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On the 31st of August 2023, I was kindly invited to a conversation with curator and researcher Ricardo Kusunoki about Malú Cabellos's beautiful exhibition on her project "Árbol de la Fiebre". Here, we discussed the exhibition and the Andean fever tree and their importance from different perspectives. All photo credits: Malú Cabellos & Centro Cultural Inca Garcilaso a. How Malú brings to attention such an iconic, economically and culturally important tree as Cinchona , also known as the Andean fever tree, quino and cascarilla , to our attention. The facts we, Andean peoples, know about the Andean fever tree are few; several are myths, or yet to be unravelled, or relatively unknown. Thanks to Malú's approximation in the field, we can see the cascarilla trees in their natural habitat of the unparalleled Andean cloudy mountains ( ceja de selva ). b. At the beginning of the exhibition, we see textiles hanging from the ceiling. Here, we're transported (back) to the Eastern slope of the Andes. We see the tall trunks and lush leaves around us. We're also met with a central red textile. A metaphor for the bark extract? Is it a warning? Does it show blood? Does it signify the energy leading the life-death cycle? c. How Malú's work documents the Cinchona tree and the species interacting with her, like mosquitoes, lichens, etc. Most photos and films are close-up shots, so immersive that we feel we're also closely interacting with the tree. Plus, with the bright, intense colours, I become a pollinator, continuing the life of plants. Some zenithal photos and videos, as is the case for Muralla Verde . Then, the photos are printed and folded, giving them a three-dimensional trait and more accurately embodying our forests: a "photographic sculpture" by Villacorta, this exhibition's curator. Here, we are parrots flying over the Cinchona forests. We see the trees and their interactions through Malú's macro-lenses. d. Parts of the exhibition convey different meanings. While seeing Herbarium, Malú sheds new light on plants and what would be considered "typical" herbarium displays to give them a free and perhaps more accessible form. Adding yet another dimension to our plants. As someone who works with herbarium specimens from botanic gardens and museums, I think Herbarium must be liberating for the plant's spirit. This series doesn't end there. We can also see prints on a cloth from barks' outer texture. Barks that have been used for hundreds of years to treat fever and gave hope to many, power to few and pride to some. The bark prints inevitably remind me of my PhD thesis, which mainly focused on unravelling the evolutionary processes of the Andean fever tree. While seeing Malú's printed barks, I immediately recognised the shape of lichens dominating the print presented. They also remind me of the sampling time, not in the field but in the botanic gardens. They have been kept for hundreds of years, and even outside their habitat, the barks carried lichens, keeping the memory of that kinship alive. e. On Apropiación, red tokapu (Incan geometrical motifs) disrupts historical western depictions of quina (Cinchona bark) harvesting activities in our Amazonia. In my viewpoint, this series invites thought-provoking questions. Is tokapu disrupting and appropriating the engravings displaying the overharvesting of our tree? Or are the exploitative activities disrupting the natural ecological process in the cloud mountains? Overall, a fantastic exhibition that allowed me to experience a tree and forest I thought I was familiar with in new ways. Malú's refreshing lenses invite us to question our knowledge, ponder our experiences, reimagine history, and perhaps hint at a future with hope. And I can't wait for El Árbol de la fiebre website to be launched! Recorded talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpv0IshUllE Related links About Malú: http://malucabellos.pe/ About the exhibition: https://www.ccincagarcilaso.gob.pe/actividades/arbol-de-la-fiebre/ About our conversation: https://www.ccincagarcilaso.gob.pe/actividades/visita-guiada-a-la-muestra-arbol-de-la-fiebre-de-malu-cabellos/

The Orchid Festival at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, takes place every winter. This year, with the focus on Peru, I was given the chance to help a bit with the content and how we want to be seen as a diverse country in terms of complex geographies, biodiversity, cultures, languages, and peoples: aspects which I also explore and incorporate in my potato research. I had the wonderful opportunity to share my research as part of the Science Talks, presenting a poster about my work with Bitter Potatoes and displaying a large poster featuring a photograph I took during my expedition in the Andes in early 2024. An Andean farmer looking after his alpaca herd in Lampa, Puno, Peru at 4000 masl. I was happy that the festival organisers