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RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2006-present, Visiting Scholar, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

  • Research on the legal and economic components of bioprospecting.
  • Explore the use of marine bacteria from octocorals as a source of new treatments for tropical disease.

2004-present, Associate Scientist, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

  • Lead Panama-based office of a US NIH-funded program for drug discovery for cancer and tropical disease, economic development and biodiversity conservation, the Panama International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups Program (Panama ICBG). Partners include local and international conservation organizations, academic institutions in the US and Panama, and Novartis Pharmaceuticals (www.icbgpanama.org).
  • Direct research and conservation programs in the Coiba National Park, a large marine and terrestrial Protected Area in Panama’s Tropical Eastern Pacific (http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/coiba.html). Current programs involve; (i) chemical ecological studies of marine invertebrates; (ii) marine natural products-based drug discovery and; (iii) a comprehensive botanical survey of the islands in the park which will be incorporated into a revised Management Plan and Field Guide.
  • Spearheaded efforts to add the Coiba National Park to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites, working in partnership with Panama’s National Authority of the Environment, IUCN, UNESCO, the Ministry of Environment of Colombia, private donors and Panama-based colleagues. The park was formally inscribed in July of 2005 (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1138).

2000-present, Adjunct Professor of Plant Science, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

  • Mentored three Master’s thesis projects through the Neotropical Environment Option, a joint program between McGill University and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (see “Research Training and Teaching”).

2004-2005, Scientific Advisor, MarViva Foundation, Republic of Panama

  • Worked to consolidate the foundation’s presence in Panama by hiring personnel, coordinating with Panamanian authorities and by promoting the foundation’s work in Panama and at international meetings.
  • Coordinated and participated in an extensive media campaign directed at all levels of Panamanian society, including local stakeholders, the business community and the public at large, on the importance of the Coiba National Park and its benefits to society.
  • Worked directly with the Executive and Legislative branches of the Panamanian government to develop legislation for the Coiba National Park. The law was enacted in 2004 and includes provisions that are unprecedented in scope and design, providing a solid legal basis for the park’s protection.

1998-2004, Research Associate, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

  • Co-Principal Investigator of the Panama ICBG (1998-2003).
  • Negotiated legal agreements for the Panama ICBG program with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, the Panamanian government, US- and Panama-based research institutions, and Novartis Pharmaceuticals, that are consistent with the spirit and letter of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

1996-2004, Research Assistant Professor, University of Utah

  • Led efforts to lay the foundation for the Panama ICBG program by establishing partnerships in Panama and the US with academic, pharmaceutical and conservation organizations, hiring personnel, and writing proposals to obtain funding in collaboration with US- and Panama-based colleagues.

1993-1995, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah

  • Studied structural elucidation of marine natural products and the inhibition of DNA topoisomerases.

1991-1993, Senior Staff Fellow, the US National Institutes of Health

  • Conducted research on the structure of DNA polymerases.

1986-1991, NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, the Pennsylvania State University. Mentor: Stephen J. Benkovic

  • Studied the pre-steady-state enzyme kinetics of DNA replication and the structure and assembly of multi-enzyme-DNA complexes.

1981-1986, Graduate School, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah. Mentor: C. Dale Poulter

  • Synthesized and evaluated novel inhibitors of squalene biosynthesis.

CONSULTING AND ADVISORY POSITIONS

  • 2005, Member of the Panamanian Delegation to the 29th Meeting of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, Durban, South Africa.
  • 2003, Founding Member of the Public Interest Intellectual Property Advisors (www.piipa.org).
  • 1998-present, member of the Technical Committee of Fundación NATURA, a foundation dedicated to the conservation of natural resources in Panama (www.naturapanama.org). Responsibilities include the review of proposals that are submitted to the foundation for funding and project evaluation.
  • 1997, Consultant for the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank. Provided input on bioprospecting to the Office of Economic Analysis of the Ministry of the Environment, Republic of Colombia.

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • 2004, Award for the invaluable contribution to the education and conservation of marine ecosystems by the Foundation for Ocean Protection (Fundación para la Protección del Mar, www.promar.20m.com)
  • 1997, the Utah Humanities Council Merit Award
  • 1992, National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellowship

SKILLS

  • Skilled in establishing and coordinating strategic partnerships.
  • Extensive negotiating experience gained at domestic and international levels.
  • Exemplary verbal and written communication skills in Spanish and English.
  • Excellent grant writing skills.
  • Strong and creative problem solving ability.

