The 6th International Conference on Natural Products Utilization: from Plants to Pharmacy Shelf (ICNPU-2025) was held in Bansko

The 6th International Conference on Natural Products Utilization: from Plants to Pharmacy Shelf (ICNPU-2025) was held in Bansko, Bulgaria. With an official ceremony the Bulgarian scientific team and the organizer of the event welcomed nearly 230 guest researchers from 33 countries. 

Prof. Dr. Milen Georgiev, Head of research departments at CPSBB and the Institute of Microbiology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), Prof. Dr. Penka Petrova, Director of the Institute of Microbiology, together with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kalina Alipieva, Director of the Institute of Organic Chemistry with Center for Phytochemistry at the BAS and the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Medical University of Plovdiv, Corresponding Member Prof. Dr. Georgi Momekov, opened the conference, which was held over four days from May 27-30, 2025.

Researchers from four continents have arrived in Bulgaria to participate in the event and exchange knowledge in the discovery and development of natural substances for the production of food supplements, medicines and cosmetic products. Cutting-edge research was presented, related to the isolation, identification and application of bioactive compounds derived from plants and food products with potential and proven beneficial effects on human health.

“Natural products are playing an increasingly significant role in pharmacy and medicine worldwide, with growth in their use in both traditional and modern medicine. About 25% of the medicines on the global market are of plant origin. In 2024, the global herbal medicines market was estimated at €214.5 billion and is expected to reach €402 billion by 2032. In Europe, the market is leading with a share of 44.55% in 2024, with increased interest in phytotherapy and integration of herbal products in healthcare. According to the World Health Organization, about 80% of the population in developing countries relies on traditional medicine, including herbal remedies for primary healthcare.

There is also a growing trend in the cosmetics industry. In 2024, the global market for herbal cosmetic products was valued at €83.3 billion and is expected to reach €286.1 billion by 2033, with an annual growth rate of over 13%, with the skin care segment having the largest share. All this is due to a progressive increase in investments for research and development of effective herbal formulas and some of the scientific research will be presented in Bulgaria during the conference”, points out Prof. Dr. Milen Georgiev, organizer of the large-scale forum.

Main highlights of the conference are natural substances and their implementation for innovative therapies and prevention of a wide range of health conditions and diseases such as aging, diseases of the central nervous system, oncological diseases, as well as for improving immunity, longevity, photoaging, etc.

Among the guest speakers at the event are Prof. Dr. Robert Verpoorte, Professor Emeritus of Plant Cell Biotechnology at Leiden University, the Netherlands, and Prof. Dr. Jean-Luc Wolfender, a leading scientist at the University of Geneva, Switzerland and Head of a research team on phytochemical bioactive natural products.

The conference includes poster exhibitions, seminars and lectures with the participation of scientists from Bulgaria, USA, Italy, Spain, Serbia, Switzerland, Poland, Greece, Ireland, Austria, Netherlands, Turkey, Morocco, Pakistan, Israel, China, Taiwan, Brazil, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, India, Argentina, South Africa, etc. Research institutes and universities from over 20 countries support the event with representatives in the scientific committee.

Nine of the participating young researchers were awarded prizes for the best poster presentation or short lecture on behalf of the scientific societies supporting the conference. Assist. Prof. Dr. Martina Savova from the Metabolomics laboratory of the Institute of Microbiology was selected for the best poster award of the Phytochemical Society of Europe.

The 6th INCPU conference was financially supported by the Bulgarian National Science Fund under Grant agreement № КП-06-МНФ/52. The Bulgarian National Science Fund bears no responsibility for the content of the presented lectures, poster presentations, or printed conference materials."