Surprisingly, we observed significant phenotypic variation despite identical genetic fingerprints, highlighting the profound impact of environmental factors. This investigation exemplifies how basic genetic methods are effective for examining essential aspects of a valuable yet underexplored plant. Persistent limited research funding, stemming from its illegal status in many parts of the world, underscores the critical nature of these explorations.
Integrating genomic and morphometric approaches to study the diversity of wild cannabis populations
Botanical Institute of Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-CMCNB)
Manica Balant
Biography
Manica Balant is a doctoral student, carrying out her PhD at The Botanical Institute of Barcelona. In her research she is focusing on studying genetic, morphologic, and phytochemical diversity of wild and landrace Cannabis accessions and its traditional uses worldwide.
Synopsis
Cannabis has been used by humans for millennia, which resulted in a complex evolutionary history, involving long distance dispersal, selection and numerous hybridizing events between populations. Combining different approaches can therefore give us a wider view of the unexplored diversity within this species. Phylogenomic and population genomics workflows of over 90 accessions of wild/feral and landrace representatives showed no clear division into species or subspecies but indicated that East Mongolian populations do form a distinct group. The importance of including wild/feral and landrace accessions was also confirmed with our novel morphometric analysis, where many of them displayed distinct leaf shape traits.
Robin Van Velzen
Date
Pablo Romero
Biography
Robin van Velzen is a lecturer at the Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University and Research, in the Netherlands. His research focuses on Cannabis biodiversity, investigating population genomic history and reconstructing the evolution of biosynthetic pathways.
Synopsis
Robin van Velzen is a lecturer at the Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University and Research, in the Netherlands. His research focuses on Cannabis biodiversity, investigating population genomic history and reconstructing the evolution of biosynthetic pathways.
Plant Breeders’ Rights Trials in the Netherlands to protect new cannabis varieties
Naktuinbouw, Team DUS vegetables, ornamentals, agriculture;
CPVO - Community Plant Variety Office
Judith J. Meijles & Lizah van den Engel
Biography
Judith: Graduated in Plant Breeding at Wageningen University in 1992, I worked as a breeder at private breeding companies in ornamental crops and pharmaceutical cannabis. With a passion for innovation in horticultural crops, I am convinced that having a strong IP is important for continuous breeding. I am working at the Variety Testing Department (Naktuinbouw, NL) as technical examiner for Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) since 2007. At Naktuinbouw I started to examine vegetable crops and later also ornamentals and agricultural crops. Since 2017 I am fortunate to work with cannabis again.
Lizah: With a background in medical and moleculair biology, I have 5 years of experience in performing quality tests for DUS (Distincness, Uniformity, Stability) to obtain registration and/or Plant Breeders' Rights at the Variety Testing Department (Naktuinbouw, NL). In this position, I am specialized in DUS work of a diverse range of vegetable, ornamental and agricultural crops, including cannabis.
Synopsis
Dutch Inspection Service for Horticulture and the organization that assesses the identity, quality and health of propagating material.
Introduction Plant Breeders’ Rights at Naktuinbouw (brief) - By granting exclusive protection to breeders, PBR enables them to recover costs and earn royalties from their innovative contributions. It also fosters collaboration, ensuring a robust system for quality control in the agricultural sector. Naktuinbouw conducted Dutch PBR trials for pharmaceutical cannabis several years ago. However, there was a period with no applications. When companies renewed their interest, they applied at the CPVO (the EU PBR organization) for European PBR. Naktuinbouw had the technical experience and is the only entrusted examination office to perform the PBR trails since 2017.
PBR trials at Naktuinbouw (focus)- Overview of the procedure (incl. licenses, material, trial set up, protocol, collections, cannabinoids testing)
Cannabis DNA database (focus) - its role in DUS
Wageningen University and Research, The NetherlandsBedrocan Internation, The Netherlands
Unique genomic and chemical diversity among wild cannabis populations from the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan
Wageningen University and Research
Robin van Velzen
Biography
Robin van Velzen is a lecturer at the Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University and Research, in the Netherlands. His research focuses on Cannabis biodiversity, investigating population genomic history and reconstructing the evolution of biosynthetic pathways.