EDUCATION

  • Ph.D., Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 1987
  • B.S., Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, 1978

RESEARCH TRAINING AND TEACHING

  • Postdoctoral Scientist
    Jeffrey Marrero, July 2007-present. Project: bioassay-guided isolation of compounds with anti-parasitic
    activity from octocorals and their associated bacteria.
  • Graduate Students and visiting scientists
    Kathryn Clark, June 2005-present. Project: Chemical ecological studies of the Opisthobranch mollusk, Dolabrifera dolabrifera. Master’s thesis for the Department of Plant Science, McGill University. In preparation.
  • Julie E. Helson, August 2003-August 2005. Project: Tropical host plant-insect relationships as guides to medicinally-active plants. Master’s thesis for the Department of Plant Science, McGill University.Ciara Raudsepp-Hearne, July 2001-July 2003. Project: Using insects to guide the search for medicinally-active chemical compounds in plants. Master’s thesis for the Department of Plant Science, McGill University.

    Julie M. Linton. 2002-2003. Fulbright Scholar. Project: Socioeconomic status of the residents of Bahía Honda and their impact on the resources of the Coiba National Park.

    Gregory Moretti. 2000-2002. Directed thesis research for Master’s research. Project: Identifying and understanding resource users of Panama’s Coiba National Park. Advisor: Michael Orbach, Duke University.

  • Teaching
    Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute-University of McGill, Neotropical Environment Option. Course title: Conservation and the role of host-country institutions, 10 June-29 June, 2002.Organization of Tropical Studies, Costa Rica. Course title: Ethnobiology, July 15-August 14, 2001.

GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS

  • Current grant support
    2003-present, US National Institutes of Health, International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups (ICBG) Program. Title: “Bioassay and Ecology Directed Drug Discovery in Panama”. Amount of award: 3.5 million USD over five years. Role in program: Leader of the Associate Program “Conservation, Outreach and Biodiversity Inventory in Panama” and Director of Central Operations. Principal Investigator: W.H. Gerwick, Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
  • Previous grant support
    1998-2003, US National Institutes of Health ICBG Program. Title: “Ecologically Guided Bioprospecting in Panama”. Role in program: Co-Principal Investigator with P.D. Coley and T.A. Kursar, director of office of Central Operations and leader of the Associate Program “Ethnobotany and Conservation”. Amount: 3.5 million USD over five years.2002-2003, Global Conservation Fund of Conservation International. Title: “Protection of Panama’s Coiba National Park”. Role in program: Principal Investigator. Amount: 25,000 USD over two years.

    1998-2000, the National Geographic Society. Title: “Ecological and chemical studies of poisonous birds in Papua New Guinea”. Role in Program: Principal Investigator. Amount: 17,000 USD over two years.

    1996-1998, National Science Foundation, International Program. Title: “Discovery of Novel Medicinal Agents in Panamanian Rainforests: Using Insight from Chemical Ecology of Rainforest Plants for the Discovery of Bioactive Compounds”. Role in program: Principal Investigator. Amount: 35,000 USD over two years.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
  • Society for Conservation Biology

PUBLICATIONS AND PATENTS

  • Book Chapters
    Capson, T.L. Biodiscovery Research in Panama: Linking Science, Technology, Human Health, and Conservation in the Host-Country Context. In: Legal and Scientific Implications of Bioprospecting Contracts: A Handbook for Policymakers. Carrizosa, S.; McGuire, P., Eds.; IUCN-Environmental Law Centre. In press. Available at http://striweb.si.edu/toddcapson/publications/index.htmlCapson, T.L. La búsqueda de medicamentos en el bosque tropical panameño (The search for medicines in Panamanian tropical forests). In: Panamá: Puente Biológico (Panama: Biological Bridge). Heckadon, S., Ed.; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama, Republic of Panama, 2001, pp. 182-186.
  • Patents
    Corbett, Y.; Herrera, L.; González, J.; Cubilla, L.; Capson, T.L.; Ortega, E. 2004. International Application No. PCT/US2003/034513. A novel DNA-based microfluorimetric method to evaluate antimalarial drug activity.Cubilla-Rios, L.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Romero, L.I.; Capson, T.L. 2002. US Provisional Patent Application No. 60/407,714. Novel treatments for leishmaniasis.
  • Peer-reviewed publications
    McPhail, K.L.; Correa, J.; Linington, R.G.; González, J.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Capson, T.L.; Gerwick, W.H. 2007. Antimalarial linear lipopeptides from a Panamanian strain of the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula. Journal of Natural Products 2007, 70, 984-988.Kursar, T.A.; Caballero-George, C.C.; Capson, T.L.; Cubilla-Rios, L.; Gerwick, W.H.; Gupta, M.P.; Ibañez, A.; Linington, R.G.; McPhail, K.L.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Romero, L.I.; Solis, P.N.; Coley, P.D. Securing economic benefits and promoting conservation through bioprospecting. BioScience 2006, 56, 1005-1012.

