Natural Products Training Laboratory

The University of Mississippi

Overview

The following are summaries of the courses offered at our newly constructed Natural Products Training Laboratory (NPTL) in the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, in partnership with the National Center for Natural Products Research.

Upcoming Courses

Cannabis Research

Techniques for Authentication of Cannabis for Research

TBA

BDS-Advanced

Botanical Dietary Supplements Advanced Course

October 15-18, 2024

BDS-Basic

Botanical Dietary Supplements Basic Course

July 24-27, 2024

BDS-Extended

Botanical Dietary Supplements Extended Course

April 29 – May 3, 2024

*More information to come. Additional course dates TBA. For more information, please email nptl@olemiss.edu or call 662-915-1090.

NPTL Registration details

Limit of 15 seats per course. Once course is full, additional participants will be wait-listed and will receive first priority if a seat becomes available.

2-day course, $2995
3-day course, $2995
5-day course, $4995

Fee includes training and registration, lodging, and session materials. Airfare is not included.
You will receive confirmation e-mail after completing registration.

All courses are held from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. 

Please continue to check our page for new dates and new courses.

NPTL Course Details

BDS-Basic

A 3-day basic course providing a blend of theoretical and practical information regarding botanical authentication and modern LC techniques and technologies.

These courses target individuals working in the dietary supplement industry and who have a good working knowledge of HPLC equipment and use. Attendees do not need to have a strong botanical knowledge or theoretical understanding of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. These courses are designed to provide this information.

Upon completing the 3-day course, attendees will gain basic understanding in the following areas:

  • plant taxonomy and botanical nomenclature
  • herbarium techniques and importance of voucher samples
  • identification and authentication of botanicals by macroscopy and microscopy methods
  • preparation of botanical samples for microscopic analyses
  • basic principles and operation of HPTLC
  • role of LC/MS and GC/MS in authenticating processed materials
  • modern LC separation and detection techniques, including supercritical fluid chromatography
  • modern LC column particle technologies and the concepts and parameters which drive separation performance
  • how LC methods can be transferred among columns with different particle size, as well as between LC platforms of varying levels of performance (HPLC, UHPLC and UPLC)
  • how LC methods can be used for qualitative and quantitative analysis and comparison of botanicals
  • LC data processing, including how CDS software can be used to expedite data analysis and evaluation
  • chromatographic peak homogeneity (UV and MS)
  • how UV spectral libraries are created and used

3-day course, $2995

Fee includes training and registration, lodging, and session materials. Airfare is not included.
You will receive confirmation e-mail after completing registration.
All courses are held from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.

BDS-Extended

A 5-day basic course that includes MS theory and practical quantitative applications in natural products, in addition to the 3-day course material.

Attendees completing the 5-day course will also learn the following aspects of MS:

  • MS theory
  • MS acquisition modes
  • MS method development
  • MS calibration
  • MS quantification
  • MS sample preparation
  • specific applications of MS detection for botanicals and dietary supplements

5-day course, $4995

Fee includes training and registration, lodging, and session materials. Airfare is not included.
You will receive confirmation e-mail after completing registration.
All courses are held from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.

BDS-Advanced

A 3-day advanced course providing an advanced blend of theoretical and practical information regarding botanical authentication and modern LC techniques and technologies as well as problem solving. 

This course will provide attendees with advanced training in analytical techniques. This will include a practical training and a critical understanding of the laboratory-based techniques the attendees may encountered in their research activities.

Upon completing the 3-day course, attendees will gain advanced understanding in the following areas:

  • Strategic planning of analytical techniques to apply to different types of samples including selection of the most appropriate technique/instrumentation for the analysis.
  • Design an analytical work-flow to acquire and process data from the chosen instruments.
  • Importance of good chromatography
  • How to select/optimize an appropriate mobile phase and develop gradient or isocratic elution methods.
  • Selection of columns/TLC plates (stationary and mobile phases)
  • Selection of appropriate detection methods
  • Principles and components of the mass spectrometer
  • Sample preparation, calibration standards and sample properties
  • Logical steps of instrument troubleshooting
  • Examples of practical solutions specific to botanicals

3-day course, $2995

Fee includes training and registration, lodging, and session materials. Airfare is not included.
You will receive confirmation e-mail after completing registration.
All courses are held from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.

Cannabis Research

This 2-day course will provide an instructor led training intended to provide the knowledge necessary to perform the following applications successfully: regulatory compliance, authentication, method development, validation and standardization of cannabis for research purposes.. 

Upon completing the 2-day course, attendees will gain understanding and knowledge in the following areas:

  • regulatory compliance
  • taxonomy and nomenclature of cannabis
  • macroscopy and microscopy
  • sample preparation
  • basic principles of DNA extraction, PCR methods and fingerprinting
  • basic principles and operation of HPTLC, UHPLC, and GC
  • role of HPTLC, LC-UV/MS and GC/MS in identification and qualitative and quantitative analysis of materials
  • method validation

This unique 2-day course is intended to aid researchers in conducting scientific studies involving cannabis.  Participants will learn to evaluate diverse forms of research materials used in systematic studies.  Employing both basic and advanced laboratory techniques, our experienced instructors will provide a better understanding of the complexities of the physical, chemical, and molecular properties of cannabis-based materials in order for investigators to substantiate the quality and identity of test articles.

2-day course, $2995

Fee includes training and registration, lodging, and session materials. Airfare is not included.
You will receive confirmation e-mail after completing registration.
All courses are held from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.

Guest Lecturer

Each training course will feature a special guest lecturer (from industry, government or academia) announced prior to the individual courses.

For more information about upcoming guest lecturers, check the listings on our NPTL Course Overview page.