Abstract
Published research
Recent genomic studies have predominantly focused on cultivated varieties, leaving wild populations from cannabis' native range underexplored. By studying cannabis populations from three river basins in Bhutan, substantial untapped genetic and chemical diversity can be revealed. Population genomic analyses demonstrate that Bhutanese cannabis plants represent unique genotypes, with populations exhibiting genetic differentiation influenced by altitude and specific river basins. Genome-wide association analyses reveal hits in tandemly repeated arrays of terpene synthase genes. Moreover, a rare variant of THCA synthase that modifies its catalytic activity and significantly alters the plant's cannabinoid profile was discovered. Collectively, these findings underscore the importance of sampling wild cannabis populations from their native range, that can unveil novel genetic and chemical diversity with potential applications in medicine and agriculture.
Wageningen University and Research, The NetherlandsBedrocan Internation, The Netherlands
Cultivar Identity in a Legal Context: A Genomic approach to Cannabis IP Protection
True Cut | Phlo Bio
Chad Ternes
Biography
Chad Ternes, PhD is a plant synthetic biologist whose background spans molecular biology, bioinformatics, and evolution. He holds a senior patent analyst credential and has served as an expert witness in cannabis cultivar litigation. Bridging academic research, intellectual property, and commercial cannabis, he is CEO of True Cut, a cultivar identity and IP verification platform, and operates Phlo Bio, a plant science consulting firm specializing in cannabis and plant biotechnology.
Abstract
Cannabis has a unique history largely shaped by prohibition, leaving breeders without access to the IP protection tools available to other crops. High-THC cannabis is exempt from Plant Variety Protection, forcing the industry to develop alternative frameworks. Genomic identity documentation, built on reduced representation sequencing and population-level SNP fingerprinting, offers a practical and legally defensible path forward.
Central to this framework is the recognition that phenotype alone is an unreliable identity anchor for cannabis, a crop with known morphological plasticity. Compounding this, cannabis market dynamics demand faster protection timelines than traditional regulatory pathways can provide. A genomic identity dossier paired with contract law offers a relevant jurisdiction-agnostic solution.
Published research
Space Induced Mutations and Modulation of Secondary Metabolism in Cannabis
Martian Grow
Bozidar Radisic
Biography
Božidar Radišič is a cannabis activist, researcher, and human rights advocate with more than 20 years of experience promoting evidence-based cannabis policy, patient rights, and scientific research. He is the founder and president of FIST (Human Rights Association), founder of the Research Nature Institute and Cannabis Info Point, and co-founder of Martiangrow.
Through the Research Nature Institute in Ljubljana, he established a laboratory specializing in cannabis quality analysis, providing valuable insights into product quality and patient use.
A frequent international speaker and lecturer, Božidar actively promotes scientific research, patient advocacy, and professional education.
In 2025, he co-founded Martiangrow, a pioneering project exploring the effects of space conditions on cannabis genetics, including the launch of the first cannabis seeds into space.
Abstract
The Martian Grow program investigates the effects of prolonged low Earth orbit exposure on space induced mutations and the secondary metabolism of Cannabis sativa. Building on evidence that spaceflight-induced stressors, including microgravity and ionizing radiation, can alter gene expression, metabolism, and heritable traits, the study aims to evaluate also changes in cannabinoid and terpene production, regulatory networks, and phenotypic stability.
Genetically characterized cannabis seeds are exposed to spaceflight conditions and compared with matched ground controls. Pre- and post-flight spectral fingerprinting, controlled cultivation, metabolomic profiling, transcriptomic and epigenetic analyses, and multi-omics integration are employed to identify space-induced biological responses. The project hypothesizes that regulatory and epigenetic reprogramming drives novel chemotypic variation, providing insights into plant metabolic plasticity and enabling innovative breeding strategies for biotechnology and space agriculture.
Decoding the Chemovar: Fusing High-Resolution Terpene Fingerprinting with Patient Outcomes to Standardize Medical Cannabis
Research Genetics | cannabis-transparent.de | Humboldt University
Daniel Huebner
Biography
Daniel S. Hübner works at the intersection of horticultural science, analytical quality management, and medicinal cannabis research. He holds an M.Sc. in Process and Quality Management in Horticulture from the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, where he conducts research at the Sanity Group within the Department of Urban Ecophysiology. His scientific work focuses on environmental influences on cannabinoid and terpene synthesis, with recent publications in Frontiers in Plant Science investigating the impacts of UV spectra and intensities on inflorescence quality. He is the co-initiator and scientific contact for the independent platform cannabis-transparent.de.
