Access

Briefing

Nature 392, 539 (9 April 1998) | doi:10.1038/33249

Open Innovation Challenges

naturejobs

A formula for indigenous involvement

Ehsan Masood

Sharp controversy over the 'ownership' of natural products in Africa (see page 540) does not seem to have dented the popularity of the International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (ICBG), an expanding network of bioprospecting projects sponsored by the US government through the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).ICBG projects aim to find plants with ingredients that could treat priority diseases in the United States.