The ACS Senior Chemists Committee (SCC), in collaboration with the Southern California Local Section, invites you to attend two virtual seminars on the occasion of Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW).
For link to the Zoom (virtual) meetings, please contact www.office@scalacs.org or kkallury@gmail.com.
April 22 (Seminar 1 of 2)
“A Walk in the Woods with Acorns and Sagebrush“
Prof. James David Adams of University of Southern California
April 22, 2026
7:00-8:00 pm ET
ABSTRACT
Acorns are an important food that come from oak trees. They contain about 10% protein, 35% carbohydrate and 55% fat. Acorn protein contains all 9 essential amino acids. Acorns are eaten by Chinese, Korean and other people but are not a normal food in California. Sagebrush, Artemesia californica, can be made into a liniment to treat pain. It contains 15 monoterpenoids that penetrate into the skin, inhibit transient receptor potential cation channels to relieve pain, then evaporate from the skin. The liniment can be safely used to treat major pain and chronic pain.
BIO
Dr. James Adams received a PhD in Pharmacology from UC San Francisco and was a faculty member at the USC School of Pharmacy for 33 years. He has over 300 publications and has published extensively on California medicinal plants. He learned California Indian Medicine from a California Indian woman for 14 years. He currently teaches Chemistry to pre-Nursing Students at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga. He is an Expert in Apoptosis, Delayed Cell Death, Herbal Drugs, Nicotinamide, Ruptured Berry Aneurism, Smart Drugs, Stroke, Toxicity Testing and Parkinsons Disease
May 2012 – Chumash Healer, Los Angeles, following 14 years of training by Cecilia Garcia, a recognized Chumash Healer
Sept 1981 – University of California, San Francisco (Ph.D., Comparative Pharmacology and Toxicology; Minors: Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry)
Spring 1975 – University of California, Riverside (Undergraduate, A.B., Biochemistry; Minor: Chemistry)
1993-2025 Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy, USC
1987-1993 – Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California
1985-87 – Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University
1983-85 – Staff Fellow, NIADDK, NIH, Section on Oxidation Mechanisms
1981-83 – Postdoctoral Fellow, Baylor College of Medicine, Institute for Lipid Research
1976-81 – Research Assistant, University of California, San Francisco, Ph.D. program in Biochemical Toxicology
1975-76 – Research Assistant, University of California, Riverside, Ph.D. program in Insect Toxicology
PROFESSIONAL/HONORARY SOCIETIES
1981 – American Association for the Advancement of Science
1986 – International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics
1987 – American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
1988 – Society of Neuroscience
1989 – American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
1990 – The Oxygen Society
1994 – The American Society for Neurochemistry
April 23 (Seminar 2 of 2)
“Into the Woods and Beyond“
Amanda Lattin, Dean of Aromatherapy, American College of Health Science, Portland, OR
April 23, 2026
7:00-8:00 pm ET
ABSTRACT
Into the Woods and Beyond: Essential Oils and the Chemistry of Forest Bathing explores how forest-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particularly monoterpenes such as α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, and bornyl acetate, contribute to the physiological and psychological benefits of Shinrin-yoku. Drawing on research in environmental health, phytochemistry, and integrative medicine, this session highlights how these compounds influence stress-related pathways, including reductions in cortisol and support for parasympathetic nervous system activity.
The presentation further examines how conifer essential oils, chemically aligned with forest VOC profiles, can be used to recreate key aspects of the forest bathing experience indoors. Attendees will gain insight into the chemical mechanisms underlying naturebased stress reduction and practical strategies for applying forest-inspired aromatherapy when outdoor access is limited, bridging environmental chemistry with accessible wellness applications.
BIO
Amanda Latin is the Dean of Aromatherapy at the American College of Healthcare Sciences and Vice President of the Alliance of International Aromatherapists. She is an educator, clinician, and researcher with extensive experience in aromatherapy, herbal medicine, and phytochemistry. Amanda has designed and taught curriculum in chemistry, phytochemistry, aromatherapy, and botanical medicine across multiple institutions, including ACHS and the Traditional Roots Institute at the National University of
Natural Medicine.
Her scholarly work focuses on the therapeutic applications of essential oils and advancing a theoretical framework for researching aromatherapy through the lens of scientific holism; integrating biochemical, physiological, and whole-person health perspectives. She has published and presented on aromatherapy’s role in integrative health and evidence-informed practice.
In addition to her academic work, Amanda has maintained a clinical aromatherapy and herbal medicine practice in Portland since 2007, collaborating with integrative health clinics and practitioners to incorporate botanical medicine into comprehensive client care. Her work bridges scientific rigor, clinical application, and holistic wellness, with a focus on translating plant chemistry into meaningful health outcomes.