This study on the effect of perfumes and smells on brain activity is a development of a larger research on “perfumeros healers”, initiated in 2019. The research aim is to better understand the impact of perfumes and smells on patients during the healing process of Takiwasi center. For this phase of the experimental research, the researcher will undergo a series of perfume related rituals within the pedagogical context of Takiwasi, wearing a special equipment called “EEG” helmet, which is a tool that captures brain activity and codes it into raw data. This data will later be analysed and interpreted into visualisations. It is important to keep in mind that this research is situated in between the academic world and the artistic world. The goal of the PhD program SACRe is to allow artist researchers to work on the creation of knowledge via creative processes, within a frame recognized by academic institutions. Since the beginning of the research on perfumeros, one problematic aspect is to define how the perfumes and smells generate the healing effect, until now the focus has been placed on the sensitive, intellectual and emotional perception of the perfume, the present research sets the aim to access neural data generated by the brain itself, as proof of efficiency of the healing process.

The main objective of the present investigation will be to bring to light the ethnic roots of the plants used in the dieta process by the therapists of the Takiwasi Center and to reconstruct the process of buying and selling or self-production of the same, investigating the related biotrade practices. In general, a qualitative approach will be chosen, using the tools of ethnography: participant observation, semi-structured interviews and writing a field diary. Once the data will been collected, it will be analyzed using the conceptual tools provided mainly by disciplines such as medical anthropology, ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology; however, given the interdisciplinary nature of the research, political, social and economic issues will also be addressed. What is expected from the results of the research is the possibility of reconstructing a chronology relative to the implantation of the various medicinal plants used in the therapeutic process of the dieta with information on who taught their use, traditional knowledge, inherent practices and other data of an anthropological/ethnobotanical nature that will emerge from the fieldwork. Another expected result is to demonstrate the biotrado mechanisms of plants used for therapeutic purposes, the focus on the production chain and their self-production as strategies adopted by Takiwasi to enhance the agency and self-determination capacities of indigenous (and not) social actors of the area and to demonstrate how these practices are aimed at promoting health.

This research focuses on the analysis of the meanings that people attribute to "psychotic" experiences in specific contexts of the Peruvian Amazon, as well as on the ways of coping with such experiences and alleviating symptoms through the use of Ayahuasca. It will try to delve deeper into the forms and itineraries of use and consumption of Ayahuasca that aim to induce modified states of consciousness within healing rituals, analyzing how these practices are signified in terms of well-being or discomfort, healing, and response to situations in a given context. The research will focus on already existing realities of collaboration and comparison between different explanatory models in the treatment of psychological suffering.

The research topic is the facilitation of bureaucratic processes for the import and export of medicinal plants and their application in research and development of derived products. General objectives: to optimize resource exchange; design and establish more practical and efficient methods to facilitate the exchange of plants and resources within and outside Peru, aimed at improving research and development while promoting the sustainable use of medicinal plants; and to acquire an approach to the management of medicinal plants, considering their cultural and therapeutic context, to enrich research and practice. A detailed study of the procedures and restrictions related to the import and export of medicinal plants in Peru is planned. This will include gathering information on government regulations and barriers affecting the exchange of these plants, both for research and commercialization. In addition, extensive research will be conducted on the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol, including interviews with officials, politicians, academics, business leaders, journalists, and other relevant stakeholders. This analysis will be conducted from a sustainable perspective, promoting responsible practices that ensure a balance between biodiversity conservation, community benefits, and research and development needs.