used a picture I took in the field. Among the things they asked us to inspire the exhibitions, I will develop one that I think is important and I haven't touched upon before here: What misconceptions about Peru do you feel exist that we can try to address? Peru is not simply a "mountain country" or "jungle country" but a nation of several diverse ecoregions. The Inca weren't our only culture—many older civilizations flourished before them. In fact, Caral, the oldest culture in the Americas, originated in Peru. We speak far more than just Spanish. Peru officially recognizes at least 48 languages. "People don't have a culture because they didn't have a written language" is a harmful misconception. We passed our knowledge through art, rituals, songs, stories, textiles, pottery, and tools—cultural expressions that continue to thrive despite centuries of colonization and oppression. Biological and cultural diversity meet in the Peruvian Orchid Festival. We maintain a profound connection to plants and other natural beings. While potatoes may be considered "unassuming" or "humble" in other parts of the world, for us, they are sacred—brought to our ancestors by gods. The potato is a mother (Akshu mama/mama chuki in Quechua and Aymara) who nurtures and deserves our respect and care. Numerous rituals surround potato cultivation, harvesting, and processing. Similarly, coca is not cocaine. Historically and today, coca leaves are sacred and used in rituals, traditional festivities, blessings, and divination. We use coca leaves daily for working, studying, and sharing, creating bonds between people. They deserve profound respect. Mariano Vivanco's Pachamama offering. 2. The iconic Andean bird cock-of-the-rock and a vicuña behind, depicted with recycled Kew's outdoor garden display. In essence, Land-Kinned people developed these important crops through complex cultivation systems. This is evident not only in the archaeological record (in macro remains and objects) but also in contemporary local ethnobotanical knowledge, including farming practices, cultivation festivities, songs, and poetry. Stunning floral exhibition recreating the Sacred Valley biodiversity. My contributions Science Talks I also had the great chance to present my research on Bitter Potatoes in the Science Talks on February 14th. I drew on my experience sharing knowledges with the Andean communities and how their concerns inspired the hypotheses in my research to help them build resilience. I urged the general public to get involved in (citizen) science projects; people's involvement and their concerns can not only make science happen but also shape it. We can together tackle the pressing issues. Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo . Poster presentation highlighting Bitter Potatoes Between the first and second talks I delivered that day, I visited the exhibition and saw the Machu Picchu biodiversity display with pariwanas and vicuñas and, of course, several orchid species. After wandering through several sections, I stumbled upon familiar words and pictures—a poster featuring Bitter Potatoes. Near the Cornucopia of biodiversity, there was a poster featuring my work on food sovereignty in the Andes. Reflections Being able to share my thoughts, experiences, and journey as a Quechua researcher at the festival and to represent the land and cultures I grew up in made me super proud. I wish to have more experiences like this to connect with the general public, who were engaged and asked relevant questions. I connected so much with the public that I found myself dancing with South American aunties to chicha (tropical Andean cumbia) in the dry area of the Princess of Wales Conservatory. A sentence my first-year PhD student self never thought of writing back in 2018 when I first visited Kew. Kausary (to revive in Quechua) performs the fusion Andean music, and Manzana Tropical plays tropical Andean cumbia music. Johnny Rodriguez is the director. They are based in London. More on https://www.healingimaginations.org/imaginations-archive/bitter-potatoes https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-on/orchids-after-hours https://www.kew.org/about-us/press-media/orchids-2025-peru