    Gutiérrez, M.; Capson, T.L.; Guzmán, H.M.; González, J.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Quiñoá, E.; Riguera, R. Antiplasmodial metabolites isolated from the marine octocoral Muricea austere. Journal of Natural Products 2006, 69, 1379-1383.

    Torres-Mendoza, D.; González, J.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Heller, M.V.; Capson, T.L.; McPhail, K.; Gerwick, W.H.; Cubilla-Rios, L. Weakly antimalarial flavonol arabinofuranosides from Calycolpus warszewiczianus. Journal of Natural Products 2006, 69, 826-828.

    Gutiérrez, M.; Capson, T.L.; Guzmán, H.M.; González, J.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Quiñoá, E.; Riguera, R. Antiprotozoal activity against Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanosoma cruzi of Aeroplysinin-1 isolated from the new sponge Aplysina chiriquensis. Pharmaceutical Biology 2005, 43, 762-765.

    Ospina, C.A.; Rodriguez, A.D.; Sanchez, J.A.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Capson, T.L.; Mayer, A.M.S. Caucanolides A-F, unusual antiplasmodial constituents from a Colombian collection of the Gorgonian coral Pseudopterogorgia bipinnata. Journal of Natural Products 2005, 68, 1519-1526.

    Cherigo, L.; Polanco, V.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Heller, M.V.; Capson, T.L.; Rios, L.C. Antitrypanosomal activity of a novel norlignan purified from Nectandra lineata. Natural Product Research 2005, 19, 373-377.

    Gutiérrez, M.; Capson, T.L.; Guzmán, H.M.; González, J.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Quiñoá, E.; Riguera, R. Leptolide, a new furanocembranolide diterpene from Leptogorgia alba. Journal of Natural Products 2005, 68, 614-616.

    Gutiérrez, M.; Capson, T.; Guzmán, H.M.; Quiñoá, E.; Riguera, R. L-Galactose as a natural product: isolation from a marine octocoral of the first alpha-L-galactosyl saponin. Tetrahedron Letters 2004, 45, 7833-7836.
    Marrero, J.; Rodríguez, A.D.; Baran, P.; Raptis, R.G.; Sánchez, J.A.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Capson, T.L. Bielschowskysin, a Gorgonian-derived biologically active diterpene with an unprecedented carbon skeleton. Organic Letters 2004, 6, 1661-1664.

    Hussein, A.A.; Bozzi, B.; Correa, M.; Capson, T.L.; Kursar, T.A.; Coley, P.D.; Solis, P.N.; Gupta, M.P. New cytotoxic naphthopyrane derivatives from Adenaria floribunda. Journal of Natural Products 2004, 67, 451-453.

    Corbett, Y.; Herrera, L.; González, J.; Cubilla, L.; Capson, T.L.; Coley, P.D.; Kursar, T.A.; Romero, L.I.; Ortega-Barría, E. A novel DNA-based microfluorimetric method to evaluate antimalarial drug activity. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2004, 70, 119-124.

    Torres-Mendoza, D.; Ureña-González, L.D.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Coley, P.D.; Kursar, T.A.; Capson, T.L.; McPhail, K.; Cubilla-Rios, L. Novel cassane and cleistanthane diterpenes from Myrospermum frutescens: absolute stereochemistry of the cassane diterpene series. Journal of Natural Products 2004, 67, 1711-1715.

    Torres-Mendoza, D.; Ureña-González, L.D.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Capson, T.L.; Cubilla-Rios, L. Five new cassane diterpenes from Myrospermum frutescens with activity against Trypanosoma cruzi. Journal of Natural Products 2003, 66, 928-932.

    Montenegro, H.; Gutiérrez, M.; Romero, L.I.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Capson, T.L.; Cubilla-Rios, L. Aporphine alkaloids from Guatteria spp. with leishmanicidal activity. Planta Medica 2003, 69, 677-679.

