Natural Products Training

Gain industry-leading expertise with specialized training programs designed to advance your knowledge and skills in natural products research and quality control.

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We offer specialized training programs through the Natural Products Training Laboratory to advance knowledge and skills in natural products research and quality control. These programs are designed for professionals in the dietary supplement, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries, as well as regulatory agencies. The NPTL provides both foundational and advanced courses, focusing on areas such as botanical authentication, analytical techniques, and quality assurance. 

For more information, please email nptl@olemiss.edu or call (662) 915-1090.

Explore training opportunities

We keep seats limited to 15 participants per course. Once a course is full, additional participants are wait-listed and receive priority if a seat becomes available.

  • 2-day course: $2,995
  • 3-day course: $2,995
  • 5-day course: $4,995

The fee covers training, registration, lodging, and session materials; airfare is not included. All courses run from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. After completing registration, you will receive a confirmation email.

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

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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

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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

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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

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Natural Products Training Laboratory Instructors

Bharathi Avula

Bharathi Avula

  • Principal Scientist
Suman Chandra

Suman Chandra

  • Principal Scientist/Research Production Manager in NCNPR and Research Professor of BioMolecular Sciences
Mahmoud Elsohly

Mahmoud Elsohly

  • Research Professor in the National Center for Natural Products Research and Professor of Pharmaceutics
Hemant Lata

Hemant Lata

  • Principal Scientist
Mohamed Radwan

Mohamed Radwan

  • Principal Scientist in NCNPR and Research Professor of BioMolecular Sciences
Donald Stanford

Donald Stanford

  • Assistant Director of the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Natascha Techen

Natascha Techen

  • Principal Scientist
Yanhong Wang

Yanhong Wang

  • Principal Scientist
Jianping Zhao

Jianping Zhao

  • Senior Research Scientist