2026 CMCR Symposium Agenda
Register by clicking HERE
Agenda
Day 1: Thursday, October 1, 2026
8:00-8:10 Welcome from Igor Grant, MD, CMCR Director
2026 CMCR Symposium Awards
8:10-8:40
CMCR Pioneer in Medicinal Cannabis Research Award
CMCR Award for Advancing Cannabis and Cannabinoids as Therapeutics
These awards honor a leader in cannabis and cannabinoid research conducting groundbreaking basic and translational research of cannabinoids, other constituents of cannabis, and the endocannabinoid system and whose work has led to significant advances in our knowledge of or an expansion to the therapeutic use of cannabis and cannabinoid-based medicines.
8:40-9:25 Moderated panel discussion and Q&A with 2026 CMCR Symposium Award Recipient(s) & previous award recipients; Moderator: Igor Grant, MD
9:25-9:30 Five-minute break
Keynote address
9:30-10:00 Keynote address on Cannabis and Sport
Panel of players' perspectives
10:00-10:55 Players have been among the strongest advocates for relaxing regulations regarding the use of cannabis by athletes. Learn why in this panel.
Moderated panel discussion and Q&A; Moderated by Tom Marcotte, PhD
Panelists: TBD
10:55-11:00 Five-minute break
Cannabis use among elite athletes
11:00-11:15 Cannabis findings from the NCAA Student-Athlete Health and Wellness Study (2023)
Lydia Bell, PhD, Managing Directof or Research, NCAA
Carey Wheelhouse, PhD, Director of Health Promotion, NCAA Sports Science Institute
Alicia Fine, Associate Director of Health Promotion, NCAA Sports Science Institute
11:15-11:30 World Anti-Doping Agency Perspective on Cannabis
Thomas J. Hudzik, PhD, ALA BioPharm Consulting, Member of WADA's Prohibited List Expert Panel
11:30-11:45 Cannabis Use Among Elite Athletes
11:45-11:55 Moderated panel discussion with the speakers and Q&A
11:55-12:00 Introduction to the poster session - Igor Grant, MD and David Grelotti, MD
Poster Session
12:00-1:00
Day 2: Friday, October 2, 2026
Translational studies of cannabis and sport
8:00-8:15 Circulating Endocannabinoids and Mental Alertness During Ultra-Endurance Exercise
Sebastiaan Dalle, PhD, Exercise Physiology Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
8:15-8:30 Endocannabinoids and the runner’s high
Johannes Fuss, MD / Michael Siebers, MD, Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Sex Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
8:30-8:45 Cannabis and exercise motivation
Francis Chaouloff, PhD University of Bordeaux, France
8:45-8:55 Moderated panel discussion with the speakers and Q&A
8:55-9:00 Five-minute break
Clinical studies of cannabis and sport
9:00-9:15 Cannabidiol and endurance exercise
Danielle McCarthy, BSc, MND, PhD, Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Australia
9:15-9:30 Hemp supplementation during resistance training in trained young adults
Philip Chilibeck, PhD, College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
9:30-9:45 The effect of cannabis on aerobic exercise
Christian Cheung, PhD, Maastricht University, Netherlands
9:45-9:55 Moderated panel discussion with the speakers and Q&A
9:55-10:00 Five-minute break
CMCR Special Lectures
10:00-10:20 A randomized controlled trial of cannabis or dronabinol in chronic low back pain
David Grelotti, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, UC San Diego
10:20-10:27 Moderated panel discussion with the speaker and Q&A
10:27-10:47 Differences in anxiety in response to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol
10:47-10:55 Moderated panel discussion with the speaker and Q&A
10:55-11:00 Five-minute break
Federal Panel
11:00-11:55 The invited slate of stakeholders will discuss future directions in funding for medicinal cannabis research and new directions.
Panel discussion and Q&A moderated by Steve Gust, PhD, Advisor to the CMCR
Panelists: TBD
11:55 Closing Remarks from Igor Grant, MD, CMCR Director
2026 Speaker Bios - coming soon
2026 CMCR Symposium: Cannabis & Sport
The 2026 CMCR Symposium is a two-day, virtual scientific conference that will take place on Thursday and Friday, October 1-2, 2026 from 8AM-12Noon Pacific Time. Many athletes believe that cannabis and cannabinoids help them train, treat their pain, or otherwise improve their game, but what does the science say? This year’s symposium will highlight the latest scientific studies of the effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on exercise, athletic performance, and recovery.