as part of my intervention in the 2025 Annual Darwin Debate - How would Darwin do fieldwork today? What shapes our hypotheses? As a researcher, I am curious about what shapes our research questions. Which is tied to the question of why we do science. From my perspective, our hypotheses are shaped by our context—what we observe in the world, what phenomena fascinate us, what has been discovered about it, and how we interpret it. As a Quechua researcher born in the Amazon, I know this context naturally extends to the Andes and Amazon regions. Their nature, cultures, and cosmovisions are deeply familiar to me. However, these regions have been exploited for centuries, damaging their complex ecosystems and the people who depend on them. For example, you can watch Wiñaypacha , the first movie in Aymara, which portrays the struggles of an elderly couple in the Altiplano (Titicaca lake basin) facing extended periods of drought. In response, we envision solutions—not only from researchers but also from communities that implement multidimensional approaches. This stands in contrast to researchers who apply Western science epistemologies, which often focus on just one if not a few dimensions. We have much to learn from them. Our Sacred Kuka leaf, Bolivia. 2. Nanay river meeting Amazon river, Iquitos, Peru. PC: N. Allasi Canales. What are our morals, ethics and legislation of the fieldwork? When our research questions and solutions lead us to fieldwork, we must carefully consider our morals, ethics, and the relevant legislation. Regarding morals and ethics, Allin kawsay stands as a fundamental principle for Andean peoples. Through the lens of agroecology and food sovereignty, Allin kawsay encompasses two key aspects: Adequate cultural skills, technology, and resources that support food supply and consumption. Social relations within and among families and communities enable learning, knowledge sharing, work, and the enjoyment of a healthy life. During my fieldwork, I had the privilege of interviewing Andean potato farmers. I introduced myself, explained my motivations, and shared the project's aims—all in both Quechua and Spanish. I also got help from Aymara colleagues. Their enthusiasm about the potential results created a sense of accountability, driving me to ensure that our outputs would be both informative and relevant to the community. In Martín Chacolla Vargas' chakra in Cruz Pata, Bolivia. 2. With Jerónimo Huanca Ampuero, Mario Infanzón Huaquisto and Máximo Colquehuanca Hampiri in Cuyocuyo, Peru. PC: N. Allasi Canales. Understanding peoples’ cosmovisions Cosmovision is how we collectively and personally understand the physical and spiritual world. In the Andean cosmovision, there is no concept of 'wild'—all beings are taken care of. In the same way we tend potatoes, the tend us. In Bolivia, I met Doña Vitalia and her daughter. They welcomed us to interview them and sample from their plot. They also shared their bitter potato-based snack, insisting we eat it there because she "didn't want to see it thrown away on the road." After a long day in the field, we gladly did so. In Peru's Potato Park, Don Mariano showed me the puma paw-shaped potato—a revered household item I had previously only encountered in articles and books. With Doña Vitalia Colque Jorge and her daughter in Bolivia. 2. Puma paw-shaped potato shown by Mariano Sutta Apocusi in Potato Park, Peru. PC: N. Allasi Canales. Our problem & my motivation Food systems and crop diversity have diminished and face increasing risk due to planetary dysregulation. Highland native farmers are particularly vulnerable, as their survival relies on their deep interconnection with crops and other living beings. My motivation stems from how Indigenous Peoples maintain their deep kinship with Nature through their languages, knowledge, and land practices—thriving despite crises like colonization, genocide, and wars. Thus, I'm inspired to help empower small-holder families in low-income regions to achieve food sovereignty. With Paula Huamán Landa and her daughter in Accha Alta, Peru. PC: N. Allasi Canales. Local crops For this, I focus on local crops—also referred to as orphan, minor, or neglected crops. Though many of us reject those terms, as these crops are important and staple for the people that cultivate them. Research heavily favours global crops over local ones, creating a significant imbalance in our understanding. In our piece, we address this disparity by proposing the integration of traditional knowledge—particularly ethnobotany and peoples’ own oral histories—alongside humanities and natural sciences to better understand evolutionary processes like crop cp-adaptation in polycultures, non-canonical domestication, and selection under cultural preferences. These local crops retain the most intact traditional wisdom, meaning research on them can directly support and benefit their traditional custodians. On the left rows are common potatoes, while on the right rows are Bitter Potatoes, growing smaller and in a rossette-like way. PC: N. Allasi Canales. Chuñu , T’unta & Moraya As a Peruvian, I'm passionate about potatoes. My research focuses on bitter potatoes, which are sister species to the common potato ( Solanum tubersoum ) consumed worldwide. These bitter potatoes get their name from their high glycoalkaloid content—compounds that serve as the plant's natural defence against herbivores and provide medicinal properties. Due to these compounds, most bitter potatoes cannot be eaten directly. To make them edible, Andean Indigenous peoples developed an ingenious method of traditionally freeze-drying the potatoes at high