Longwood senior’s research probes anti-cancer properties of acacia trees

Jaedyn Colon '26 spent the last semester of his senior year researching the anti-cancer properties of acacia tree extracts with Dr. Amorette Barber, professor of biology.

"In Africa, they use acacia extracts as cancer treatments, kind of like home remedies," explained Colon, a biology major with a pre-med concentration who aspires to attend medical school. "We set out to figure out how it was anti-cancer, and if it was actually working, or if it was more of a placebo effect."

Their findings, which they presented at the 2026 National Conference of Undergraduate Research in April, were promising.

Almost all of the tested concentrations of Acacia extracts had anticancer properties, with breast and prostate cancer cells seeing the largest reduction in proliferation. They found that extracts from acacia raddiana seeds had the highest antioxidant capacity and that using ethanol extraction is the most beneficial when it comes to cancer treatments.

"These are promising results based on the ability to kill and prevent proliferation of
cancer cells, while not affecting healthy cells," Colon said. "The use of these extracts could increase access to cancer treatment worldwide."

Acacia trees are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the world, particularly Australia and Africa, where they are well-known landmarks on the savanna. There are over 1,000 species of acacia. Through a partnership with the University of Morocco, Longwood was able to get the seed, leaf and gum of one species and produce an extract that Colon and Barber tested on cancer cells.

Longwood chemistry major Samantha Ruano '26 and Professor of Analytical Chemistry Dr. Sarah Porter were helpful in the chemistry side of the research by figuring out the best way to extract the acacia samples that Colon and Barber used in their testing on the cancer cells.

"We looked at whether it promoted cellular growth or cellular death and all the extracts that we tested stopped cellular growth and then promoted cellular death, so that was good," Colon said. "It was good that we were able to find that. It was like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel."

Earlier this year, Colon was one of three Longwood students who participated in the 2nd Annual Undergraduate Research Showcase at the Capitol, sponsored by the Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia and held in Richmond during the General Assembly session. The other students, Emma Snead '27 and Jackson Geeslin '27, presented their research with Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Amanda Starr, which focuses on the impact of microplastics on a fungus deadly to frogs.

Similar to Longwood's annual Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry, better known as "Research Day," the students created research posters and got to meet state lawmakers and other undergraduate researchers from across the commonwealth.