In a narrow strip of land along the Andes mountain range in central Chile, an Indigenous community has long celebrated the bark of a rare tree for its medicinal properties. Modern science only recently caught up to the tradition, finding the so-called soapbark tree contains potent compounds for boosting the human immune system. The molecules have since been harnessed to make the world's first malaria vaccine and to boost the effectiveness of vaccines for everything from shingles to Covid-19 and cancer. Unfortunately, unsustainable harvesting has threatened the existence of the tree species, leading the Chilean government to severely restrict lumbering. The soapbark tree's story is not unique. Plants are the foundation of industries such as pharmaceuticals, beauty, agriculture, and forestry, yet around 45 percent of plant species are in danger of going extinct. At the same time, human demand for plant products continues to rise. Ashley Beckwith SM '18, PhD '22 believes meeting that...
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