Opening a "PRC" (Propolis Research Center)?

Chemical composition of propolis varies from one sample to another, because
honey bees in different areas such as NZ (New Zealand) and Brazil collect
entirely different things from local flowers and trees to make their beehives.
For instance, regarding the major anti-cancer ingredients, NZ propolis
is rich in CAPE (caffeic acid phenethyl ester), while Brazilian green propolis
is rich in ARC (Artepillin C). However, all these propolis samples share
a common biological property. They are anti-bacterial, anti-viral, stimulate
immune system, and block the oncogenic kinase PAK1 which is not only essential
for the growth of more than 70% of human cancers including breast and prostate
cancers as well as NF (neurofibromatosis) tumors, but also shortens our
life span.

Thus, we are potentially interested in opening a unique propolis research
center (PRC) to develop the most potent propolis, which block PAK1 most
efficiently, by our own hands. We have recently developed an inexpensive
and quick in vivo bioassay system to quantify the anti-PAK1 (so-called "elixir
of life") activity of natural products such as propolis. The special strain
(CL2070) of a tiny transparent nematode called C. elegans contains an extra
chimeric gene called Hsp16:GFP which expresses GFP (green fluorescent protein)
under the control of the promoter of Hsp16 gene. GFP is derived from a
fluorescent jellyfish, and glows green when it is exposed to blue light.
This GFP technology was developed by the three 2008 Nobel laureates in Chemistry,
Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie and Roger Tsien. Hsp16 gene produces a
heat shock protein which contributes to the prolonged life span. and heat
endurance (thermal resistance). This gene requires a transcription factor
called "FOXO" which is normally suppressed by the kinase PAK1. So when PAK1
in this worm is blocked by the treatment with propolis, FOXO would be highly
activated and consequently the promoter of Hsp16 gene is activated after
a brief heat-shock to induce the GFP production in this worm. The stronger
its anti-PAK1 activity, the brighter the worm glows.

Using this GFP nematode system, we could screen for the most potent propolis
sample. In both mouse and this worm systems, we have shown that Bio 30,
CAPE-based NZ propolis extract, is much more potent than GPE, ARC-based
Brazilian green propolis extract. In the future we would like to develop
a new propolis which is even far more potent than Bio 30, hopefully. For
this specific purpose, we are planning to open a PRC of our own, a new bee
farm where we grow both honey bees and several selected flowers to harvest
a unique propolis of our own, and determine which combination of flowers
would be the best source for the production of the most potent propolis.
To initiate such a pilot PRC, I shall start a bee farm at my own home garden,
which was recently bought in Brunswick West, outskirts of Melbourne, hopefully
in the near future, following the instruction of an e-book "Bee Keeping
for Beginners" or a paperback "The Backyard Beekeeper: An Absolute Beginner's Guide
to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden"...

To be continued