Abstract
Cannabis genomics and secondary metabolite profiling have made massive strides in mapping plant potential. However, the current lack of standardization in medical cannabis flower analytics and highly variable Certificates of Analysis (COAs) create a critical gap between genomic predictions and real-world clinical consistency.This talk introduces an independent, closed-loop framework established by the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and cannabis-transparent.de. By fusing standardized high-resolution chemical analytics (HPLC/GC-MS) with structured Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs), this data-driven methodology provides a reliable calibration layer for the industry. Daniel Hübner outlines three major contributions of this data-fusion model: correcting analytical variance across the supply chain, mapping precise chemovar-to-indication correlations, and delivering a real-time, dynamic snapshot of the actual market's quality.
From Sequence to Sensation: How the sommelier assessment complements cannabis genomics
Botanical Institute of Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-CMCNB), Spain
Adele Hollmann
Biography
Adele Hollmann operates at the intersection of drug science, sensory evaluation, and adult-use pilot projects as the Senior Scientific Affairs Manager at Sanity Group. She is a distinguished alumna of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, where she earned her Master of Horticultural Science and was a core member of the university's specialized Cannabis Research Class. Combining her academic roots at HU Berlin with her qualification as a Certified Cannabis Sommelier, she specializes in bridging the gap between horticultural data and human sensory experience.
Abstract
Cannabis genomics has made remarkable progress upstream. But the translation from genotype to lived human experience remains the layer the field predicts worst.
This talk argues that structured sensory assessment — methodology already proven in wine, coffee, and hops — offers genomics a complementary, reproducible measurement layer. Combining her training as a horticultural scientist and Certified Cannabis Sommelier, Adele Hollmann outlines three contributions sensory phenotyping makes to a genomics programme: validation of predictions, resolution of perceptual interactions chemistry cannot capture, and translation between sequence data and the descriptors patients actually use.
From Botanical Frontier to Standardized Science: Global Trends and Future Horizons in Cannabinoid Research
Humboldt University
Prof. Dr. Dr. Christian Ulrichs
Biography
Prof. Dr. Dr. Christian Ulrichs is the Head of the Department of Urban Ecophysiology at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. A leading authority in plant physiology and horticultural sciences, his extensive research focuses on the synthesis of secondary plant metabolites, stress physiology, and quality management within complex agricultural supply chains. He has dedicated his academic career to bridging the gap between fundamental agricultural science and standardized, practical applications in pharmaceutical botany.
Abstract
Cannabis science has entered a phase of rapid maturation, transitioning from fragmented botanical observations to a highly sophisticated, multi-disciplinary academic discipline. As regulatory barriers dissolve globally, the scientific community faces a new imperative: moving beyond basic cultivation toward the precise control, stabilization, and clinical predictability of the plant's complex chemical matrix.
This opening keynote reviews the macro-trends currently shaping international cannabis research. Prof. Dr. Dr. Christian Ulrichs discusses the intersection of modern agronomy and pharmaceutical chemistry, focusing on how environmental ecophysiology influences secondary metabolite synthesis. By examining current global challenges—from analytical variance to the lack of international standardization—this talk outlines a scientific roadmap for the next decade of evidence-based cannabinoid research.
Classification of Cannabis Plants Based on Their Terpene Profile
Fundación CANNA
Iñaki García
Biography
Iñaki García is an Agricultural Technical Engineer and Biotechnology graduate who has worked in the cannabis sector since 1999. He currently serves as Technical and Scientific Director of the laboratory at Fundación CANNA, where he has developed analytical methods for the quantification of cannabinoids and terpenes across a range of cannabis products, and has designed and conducted multiple studies on product quality. His passion for the plant led him to pursue further studies in plant breeding, completing his Master's thesis on analytical methods applied to cannabis improvement.
Abstract
Terpenes are fundamental aromatic compounds with synergistic effects on the endocannabinoid system, yet part of their therapeutic efficacy depends on whether the patient perceives their combination as pleasant. Chromatographic terpene profile analysis, processed through principal component analysis, proves a highly useful technical tool: it identifies the terpenes carrying the greatest weight in classification, enables the grouping of plants by chemical profile, and supports the selection of varieties with highly differentiated chemotypes. This approach allows therapeutic treatments to be tailored to individual patient preferences, ensuring that a profile perceived as pleasurable maximises the desired therapeutic effect.