“Cannabis is just one of those plants that is fascinating because it has such a long use, not just as a recreational drug but as a therapeutic,” Timko said. “I’ve always been interested in the secondary metabolism of plants — the compounds they make not directly related to their normal growth.”

Timko said he’s most excited by work with UVa’s College at Wise in Southwest Virginia. Hemp was planted on land crippled by old coal mines. Results from those fields still are being recorded.

“I’m very excited about the prospect of using hemp for reclamation and phytoremediation,” Timko said. “It’s very deep-rooted, so it breaks up the soil and allows nutrients to get back in. You can both reclaim the land and use the product of hemp for profit.”

Another aspect of the research project is working with greenhouse growers to create medicinal variations of hemp. Timko said he hopes to create special variations of the plant that have concentrations of cannabinoids that are effective for particular diseases. Recent state legislation allowing epilepsy patients to access cannabinoids may encourage even more exploration of hemp and medical marijuana, he hopes.