Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Manuel Sosa leads the analytical testing and research team at Abstrax Tech. In his role, Manny uses advanced techniques such as Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography and HPLC to conduct rigorous tests and refine Abstrax SOPs to improve precision and efficiency.
At CannMed 26, Manny will present “Temperature-Controlled Butane Extraction Minimizes Waxes While Preserving Cannabinoids and VOCs”, which explores how temperature affects the quality of butane extracts.
During our conversation, we discuss
- Butane extraction temperature’s significant effect on wax content
- How cannabinoid and terpene yields remain stable across temperature ranges
- How Manny’s team chemically quantified and characterized waxes and fats using 2D gas chromatography
- Whether colder extraction temperatures can eliminate the need for winterization
- Why inhaled alkanes are an open safety question worth studying
Thanks to This Episode’s Sponsor: CANN
Since 2015, CANN has been building a strong network of scientists in the cannabis space to promote scientific innovation, safety, and development through education, research, and the empowerment of the scientific community. To learn more about what CANN has to offer please visit their website at www.cann-acs.org.
Additional Resources
- Abstrax Tech Research - abstraxtech.com/pages/terpene-research
- Register for CannMed 26 - cannmedevents.com/package-options
- Meet the CannMed 26 Speakers - cannmedevents.com/speakers
- Review the Podcast - podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cannmed-coffee-talk/id1504218804
- CannMed Archive - cannmedevents.com/cannmed-video-archives
Manuel Sosa leads the analytical testing and research team at Abstrax Tech. In his role, Manny uses advanced techniques such as Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography and HPLC to conduct rigorous tests and refine Abstrax SOPs to improve precision and efficiency.
At CannMed 26, Manny will present “Temperature-Controlled Butane Extraction Minimizes Waxes While Preserving Cannabinoids and VOCs”, which explores how temperature affects the quality of butane extracts.
During our conversation, we discuss
- Butane extraction temperature’s significant effect on wax content
- How cannabinoid and terpene yields remain stable across temperature ranges
- How Manny’s team chemically quantified and characterized waxes and fats using 2D gas chromatography
- Whether colder extraction temperatures can eliminate the need for winterization
- Why inhaled alkanes are an open safety question worth studying
Thanks to This Episode’s Sponsor: CANN
Since 2015, CANN has been building a strong network of scientists in the cannabis space to promote scientific innovation, safety, and development through education, research, and the empowerment of the scientific community. To learn more about what CANN has to offer please visit their website at www.cann-acs.org.
Additional Resources
- Abstrax Tech Research - abstraxtech.com/pages/terpene-research
- Register for CannMed 26 - cannmedevents.com/package-options
- Meet the CannMed 26 Speakers - cannmedevents.com/speakers
- Review the Podcast - podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cannmed-coffee-talk/id1504218804
- CannMed Archive - cannmedevents.com/cannmed-video-archives





![A New Cannabis Plant Pathogen or A By-product of Non-Glandular Trichomes? - Zamir Punja, PhD
Dr. Zamir Punja is a Professor of Plant Biotechnology at Simon Fraser University in Canada. His research interests include the etiology and management of plant diseases and the applications of plant biotechnology for disease management. Since 2018, his work has focused on cannabis, identifying and describing a range of previously unreported pathogens affecting the crop and evaluating various methods for disease management.
Zamir is CannMed regular, having presented at 5 previous events. His presentations are always a highlight of the event because they often feature stunning electron microscope images showing plant structures and pathogens up close. In fact, his CannMed 22 presentation about glandular trichomes has gotten more than 300,000 views on our YouTube page, making it the most viewed CannMed presentation.
Zamir will again present at CannMed 26, this time about non-glandular trichomes in a presentation titled Non-glandular trichomes in cannabis plants can secrete salts”.
During our conversation, we discuss:
- Non-glandular trichomes: What they are and what they do.
- How leaf spots, initially mistaken for disease, led to the finding that cannabis secrete excess fertilizer salts through these trichomes.
- Theories on why the plant would develop the ability to actively excrete excess salts.
- Practical guidance for cultivators on how to distinguish overfertilization from disease.
- Future research directions — comparing salt-tolerant vs. non-tolerant strains under varying salinity levels and exploring whether this mechanism explains cannabiss resilience in drought-prone, high-salt environments.
Thanks to This Episodes Sponsor: Advanced Nutrients
Advanced Nutrients will once again be a partner level sponsor for the CannMed 26 Summit, and this year, they have put together an amazing package for cultivators that includes:
- Full Access to all the presentations, networking events, and meals at the CannMed 26 summit
- Accommodations at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe
- An elite package of Advanced Nutrients 8th Gen Fertilizers - enough for a complete crop valued at $11,126*
- 1 StrainSEEK® Whole Genome Sequence, valued at $547 - Provided by Medicinal Genomics
Thats a $14,000 value for just $3,499!
Learn more at cannmedevents.com/package-options
Additional Resources
- [Article] Non-glandular trichomes (epidermal hairs) in cannabis plants are capable of excreting nutrient salts under excessive fertilizer regimes - https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/cjb-2025-0085
- [Video] Exploring the fascinating development of cannabinoid-producing trichomes – https://youtu.be/Avhr8XjsBTU?si=nbYpjuoMMnKVqF6X
- Register for CannMed 26 – https://cannmedevents.com/package-options/
- Meet the CannMed 26 Speakers – https://cannmedevents.com/speakers/
- Review the Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cannmed-coffee-talk/id1504218804
- CannMed Archive – https://cannmedevents.com/cannmed-video-archives/ A New Cannabis Plant Pathogen or A By-product of Non-Glandular Trichomes? - Zamir Punja, PhD](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/meemIW4LhRU/mqdefault.jpg)