Virtual Event
October 1-2, 2026
8:00AM-12:00PM Pacific Time
Register by clicking HERE
Agenda at a Glance
Day 1: Thursday, October 1, 2026
Welcome from the CMCR Director, Igor Grant, MD
2026 CMCR Symposium Awards (8:10 - 9:30 AM)
Keynote address on Cannabis and Sport (9:30 - 10:00 AM)
Players' Perspectives: A moderated discussion with Elite Athletes (10:00 - 10:55 AM)
Session on Cannabis use among Elite Athletes (11:00 - 11:55 AM)
Poster Session (12:00 - 1:00 PM)
Day 2: Friday, October 2, 2026
Session on Translational Studies of Cannabis and Sport (8:00 - 8:55 AM)
Session on Clinical Studies of Cannabis and Sport (9:00 - 9:55 AM)
CMCR Special Lectures (10:00 - 11:00 AM)
Federal panel: A moderated panel discussion and Q&A (11:00 - 11:55 AM)
Closing Remarks from the CMCR Director, Igor Grant, MD (11:55 AM - 12:00 PM)
View the detailed agenda HERE
Speakers
Igor Grant, MD, FRCP(C) Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, Director of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, UC San Diego
David J. Grelotti, MD Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Medical Director, Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, UC San Diego
Thomas Marcotte, PhD Professor of Psychiatry, Co-Director, Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, UC San Diego
JH Atkinson, MD Professor of Psychiatry (Emeritus), Co-Director, Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, UC San Diego
Steve Gust, PhD Advisor to the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research
Speaker bios - Coming soon
Supporters
Supporters of the 2026 CMCR Symposium - coming soon
Posters
A virtual oral poster session highlighting emerging findings in medicinal cannabis research will take place on Thursday, October 1, 2026 from 12:00-1:00PM Pacific (3:00-4:00PM Eastern). We welcome the submission of any abstract broadly related to research of cannabis, cannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, and/or health. Indicate your interest in submitting a poster during registration.
CME credits available
Attention clinicians:
CME credits for CMCR's 2025 Symposium are still available. Click here to view the 2025 activity and claim credit.
Information about CME credits for the 2026 CMCR Symposium - coming soon
Contact
Please direct questions to
2025 CMCR Symposium Agenda
Agenda
Day 1: Thursday, October 16, 2025
8:00-8:10 Welcome from Igor Grant, MD, CMCR Director
Welcome and Award Presentation - LINK to Video
2025 CMCR Symposium Award
8:10-9:00 Mahmoud A. ElSohly, PhD - Keynote address "My journey with cannabis and tenure at Ole Miss" - LINK to Video
CMCR Pioneer in Medicinal Cannabis Research Award and
CMCR Award for Advancing Cannabis and Cannabinoids as Therapeutics
These awards honor a leader in cannabis and cannabinoid research conducting groundbreaking basic and translational research of cannabinoids, other constituents of cannabis, and the endocannabinoid system and whose work has led to significant advances in our knowledge of or an expansion to the therapeutic use of cannabis and cannabinoid-based medicines.
2024 Award Recipients: Alexandros Makriyannis, PhD and Mark Ware, MD
2023 Award Recipients: Marilyn Huestis, PhD and Margaret (Meg) Haney, PhD
2022 Award Recipients: Daniele Piomelli, PhD and Donald Abrams, MD
2019 Award Recipient: Geoffrey Guy, MBBS
10:00-10:05 Five-minute break
CMCR Special Lectures
10:05-10:25 Guido Frank, MD - Cannabidiol in regulating eating disorder symptoms in anorexia nervosa: Safety, pharmacokinetics, and symptom change - LINK to Video
10:25-10:30 Q&A moderated by David Grelotti, MD
10:30-10:50 Rudy Ortiz, PhD - Effects of chronic CBD treatment during metabolic syndrome - LINK to Video
10:50-10:55 Q&A moderated by David Grelotti, MD
10:55-11:00 Five-minute break
Cannabis, cannabinoids, and psychosis
11:00-11:15 F. Markus Leweke, MD - Effects of cannabinoids and antipsychotics on the lipidome in healthy volunteers - LINK to Video
11:15-11:30 Deepak D'Souza, MBBS, MD - The complex relationship between cannabis, cannabinoids, and psychosis - LINK to Video
11:30-11:45 Sagnik Bhattacharyya, MD, PhD - Neuroimaging studies of cannabinoid exposure and psychosis - LINK to Video
11:45-11:55 Moderated panel discussion with the speakers and Q&A; Moderator: Kristin Cadenhead, PhD - LINK to Video
11:55-12:00 Introduction to the poster session - Igor Grant, MD and David Grelotti, MD
Poster Session
12:00-1:00
A separate Zoom link for the poster session which will be provided during the Symposium and posted in the chat.
