Maria Angela Sapienza is a researcher, environmental manager, and co-founder of Pumayaku Lab, an Amazonian laboratory dedicated to the extraction of essential oils, aromatic waters, and natural products made from medicinal plants. Her work lies at the intersection of science, tradition, and territory, guided by a deeply ethical commitment to the Amazon and the communities that protect it.

Since 2014, she has maintained an active collaboration with the UNESCO Chair of Anthropology of Health, Biosphere, and Health Systems at the University of Genoa, participating in educational and intercultural projects related to sacred landscapes, conservation, and ecosystem health in places such as Río Abiseo National Park and the Historic Sanctuary of Machupicchu.

Between 2014 and 2018, she carried out ethnobotanical work with Asháninka, Yawanawa, and Piaroa communities, deepening her understanding of medicinal plants and traditional modes of knowledge transmission. With training in Chemistry and Agronomy, she integrates scientific methods with the ritual and symbolic sensitivity of Amazonian practices.

At Pumayaku Lab, she coordinates research, distillation, and product design processes that seek to honor the aromatic and spiritual richness of the rainforest. Her purpose is to build bridges between ancestral and contemporary knowledge, promoting a conscious and respectful relationship with Amazonian territories.