    Hussein, A.A.; Bozzi, B.; Correa, M.; Capson, T.L.; Kursar, T.A.; Coley, P.D.; Solis, P.N.; Gupta, M.P. Bioactive constituents from three Vismia species. Journal of Natural Products 2003, 66, 858-860.

    Coley, P.D.; Heller, M.V.; Aizprua. R.; Araúz, B.; Flores, N.; Gupta, M.; Solis, P.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Romero, L.; Gómez, B.; Ramos, M.; Capson, T.L.; Kursar, T.A. Using ecological criteria to design plant collection strategies for drug discovery. 2003, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 8, 421-428.

    Williams, C.; Espinosa, O.A.; Montenegro, H.; Cubilla, L.; Capson, T.L.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Romero, L.I. Hydrosoluble formazan XTT: its application to natural products drug discovery for Leishmania. Journal of Microbiological Methods 2003, 55, 813-816.

    Ospina, C.A.; Rodríguez, A.D.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Capson, T.L. Briarellins J-P and polyanthellin A: new eunicellin-based diterpenes from the Gorgonian coral Briareum polyanthes and their antimalarial activity. Journal of Natural Products 2003, 66, 357-363.

    McManus, M.G.; Capson, T.L. Bioprospecting and conservation. BIOTECH. The Magazine of the Biotechnology Network 2001, September/October.

    Kursar, T.A.; Capson, T.L.; Coley, P.D.; Corley, D.G.; Gupta, M.P.; Harrison, L.A.; Ortega-Barría, E.; Windsor, D.A. Ecologically guided bioprospecting in Panama. Pharmaceutical Biology 1999, 37, 114-126.

    Capson, T.L.; Coley, P.D.; Kursar, T.A. A new paradigm for drug discovery in tropical rainforests. Nature Biotechnology 1996, 14, 1200-1202.

    McDonald, L.A.; Capson, T.L.; Krishnamurthy, G.; Ding, W-D.; Ellestad, G.A.; Bernan, V.F.; Maiese, W.F.; Lassota, P.; Discafani, C.; Kramer, R.A.; Ireland, C.M. Namenamicin, a new enediyne antibiotic from the marine ascidian Polysyncraton lithostrotum. Journal of the American Chemical Society 1996, 118, 10898-10899.

    Kokoshka, J.M.; Capson, T.L.; Holden, J.A.; Ireland, C.M.; Barrows, L.R. Differences in the topoisomerase I cleavage complexes formed by camptothecin and wakayin, a DNA-intercalating marine natural product. Anticancer Drugs 1996, 7, 758-765.

    Capson, T.L.; Benkovic, S.J.; Nossal, N.G. Protein-DNA cross-linking demonstrates stepwise ATP-dependent assembly of T4 DNA polymerase and its accessory proteins on the primer template. Cell 1991, 65, 249-258.

    Capson, T.L.; Peliska, J.A.; Kaboord, B.F.; Frey, M.W.; Lively, C.; Dahlbergh, M.; Benkovic, S.J. Kinetic characterization of the polymerase and exonuclease activities of the gene 43 protein of bacteriophage T4. Biochemistry 1992, 31, 10984-10994.

    Frey, M.W.; Nossal, N.G.; Capson, T.L.; Benkovic, S.J. Construction and characterization of a bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase deficient in 3′-5′ exonuclease activity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 1993, 90, 2579-2583.

    Capson, T.L.; Benkovic, S.J.; Nossal, N.G. Photochemical cross-linking of DNA replication proteins at the primer terminus. Methods in Enzymology 1995, 262, 449-456.

    Capson, T.L.; Thompson, M.D.; Dixit, V.M.; Gaughan, R.G.; Poulter, C.D. Synthesis of ammonium analogs of carbocationic intermediates in the conversion of presqualene diphosphate to squalene. Journal of Organic Chemistry 1988, 53, 5903-5908.

    Poulter, C.D.; Capson, T.L.; Thompson, M.D.; Bard, R.S. Squalene synthetase. Inhibition by ammonium analogs of carbocationic intermediates in the conversion of presqualene diphosphate to squalene. Journal of the American Chemical Society 1989, 111, 3734-3739.

    Capson, T.L.; Poulter, C.D. A facile synthesis of primary amines from carboxylic acids using the Curtius rearrangement. Tetrahedron Letters 1984, 25, 3515-3518.