altitudes (4000 masl) and low temperatures (~-5°C). This process removes most of the glycoalkaloids. In their freeze-dried form, these potatoes can last for many years, serving as an insurance crop during times of crop failure. The resulting products—known as chuñu, t'unta, and moraya in Quechua and Aymara—provide up to 70% of the caloric intake for Andean Altiplano peoples living above 3500 masl. Boiled Chuñukuna shared by Don Juan at Laguna Qheskay, Cusco, Peru. PC: N. Allasi Canales. Specimens In my project, I make use of two sets of specimens. Historical specimens provide valuable research material because they: Capture reliable snapshots of past ecologies and biodiversity Contains detailed metadata from previous collection efforts Represent populations with likely less hybridization than present-day samples Allow for analysis of preserved DNA and alkaloids Contemporary specimens provide insights into: Compare through history and predict the biology of bitter potatoes Revisit collection sites of historical specimens during the same seasonal periods Implement our informed strategy by targeting locations with extreme climatic conditions Solanum curtilobum specimen housed at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew 2. Bitter Potato specimen is now housed at the Herbarium of the Natural History Museum of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima. PC: N. Allasi Canales. Unearthing Colonial Pasts and Indigenous Futures through Potato Collections Working with my colleague Helen-Anne Curry, we compared both sets of collections by examining the research contexts that made them possible. The historical collection, known as the British Empire Potato Collecting Expedition , was led by E. K. Balls in 1938-39. This expedition pursued an extractivist imperial agenda, aiming to improve British potatoes by studying the diverse native potato varieties throughout the Americas (from Mexico to Argentina). While the early documents mentioned local knowledge, the live collections and breeding programs failed to maintain connections with South American and Indigenous knowledge systems. Credit for expertise was given primarily to scholars, overlooking local contributors. In contrast, the Bitter Potato expedition  in 2024 in the Peruvian and Bolivian Altiplano centres on community concerns, repurposing the historical specimens through re-indigenization to envision Indigenous futures. This approach honours and learns from Indigenous farmers—their cosmovision, ecological knowledge, and agricultural practices. Importantly, in this project, Indigenous farmers are recognized by name. J. Hawkes archives at RBG Kew Library and Archives. Photo by HA Curry 2. Bitter Potato 2024 expedition with Simón Cocarico Yana and Ricardo Poma O. Phoro by S. Cocarico Yana. Suitability of Bitter Potato Cultivation and Andean Farmers’ Perspectives Amid Climate Crisis Since I had the opportunity to conduct fieldwork, I wanted to make the most of it. We interviewed Indigenous farmers to learn about their agricultural practices, kinship with potatoes, and concerns. Interview in Quechua to Margarita Maywa Tapara in Santa Rosa, Peru. PC: Pamela Arista. Andean farmers’ perspectives We learned about Andean farmers' Agricultural practices  for Bitter Potatoes, including their locally important varieties and the use of wanu  as fertilizer. Regarding the context that allows the production of knowledge , we discovered that Bitter Potatoes are vital for both sustenance and cultural identity. When discussing changes , farmers expressed primary concerns about frost and drought, which are occurring more frequently than before—a clear indication of climate change. To address these concerns, we used ecological niche modelling to predict changes in bitter potato distribution from the present day to the future (2041-2070). This analysis helped us identify which altitudes will be most suitable for Bitter Potatoes in the future. These findings can help us identify vulnerable areas and develop guidelines for in situ conservation. I hope the manuscript to be out soon. Doña Modesta Huamán in Lircay, Peru 2. Potato Museum at Potato Park, Calca Peru. PC: N. Allasi Canales. Sharing benefits & knowledge What makes access and benefit sharing achievable? Ibarra et al 's transdisciplinary framework on socio-ecological resilience building offers an excellent approach. Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities should have the agency to propose their own hypotheses, conduct data collection and analysis, solve problems, and disseminate and apply solutions while monitoring the outputs. Some questions here contemplate for the debate Should every organism in the world be researched? How would that impact organisms, their habitat and associated organisms, under capitalism? How would the local society benefit from it? Should all biological data be open and free? could this arise to biopiracy cases?

