Global Hemp Innovation Center, Vanguard Scientific Partner For Research
Vanguard Scientific, an Oregon-based provider of botanical extraction equipment, has made a significant commitment to Oregon State University (OSU) to support ongoing cannabinoid and plant-based ingredient research and education through an impactful donation to the Global Hemp Innovation Center. The donation will impact several Colleges across seven fields of study at the university.
Vanguard has been working in collaboration with OSU since before the onset of the COVID pandemic, specifically to develop technology and methodology recommendations, as well as curriculum assets through student interaction and research presentations. Now, enabled by the company’s donation of a MIDAS system and support program, OSU’s plans for expanded development and innovative research will continue as planned through 2021.
Following the 2018 removal of hemp from the federal list of controlled substances, the University’s College of Agricultural Sciences launched the The Global Hemp Innovation Center (GHIC), currently the largest, most comprehensive hemp research center in the nation. OSU has been engaged in hemp research for more than a century, and this facility will accelerate the pace of the program’s progress through the middle of this century. Home to the world’s leading hemp researchers, the center works to advance hemp and its market potential through innovation across related supply chains involving researchers from multiple disciplines. Partnering with diverse industry sector participants, the GHIC is committed to solving the significant challenges presented by growing demand for food, fiber, essential oils, and other products made from hemp.
“The incredible programs and faculty that make up the Global Hemp Innovation Center are advancing hemp through unparalleled thought leadership and research expertise,” CEO of Vanguard Scientific, Matthew Anderson remarks. “The opportunity to be involved in advanced research programs and the ongoing education of the next generation of Industry leaders is a testament to our commitment to the continued development of the industry and the overall improvement of the conditions facing our people and planet.”
The GHIC currently consists of more than 50 faculty across 20 disciplines with research being conducted at 10 locations within the state, across the U.S., and in Asia and Europe. Housed within the College of Agricultural Sciences, the founding College at OSU, the GHIC is the only hemp seed certifier in the state and one of only four in the country, enabling the University to provide growers access to a source of critical, high-quality seeds.
“Since its launch in 2019, the Global Hemp Innovation Center has continually expanded its activities across the OSU campus and industry. Vanguard’s generous donation of the MIDAS XII supercritical extractor will be widely used by the center’s affiliated research faculty in food science, chemical engineering, agriculture, forestry, and pharmacy. Not only will OSU research benefit from this donation, but it will also provide a state-of-the-art educational platform for student instruction,” said Jeffrey Steiner, GHIC Associate Director.
Vanguard’s MIDAS Program represents a focused effort to optimize consistent and repeatable terpene and full-spectrum extraction of delicate plant materials, giving researchers the ability to access specialized ingredients found in the hemp plant. In addition to the on-campus MIDAS XII System, the partnership will be further enhanced by OSU’s proximity and access to Vanguard’s forthcoming Center of Excellence (COE), located in Aurora, Oregon. The ability for faculty and students to access the COE provides an expanded hands-on processing and educational environment with a broad array of technologies and instruments used by the industry’s most sophisticated ingredient manufacturers.
If you would like to learn more about the Global Hemp Innovation Center, and the work being done in Oregon and around the world, attend the Feb. 9-10 virtual National Hemp Symposium co-sponsored by OSU and the National Academy of Sciences.