PDF of submitted abstracts
Poster Session Breakout Room 1 Moderators: Catherine Cahill, PhD and Jennifer Thomas, PhD
12:05-12:15 Delgado - Cortico-accumbal endocannabinoid signaling modulates cocaine-seeking - LINK to Video
12:15-12:25 Fleischer - Prenatal CBD exposure alters development: A rodent model - LINK to Video
12:25-12:35 Rusnak - Effects of prenatal cannabidiol exposure on early motor development - LINK to Video
12:35-12:45 Tomer - THC alleviates inflammation by modulating immune responses in LPS-induced murine inflammation model - LINK to Video
12:45-12:55 Inman - Contribution of genetic factors to individual differences in anxiety in response to the cannabinoids THC and CBD - LINK to Video
Poster Session Breakout Room 2 Moderators: Samantha Ayoub, PhD and Ron Ellis, MD, PhD
12:05-12:15 Mastropietro - Influence of smoked cannabis on visuospatial learning and driving performance - LINK to Video
12:15-12:25 Rastogi - The impact of oral cannabis administration and co-administration of alcohol on impairment - LINK to Video
12:35-12:45 Rattigan - Law enforcement assessment of body tremors during field sobriety tests: An examination of acute and withdrawal effects of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol - LINK to Video
12:45-12:55 Salazar – The impact of product formulation on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cannabis edibles - LINK to Video
Poster Session Breakout Room 3 Moderators: Arpi Minassian, PhD and Alannah Miranda, PhD
12:05-12:15 Corroon - Lifetime cannabis use and incident hypertension - the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study - LINK to Video
12:15-12:25 Peterson - Surveying cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome - LINK to Video
12:25-12:35 Jagasia - Brief, online training for physicians about cannabis as a therapeutic alternative for older adults - LINK to Video
12:35-12:45 Viner - Cannabis and “Psychosis?” - LINK to Video
12:45-12:55 Yafai - State of medical cannabis in California - LINK to Video
Day 2: Friday, October 17, 2025
Translational studies of the gut-brain axis
8:00-8:15 Marieka DeVuono, PhD - Rat models of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome - LINK to Video
8:15-8:30 Mahesh Mohan, DVM, MS, PhD - Phytocannabinoid modulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in HIV/SIV - LINK to Video
8:30-8:45 Nicholas DiPatrizio, PhD - Endocannabinoid system control of gut-brain communication and its dysregulation in obesity - LINK to Video
8:45-8:55 Moderated panel discussion with the speakers and Q&A; Moderator: David Sela, PhD - LINK to Video
8:55-9:00 Five-minute break
Clinical studies of the gut-brain axis
9:00-9:15 Michael Camilleri, MD - Clinical trial of cannabidiol for gastroparesis - LINK to Video
9:15-9:30 Rachel Wightman, MD - Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome - LINK to Video
9:30-9:45 Pablo Salcedo, MD and Jeffry Florian, PhD - Cannabidiol and liver enzyme level elevations in healthy adults - LINK to Video
9:45-9:55 Moderated panel discussion with the speakers and Q&A; Moderator Ron Ellis, MD, PhD - LINK to Video
9:55-10:00 Five-minute break
Voices from the Community Panel - LINK to Video
10:00-10:55 Perspectives on medicinal cannabis use in the community: Anecdotal reports of the benefits of cannabis was the basis for medical marijuana use laws and the formation of the CMCR. Here we will hear the latest observations of cannabinoids and their use.
Panel discussion and Q&A moderated by Thomas Marcotte, PhD
Panelists:
Michelle Sexton, ND, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology Center for Integrative Health, UC San Diego
Dustin Sulak, DO, Co-Founder, Healer.com
Sherry Yafai, MD Co-Founder, The Releaf Institute
10:55 Closing Remarks from Igor Grant, MD, CMCR Director
Federal Panel
This session was canceled due to the ongoing Federal Government shutdown.
11:00-11:55 The invited slate of stakeholders will discuss future directions in funding for medicinal cannabis research and new directions.
Panel discussion and Q&A moderated by Steve Gust, PhD, Advisor to the CMCR
Panelists:
David Shurtleff, PhD, Deputy Director, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health National Institutes of Health
Susan Weiss, PhD, Director, Division of Extramural Research National Institute on Drug Abuse
Cassandra Taylor, PhD, Public Health Advisor US Food & Drug Administration
To claim CME credit click here
2025 CMCR Symposium: Exploring Paradoxes Along the Gut-Brain Axis
The 2025 CMCR Symposium is a two-day, virtual scientific conference that took place on Thursday and Friday, October 16 and 17, 2025 from 8AM-12Noon Pacific Time. Seemingly contradictory findings relating cannabis and cannabinoids to psychosis and vomiting and their treatment have affected trust in their use as therapeutics. To bring clarity to these apparent paradoxes, the 2025 CMCR Symposium showcased the state of the science of science of cannabis and cannabinoids along the gut-brain axis.