    Bullard, W.P.; Capson, T.L. Steady-state kinetics of bovine striatal tyrosine hydroxylase. Molecular Pharmacology 1983, 23, 104-111.

    Darr, R.W.; Capson, T.L.; Hileman, F.D. Detection of hydrogen cyanide in blood using gas chromatography with alkali thermionic detection. Analytical Chemistry 1980, 52, 1379-1381.

  • Non-peer-reviewed publications
    Capson, T.L. Panama’s Coiba National Park: a jewel of the Tropical Eastern Pacific. World Heritage, 2006, Number 42, June, UNESCO.Capson, T.L. La Prensa, newspaper article, June 14, 2006. Los ecosistemas de los mares y bosques son “bibliotecas vivas” (Ocean and marine ecosystems are “living libraries”).
    http://biblioteca.prensa.com/contenido/2006/06/14/14-13a-nota2.html

    Capson, T.L. La Prensa, newspaper article, June 29, 2003. Coiba, patrimonio inigualable (Coiba, an unequalled patrimony). http://biblioteca.prensa.com/contenido/2003/06/29/29-4a-nota1.html

    Capson, T.L. La Prensa, newspaper article, May 7, 2003. Bibliotecas vivas (Living libraries) http://biblioteca.prensa.com/contenido/2003/05/07/7-13a-nota1.html

    Capson, T.L. Bioprospecting in Panama: strategies for maximizing the participation of host-country institutions. Case study in chapter: Elements of commercial biodiversity prospecting agreements, Gollin, M.A. In: Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge: Equitable Partnerships in Practice. Laird, S.A., Ed.; Earthscan Publications Ltd, London, UK, 2002, pp 324-325.

    Capson, T.L. The Panama ICBG Trust Fund: The National Environment Fund of the Fundación Natura. Case study in chapter: Sharing financial benefits: trust funds for biodiversity prospecting, Guerin-McManus, M.; Nnadozie, K.C.; Laird, S.A. In: Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge: Equitable Partnerships in Practice. Laird, S.A., Ed.; Earthscan Publications Ltd, London, UK, 2002, pp 344-345.

    Capson, T.L. Synthesis and evaluation of ammonium analogs of carbocationic intermediates in squalene biosynthesis. Ph.D. Dissertation. 157 pp. Dissertation Abstracts Int. B, 1987, 48, 757-914.

  • Manuscripts in preparation or under review
    Capson, T.L. The changing landscape for natural products based drug discovery. Natural Product Reports. Under review.Raudsepp-Hearne, C.; Hussein, A.; Gupta, M.P.; Capson T.L. Sequestration of cytotoxic vismiones by Pyrrhopyge pseudophidias (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) and Periphoba arcaei (Lepidoptera: saturniidae) from the host-plant Vismia baccifera. In preparation.

    Raudsepp-Hearne, C.; Windsor, D.; Hussein, A.A.; Heller, M.V.; Aizprúa, R.; Capson, T.L. A novel sesquiterpene with anti-trypanosomal activity isolated from the plant Mikania guaco, and its assimilation by two specialist Chrysomelid beetles. In preparation.

    Helson, J.E.; Capson, T.L.; Johns, T.; Windsor, D.M.; Aiello, A. Ecologically guided bioprospecting: the use of aposematic insects as guides to plants from tropical rain forests with activity against disease. In preparation.

    Capson, T.L.; Moretti, G.S.; Linton, J.M.; Sucre, L.; Ibáñez, A.; González Sánchez, M. The Coiba National Park: a comprehensive approach to biodiversity conservation in Panama’s Tropical Eastern Pacific. In preparation.

    Ibáñez, A.; Galdames, C.; Correa, M.; Capson, T.L. A Field Guide to the Plants of the Coiba National Park, Panama. In preparation.

  • Book Reviews
    Capson, T. Dictionary of renewable resources. Second revised and enlarged edition. Journal of Natural Products 2002, 65, 1089-1090.Capson, T.L. Biodiversity: new leads for the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. Edited by S. K. Wrigley. Journal of Natural Products 2001, 64, 1000.
    Capson, T.L. NAFANUA. Saving the Samoan rain forest. By Paul Alan Cox. Journal of Natural Products 2000, 63, 892.