as part of my PhD output In short - Here we present a comprehensive genome assembly of the fever tree ( Cinchona pubescens Vahl), which achieved a high level of contiguity, providing a detailed and organized representation of the genetic information of the fever tree. This genome assembly serves as a valuable resource for Rubiaceae research, enabling a deeper understanding of the evolution, genetics, and medicinal properties of this plant family. The main subject of our study, a beautiful Cinchona pubescens blooming at the Temperate House at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - 2019. Photo: N. Allasi C anales. Knowledge gap - The Cinchona genus has been of historical and economic importance due to its medicinal use against fever and malaria. However, its DNA sequence datasets for are limited to only 252 available DNA Sanger sequences. Furthermore, there are few nuclear and no reference genomes for any species of the genus. Thus, fundamental and applied questions, such ass evolutionary processes of the fever tree and the alkaloid genetic pathways, remain elusive. Therefore, a reference genome assembly represents a major breakthrough for Cinchona and Rubiaceae research. Results - We used a combination of ∼120 Gb of long reads derived from the Oxford Nanopore PromethION sequencing platform and 142 Gb of short read Illumina data. Our nuclear genome assembly comprises 603 scaffolds comprising a total length of 904 Mb, and the completeness represents ∼85% of the genome size (1.1 Gb/1C). Additionally, we annotated 72,305 CDSs using a combination of de novo and reference-based transcriptome assemblies from different tissues. Our assembly is moderately complete, displaying 83% of the BUSCO gene set and a small fraction of genes (4.6%) classified as fragmented. Additionally, we report C. pubescens plastome with a length of ∼157 Kb and a GC content of 37.74%. We demonstrate the utility of these novel genomic resources by placing C. pubescens in the Gentianales order using additional plastid and nuclear datasets. Conclusions - Our Cinchona pubescens reference genome provides an essential tool for scientists studying the Rubiaceae family, enabling them to explore various aspects of its biology. With the genome assembly in hand, researchers can investigate the evolutionary history, genetic diversity, and population structure of the fever tree and related species. Data - The genome sequence data, and nuclear and plastid assemblies are available at the NBCI repository, under the BioProject numbers PRJNA768351, PRJNA865567 and PRJNA865558. Nataly Allasi Canales , Oscar A. Pérez-escobar, Robyn F. Powell, Mats Töpel, Catherine Kidner, Mark Nesbitt, Carla Maldonado, Christopher J. Barnes, Nina Rønsted, Natalia A. S. Przelomska, Ilia J. Leitch, Alexandre Antonelli. Gigabyte, 2022. https://doi.org/10.46471/gigabyte.71

as part of my PhD output In short - Here, we demonstrated the consistency between historical chemical annotations of Cinchona bark (quinas) collections and results obtained through modern HPLC techniques. Our study highlights the value of historical records in understanding the chemical composition and medicinal properties of natural products. Integrating Indigenous Andean knowledge with contemporary scientific methods offers significant potential for advancing pharmaceutical research and harnessing the therapeutic potential of traditional remedies. Piece of Cinchona cordifolia (now Cinchona pusbescens Valh) bark with chemical annotations of the four major quinine alkaloids provided by Howards and Sons, collected 1856, Kew Economic Botany Collection specimen #52799 . Photo: EBC-RBGK. Knowledge gap - The genus Cinchona (Rubiaceae) has a long history of use in traditional medicine and as a source of quinine, a potent antimalarial compound. However, there is limited knowledge about the historical chemical diversity of antimalarial alkaloids within and between Cinchona species. Historical collections of Cinchona bark stored at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK, and other museums hold great uncovering potential into the alkaloid chemistry of the Cinchona genus and the historical search for the most effective barks. Here, we validated the accuracy of these historical records by comparing them with the results obtained through modern HPLC techniques. Results - We validated the accuracy of the historical chemical records, by John Eliot Howard et al. performed >150 years ago, comparing them with our results obtained through modern HPLC techniques. We found that our results are comparable to the historical ones. Additionally, the quantity of two of the major alkaloids, quinine and cinchonine, and the total content of the four alkaloids obtained were significantly similar between the historical and current day analysis using linear regression. Conclusions - Our findings 1. show alkaloids are stable through time and natural history collections are a reliable source to advance pharmaceutical research . And 2. emphasise the importance of recognizing the value of Indigenous practices and knowledge systems . By combining Indigenous wisdom with contemporary scientific methods, researchers can enhance drug discovery and development processes, identify new bioactive compounds, and optimize the utilization of natural resources. Historical chemical annotations of Cinchona bark collections are comparable to results from current-day high‑pressure liquid chromatography technologies. Nataly Allasi Canales , Tobias Nikolaj Gress Hansen, Claus Cornett, Kim Walker, Felix Driver, Alexandre Antonelli, Carla Maldonado, Mark Nesbitt, Christopher J. Barnes, Nina Rønsted. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2019.112375

