For Immediate Release Contact: Pat Kremer/Nancy O’Shea (312) 665-7100 (For Media Use Only) MARCH “Asian Biodiversity” Featured Scientist Jun Wen, Ph.D. Botany Department Curator An expert on the flowering plants of Asia, Jun Wen studies the genetics and geographical distribution of Asian plants that are economically important and threatened by overexploitation. She is currently focusing on ginseng, used in many Asian countries as a tonic for strengthening those who are weak or ill. There are some 1,500 species in the ginseng plant family, but many of them are rare or endangered because of their medicinal use in countries such as China, India, Korea, and Vietnam. “Nowadays, you can hardly find any wild ginseng,” says Wen. “We have to develop strategies to learn their biology, cultivate plants, and conserve the wild sources.” She collaborates with scientists in many Asian countries and conducts field work in remote places—most recently in China, India, Vietnam and Nepal – to search for rare ginseng species for her studies on the systematics and conservation of ginseng plants. Wen’s research is helping to construct the biogeographical history of a large part of Asia, from eastern Russia to Indonesia, and Japan to the Himalayas. Understanding how plants are distributed in this region will help conservationists decide which areas are in the greatest need of protection. Continue