PRESENTATIONS (10 of approximately 100 since 1998)

  • Capson, T.L.; Gerwick, W.H. The Panama International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups Program: linking drug discovery, capacity building and biodiversity conservation. June 4th, 2007. The Society for Economic Botany, Chicago, Illinois (invited).
  • Capson, T.L. The Coiba National Park: From penal colony to World Heritage Site in Panama’s Tropical Eastern Pacific. Marine Biology Seminar at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California February 16th, 2007.
  • Capson, T.L. Bioprospecting for tropical disease and cancer in Panama: linking drug discovery, capacity building and biodiversity conservation. Department of Economics, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California, Two lectures, the first on November 20th, 2006 and the second on January 22nd, 2007 (invited).
  • Capson, T.L. The Panama International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups Program (ICBG). US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, June 14th, 2004, Atlanta, Georgia (invited).
  • Capson, T.L. Natural products-based drug discovery for tropical parasitic disease in Panama. Tar River Drug Discovery Meeting for Tropical Parasitic Disease, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, March 16th, 2006 (invited).
  • Capson, T.L. The Panama ICBG: a cooperative model for linking drug discovery for tropical disease and cancer, building scientific capacity and biodiversity conservation, Department of Biology, McGill University, November 10th, 2005 (invited).
  • Capson, T.L. La búsqueda de medicamentos en la biodiversidad: mitos, realidades, estudios de caso y experiencias adquiridas (The search for medicines from biodiversity: myths, realities, case studies and lessons learned). March 1st, 2005. Workshop for herbarium managers from throughout Central America (invited).
  • Capson, T.L. La búsqueda de medicamentos nuevos en los bosques y mares panameños (The search for novel medicines in Panamanian forests and oceans). October 20th, 2005. Workshop for the International Center for Journalists, Panama, Republic of Panama (invited).
  • Capson, T.L. Three lectures. El Parque Nacional Coiba: un patrimonio inigualable (The Coiba National Park: an unequalled patrimony). Lectures given during the month of June 2003 to President Mireya Moscoso of the Republic of Panama (1999-2004), the Council of Ministers and the Legislative Assembly.
  • Capson, T.L. El Parque Nacional Coiba: un patrimonio inigualable (The Coiba National Park: an unequalled patrimony). Lecture given to Presidential candidate, Martin Torrijos and his cabinet. June 18, 2004 (invited).

WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA ORGANIZED

  • Organized the workshop “El Manejo de Areas Protegidas Marinas” (The Management of Marine Protected Areas) with participants from Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador and Australia, co-sponsored by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, UNESCO, Panama’s National Authority of the Environment, the National Association for the Conservation of Nature (ANCON) and the MarViva Foundation. Keynote address by Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Minister of Environment & Energy of Costa Rica, lectures by Jon Day, Director for Conservation, Heritage and Indigenous Partnerships for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and case studies from each country represented. October 21-24, 2004.
  • Organized the symposium, “Conservación y Desarrollo Sostenible en Panamá: Lecciones Aprendidas y Visions para el Futuro” (Conservation and sustainable development in Panama: Lessons learned and visions for the future), involving environmental professionals from International and Panamanian conservation organizations [GTZ, Fundación NATURA, ANCON, Panamanian Center for Studies and Social Action (CEASPA)], representatives from the Panamanian National Authority of the Environment and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. November 29th, 2001.

REFERENCES

  • Dr. Cristián Samper
    Acting Secretary, Smithsonian Institution, and former Deputy Director, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 202-633-1846, samperc@si.edu
  • Dr. Ira Rubinoff
    Acting Under Secretary for Science, Smithsonian Institution, and former Director, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 202-633-5135, rubinoff@si.edu
  • Señora Mireya Moscoso
    Former President, Republic of Panama from 1999-2004
  • Dr. Julio Escobar
    National Secretary for Science, Technology and Innovation, 507-517-0003 (Panama),
    jescobar@senacyt.gob.pa
  • Dr. Eduardo Ortega-Barría
    Head of Clinical R&D & Medical Affairs, Latin America & Caribbean, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, 55-21-2141-6387 (Brazil), Eduardo.Z.Ortega@gsk.com
  • Ms. Marianne Guerin-McManus
    Senior Counsel in the Commercial Law Development Program of the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the General Counsel, 202-482 9031, mguerinmcmanus@doc.gov
  • Dr. Jeremy Jackson
    Professor of Oceanography, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 858-822-2432, jbjackson@ucsd.edu
  • Dr. Gordon Cragg
    Ex Director, Natural Products Branch, Developmental Therapeutics Program, National Cancer Institute, 301-564-1240, gmcragg@verizon.net