I am very proud and grateful I was given this *golden* opportunity by Villum Fonden to continue pursuing my dream to research and unleash the potential of Andean flora and Natural History Collections, this time #bitterpotatoes. Taken from: Unravelling genetic origins from the potato to cinchona.© Cat O'Neil for Wellcome Collection. What's the rationale behind this study? The crop diversity of our food systems has diminished in the wake of globalism. Baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, fries, chips, etc., are all based on a single crop species, Solanum tuberosum , which is cultivated worldwide. Other potato species have been domesticated for food but are cultivated only in South America, for example, the bitter potato species: S. ajanhuiri , S. juzepczukii , and S. curtilobum . These species possess desirable traits such as resistance to drought and frost and early maturity. Taken from Recetas de Bolivia* However, their bitterness and toxicity prevent them from being widely consumed, even when they are mitigated by Indigenous traditional techniques, consisting of freezing and drying processes that produce chuño. Why potatoes? A short and honest answer would be, "I'm Peruvian". But potatoes are one of the most consumed staple food in the world. Additionally, potatoes are grown in regions where malnutrition and poverty are prevalent. Therefore, we must diversify the consumption of the common potato ( Solanum tuberosum ) so that it also includes its relatives, such as bitter potatoes. This will allow small-holder families to achieve food security and escape poverty. Taken from Huacho** for the Potato National Day in Peru (30th of May). Why * old * potatoes? The current bitter potato material can be genetically contaminated from being bred with other and foreign varieties; therefore, historical herbaria samples will give us access to the original genetic material. I will sample from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. What is the project about? In my project, I will resolve the complex trajectory of where their bitterness is genetically coded and how their bitterness level has been shaped by indigenous selection processes over time. To achieve this, I will compare and contrast Kew’s unique historical bitter potato collections (~80 years old), as well as fresh material from seed banks in International Potato Center. These samples will be analysed with genomic and chemical techniques, enabling me to explore the genetics behind their environmental resilience and reveal their change in diversity over time. I will also apply ecological modelling analyses to identify the best environmental conditions to grow bitter potatoes in the present and the following decades, as climate conditions challenge existing crops. As a result of this project, I will demonstrate that these overlooked plant species represent a solution to food security. Also, what is VIPO? It is a special call earmarked for women in research. In their own words, they said: "to support researchers at the stage in the university research career path when large numbers of women are leaving science and technology at the Danish universities." Check out the call and my other colleagues' projects awarded here . References https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-021-09501-4 * https://www.cocina-boliviana.com/articulos/el-chuno-un-alimento-nativo-de-los-andes ** https://www.huachos.com/detalle/huancavelica-sera-la-sede-oficial-por-el-dia-nacional-de-la-papa-2019-noticia-8677

I am pleased to welcome you to this series of blog posts. I will blog about news, upcoming events and curiosities about my research projects, visits to museums, herbariums, botanical gardens and fieldwork —all the things between bioinformatics and archival work. Mainly all the things that generally will not go in scientific journals or official channels for popular science. Sampling Cinchona barks at the Economic Botany Collection - Kew RBG, 2018. With the great help of Kim Walker and Mark Nesbitt. Please be kind, it was my first year as a PhD student. More in life than science I absolutely love science. But I live for art. So occasionally you will find some photography and drawings like photo essays or visual poetry. See you here Let's start a conversation. Feel free to reach out or write in the comments below :) Always happy to talk about plants, traditional knowledge, biodiversity, genomics, Indigenous peoples, alkaloids, etc (also art!!).