Virtual Event
October 16-17, 2025
8:00AM-12:00PM Pacific Time
Agenda at a Glance
Day 1: Thursday, October 16, 2025
Welcome from the CMCR Director, Igor Grant, MD
2025 CMCR Symposium Awards (8:00 - 10:00 AM)
CMCR Special Lectures (10:00 - 11:00 AM)
Session on Cannabis, Cannabinoids and Psychosis (11:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
Poster Session (12:00 - 1:00 PM)
Day 2: Friday, October 17, 2025
Session on Translational Studies of the Gut-Brain Axis (8:00 - 9:00 AM)
Session on Clinical Studies of the Gut-Brain Axis (9:00 - 10:00 AM)
Session on Voices from the Community (10:00 - 11:00 AM)
Federal panel discussion (11:00 - 11:55 AM)
Closing Remarks from the CMCR Director, Igor Grant, MD (11:55 AM - 12:00 PM)
Follow this link for the detailed agenda and links to the recorded videos
Speakers
Igor Grant, MD, FRCP(C) Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, Director of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, UC San Diego
David J. Grelotti, MD Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Medical Director, Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, UC San Diego
Thomas Marcotte, PhD Professor of Psychiatry, Co-Director, Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, UC San Diego
JH Atkinson, MD Professor of Psychiatry (Emeritus), Co-Director, Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, UC San Diego
Steve Gust, PhD Advisor to the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research
Speaker bios
Supporters
Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Posters
A virtual oral poster session highlighting emerging findings in medicinal cannabis research took place on Thursday, October 16, 2025 from 12:00-1:00PM Pacific (3:00-4:00PM Eastern). We welcomed the submission of any abstract broadly related to research of cannabis, cannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, and/or health.
CME credits available
CME credits are still available for the 2025 CMCR Symposium enduring event - click here to view the 2025 activity and claim credit.
Contact
Please direct questions to
CMCR Symposia Series
The Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR) Symposia Series seeks to provide timely evidenced-based information to professionals and the public regarding cannabis and cannabinoids.
In 2026, CMCR will host a virtual two-day symposium on October 1-2, 2026 to highlight the latest scientific studies of the effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on exercise, athletic performance, and recovery.
In 2025, CMCR hosted a virtual two-day symposium on October 16-17, 2025 showcasing the state of the science of cannabis and cannabinoids along the gut-brain axis. Link to the agenda and videos from the 2025 Symposium.
In 2024, CMCR hosted a virtual two-day symposium on October 17-18, 2024, focusing on Cannabis, Cannabinoids, Cancer, and Longevity. Link to the agenda and videos from the 2024 Symposium.
In 2023, CMCR hosted a virtual two-day symposium on October 12-13, 2023 highlighting the state of science in medicinal cannabis research. Whereas the majority of current research focuses on delta-9-THC and cannabidiol, the 2023 CMCR Symposium highlighted emerging clinical and translational research on the "other" constituents of cannabis (minor cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids) and the entourage effect. Link to the agenda and videos from the 2023 Symposium.
In 2022, CMCR hosted a virtual two-day symposium on April 21-22, 2022 celebrating progress, policy, and partnership of medicinal cannabis research. The meeting kicked off with keynote addresses from award recipients and followed with a series of scientific presentations covering clinical and translational aspects of medicinal cannabis research alongside panel discussions on public policy, university-industry partnerships, and diversifying cannabis and cannabinoid-based medications. Link to the agenda and videos from the 2022 Symposium.
In 2019, CMCR hosted a one day symposium titled "Cannabis and Health: Pragmatics, Priorities, Possibilities". Awards were given to two pioneers in the field of medicinal cannabinoid research followed by presentations describing bench-to-bedside research in the cannabis space, potential clinical insights from real-world cannabis use, and discussion on how we can work together with policymakers and funding agencies. Link to the agenda and videos from the 2019 Symposium.
The inaugural symposium titled "Cannabis and Health: Opportunities and Challenges in the New Era" was held on June 8, 2018. The symposium explored emerging issues related to basic and clinical cannabinoid science, public health and safety implications, and regulatory challenges in conducting cannabis research. Link to the agenda and videos from the 2018 Symposium.