'Reversing the flow' of natural resources is a founding principle of GIBEX's international activities. Biological materials are often collected in developing countries (source country) and moved to developed countries for further studies. This practice creates numerous political, social and legal problems. GIBEX reverses the flow of the discovery process. Its enabling Screens-to-Nature technology transfers knowledge and equipment needed for natural product R&D to the source countries, thus creating a new paradigm of ethical bioexploration.
In addition, scientists from developing countries are often trained in developed countries. This practice, in addition to being costly and inefficient, creates a 'brain drain' detrimental to local economies. To reverse the flow of human resources, GIBEX sends scientists from developed countries to developing countries to provide hands-on training in natural products R&D.