How to Launch an Industry

An exciting discussion about AI in drug discovery from a highly cross disciplinary group of experts covering natural products chemistry, biotechnology, computer science, intellectual property, and standards.   The episode was recorded live in the beautiful surroundings of the Mendocino County coast in northern California.  The scenery provided inspiration for the game segment “guess that native plant” and the pop lit segment about ocean based drug discovery.  Both excellent warm ups for our more in depth discussion on practical applications of AI in drug discovery and where gaps still exist.

This episode covers the July 27th House Oversight Committee within the Health Care and Financial Services Subcommittee titled “Hemp in the Modern World: The Yearslong Wait for FDA Action”. The group also discusses new data from analyzing Delta-8-THC products on the market.

The third and final episode of our Live from Psychedelic Science series focuses on culture.  Our team interviewed eight speakers and exhibitors from the conference hailing from various walks of life.  The episode kicks off with a psychedelics comedian and rolls into discussion with an experienced energy worker.  Next we hear from two non-profit leaders whose organizations champion indigenous reciprocity and fund research to combat the opioid epidemic respectively.  From there we engage with two students pursuing advanced science degrees while simultaneously working in the space.  Winding down the episode, we hear from a psychedelics attorney focused on the non-profit sector.  To close it out, we have HLI day one David Vaillencourt interviewing Co-Host of the show Dr. Nigam B. Arora.

The second episode of our three part series, Live from Psychedelic Science, focuses on business.  We interview seven founders and initiative leaders operating across marketing, legal, standards, drug development, insurance, and ESG.  Listeners get the inside scoop from these industry leaders sharing their experience, both personally and professionally, from attending the largest psychedelic conference in modern history.  We also hear about challenges they’ve faced and if changes in the industry are making those issues better or worse.

The first episode of our three part series, Live from Psychedelic Science, focuses on research.  We interview five leaders in the field whose work runs the gamut from generating novel molecules to patient care.  We kick off the episode with back to back chemist entrepreneurs who work at the cutting edge of psychedelic drug development.  From there we hear from the psychedelics program manager at one of the world’s largest medical research institutions.  Next, we get an international perspective by engaging with Brazil’s leading clinical researcher of ayahuasca, pure DMT, and ketamine.  We close out the episode with an experienced integrative medicine doctor and patient advocate.

This episode features two special guests, David Bronner and Angela Carter, ND, discussing hot topics in drug policy with co-hosts Jahan Marcu, PhD, and Nigam B. Arora, PhD.  David Bronner is the CEO of Dr. Bronner’s, the highest scoring B Corp in the world among companies dedicated to positive social and environmental impact over profit motive.  Additionally David has been dedicated to the responsible integration of cannabis and psychedelics into global culture since 1995, and on the board of MAPS since 2015.  Angela Carter, ND is an Oregon based naturopathic doctor, genderless being of universal light, and social & health justice advocate who works actively with psychedelic medicines.  The group warms up with a game examining old idioms and new headlines.  Next, the group discusses a story from VICE Magazine about a Canadian drug store testing the limits of decriminalization laws.  The final segment focuses on a recent publication about health equity in psychedelics and mental health.

We bring you six interviews with leaders in the psychedelics industry who will be presenting at the Psychedelic Therapeutics and Drug Development Conference taking place in San Francisco on May 15 and 16, 2023.  The episode spans a variety of topics, each crucial to the development of psychedelic medicines.  We begin with government funded drug discovery research, followed by a look at the clinical research landscape both in academia and industry settings.  Next our interviewees discuss legal considerations in the field of psychedelic drug development, from both regulatory and intellectual property lenses.  To close the episode out we discuss trends in the current investment landscape.  Be sure to check out the full conference agenda at psychedelics-conference.com and join us in person at the event as we continue these discussions!

We welcome a true pioneer of psychedelics science, Dr. David Nichols, to the show.  The episode begins with panelists matching quotes about psychedelics to the famous person who gave the quote, and the substance they were referring to.  The pop literature segment explores a timeline of psychedelic events from 1990 - present.  Dr. Nichols provides a fascinating look into multiple landmark studies that were enabled by his lab’s willingness to synthesize the required psychedelic compounds.  For the peer reviewed segment the group assesses a recent publication about cutting edge methods for measuring the acute brain action of psychedelics.  This inspires a conversation about the practical utility of such tools in specific research areas and for driving the field forward.

We get together for this episode to discuss everything from the legacy of the late Raphael Mechoulam, PhD, to the economics of THC and regulated cannabis. This episode features Joshua Hartsel, PhD and the show begins with a fun look at Dr. Mechoulam’s massive impact on cannabis research. For the second segment, we discuss the issues regarding “THC inflation” - over estimations of potency and lab shopping that are plaguing the industry.  This topic inspired the episode cover art which, in a first for HLI, was created using a generative AI tool (DALL·E 2).  We end by discussing our interpretation of a recent publication about the economics of the 420 “holiday” and the impact of adult use regulations on medical cannabis operations.

We host Super Bowl XLVII (2013) winner Kelechi Osemele for a sports focused episode!  HLI cast member Anna Symonds weighs in heavily having won both the USA Rugby Division I National Championship and Sydney Premiership Championship.  The episode begins with a game reviewing shifting cannabis and psychedelics regulations around the world.  Next the group discusses the relationship between elite athleticism and psychedelics, spurred by news that NFL quarterback Aarron Rodgers will speak on his personal experiences at Psychedelic Science 2023.  The episode wraps up with analysis of a literature review about the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids through a sports medicine lens.