Cassandra Leah Quave

Dr. Cassandra Leah Quave is an Associate Professor of Dermatology and Human Health at Emory University School of Medicine, where she leads anti-infective drug discovery research and teaches courses on medicinal plants, food, and health. She was appointed the Thomas J. Lawley, MD Professor of Dermatology (an endowed professorship) and Assistant Dean of Research Cores in 2023. Her interdisciplinary work bridges ethnobotany, microbiology, and pharmacology to explore plant-based solutions for antibiotic-resistant infections.

• Education: B.S. in biology and anthropology (2000) from Emory University; Ph.D. in biology (2008) from Florida International University; postdoctoral fellowships in microbial pathogenesis (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 2009–2011) and human health (Emory University, 2011–2012).

As a medical ethnobotanist, Dr. Quave focuses on documenting traditional medicinal plant uses and evaluating their pharmacological potential, particularly against superbugs. Her research is supported by the National Institutes of Health, industry contracts, and philanthropy. She co-founded Verdant Scientific (CSO) and PhytoTEK LLC to develop botanical therapies for inflammatory and antibiotic-resistant conditions.

Her scientific outreach includes the award-winning podcast Foodie Pharmacology, the YouTube channel Teach Ethnobotany, and the newsletter Nature’s Pharmacy. With over 130 publications, two edited books, and 6,800+ citations, her work has been featured in New York Times Magazine, National Geographic, and public broadcasts like NPR and PBS. She is also the author of the acclaimed memoir The Plant Hunter: A Scientist’s Quest for Nature’s Next Medicines (2021).

• Scientific Awards: Emory Williams Teaching Award, Charles Heiser, Jr. Mentor Award, American Botanical Council James A. Duke Excellence in Botanical Literature Award, American Herbal Products Association Herbal Insight Award, National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication.

Dr. Quave serves on editorial boards for Natural Product Reports, Scientific Reports, and Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, and is an associate editor for Frontiers in Pharmacology. She previously served as President of the Society for Economic Botany and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Society for Investigative Dermatology.