PsyFi: Unraveling the Mysteries of Psychedelic Science is an evidence-based exploration into the world of psychedelic medicine with leading researchers, clinicians and industry experts.
Microdose Psychedelic Insights
In this episode of PsyFi, we sit down with Dr Stuart Seidman, a clinical psychologist treating patients on the severe end of mental health disorders. He believes psychedelic medicines are a game-changer for the field of psychology. PsyFi - Unraveling the Mysteries of Psychedelic Science WATCH the live recording: https://youtu.be/nataU-PaWuI Stuart Seidman | Partner, Negev Capital Stuart Seidman has a medical practice in psychopharmacology in New York City, owns an outpatient psychiatry clinic on the Upper West Side, and teaches psychiatry at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center in Israel. He went to medical school at Emory University, did a medical internship at the University of Pennsylvania, and was trained in epidemiology for 2 years at the Centers for Disease Control. He then completed a residency in psychiatry and a fellowship in psychopharmacology at Columbia University. He remained at Columbia as an attending physician for 15 years, during which his research focus was on the role of androgens in CNS function. He has been principal investigator of numerous clinical trials concerning exogenous testosterone and mood. Negev Capital Negev Capital is a psychedelic medical intervention investment fund with assets of USD$20+ million. We invest in drug discovery, with a focus on preclinical and/or Phase 1 stages of development. We aim to support those early stage companies in need of capital that promote the thoughtful, responsible, medical use of psychedelic medication for psychiatric disorders, and who have excellent management and science teams, and solid IP. We believe that psychedelic medications will be not only disruptive to the practice of psychiatry, but hold the potential to reduce enormous amounts of human suffering, and we are committed to helping the field mature, and further promote ways for these treatments to reach all of those in need.
Robin Arnott, CEO of Andromeda Entertainment, talks about life experiences that ultimately led him to creating a unique immersive gaming-and-music art-meets-science offering in the psychedelic space. Robin Arnott, CEO, Andromeda Entertainment, is a game designer and longstanding public speaker in the industry of consciousness technology. He was featured in Netflix's Screenland and the documentary Game Loading: Rise of the Indies. As the lead developer of SoundSelf: A Technodelic, Robin is an expert in the means by which technology can profoundly impact player consciousness. Video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/EecpyiNF4FY Subscribe today!
PSY FIUNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES OF PSYCHEDELIC SCIENCEWe take an evidence-based exploration into the world of psychedelic medicine with leading researchers, clinicians and industry experts. Dr. Steven MandelFounder & President, Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles Dr. Steven Mandel is an internationally-recognized expert & pioneer in the use of ketamine infusion therapy to treat mental health disorders & chronic pain. Dr. Mandel has more than 40 years of experience utilizing ketamine as a board-certified anesthesiologist. He also earned his master's degree in psychology. He is the founder & president of Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles, a leading ketamine infusion therapy clinic in Southern California. Dr. Mandel is also founder and first president of ASKP. Sam MandelCofounder & Chief Operating Officer, Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles Sam Mandel is a lifelong mental health advocate & entrepreneur. Mandel started Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles with his father, Dr. Steven Mandel, in 2014 and has grown the clinic to be one of the most successful and well-respected ketamine infusion therapy clinics in the US. Mandel is responsible for the day-to-day operations of KCLA and manages its staff of 10. He oversees all non-clinical functions, including patient satisfaction, vendors, marketing, technology, development, & finance. LINKS:https://ketamineclinics.com/ (https://ketamineclinics.com/) TIMESTAMPS:1:18: Ketamine is not new — supported War Vets in the 70s. 6:35 Among the first Physicians to apply Ketamine with patients. 6:53 In 2014 Many people considered it very experimental. 8:04 3 Different populations of patients. 9:10 Mental health benefits of Ketamine at anesthetic doses. 12:14 Spearheading the movement of using chemicals to promote better mental health. 15:10 Why is Ketamine so effective, so quickly? 17:05 Ketamine works on chemical level and experiential level. 23:50 Evidence-based approach. 28:42 Ketamine vs. Traditional treatment efficacy. 32:30 Ketamine is no longer a last resort. 34:49 Ketamine has no long-term side effects. Quality of Relief. 39:23 Ketamine is an activator rather than a depressant. 42:52 Working with my son. 45:05 Working with my father. 50:37 What about the 17% who don't experience benefits? 55:15 Is Ketamine frequently abused or addictive? 59:44 The largest cause of disability globally? Depression. 1:03:45 Ketamine is the fastest acting, safest, most effective anti-depressant. 1:04:34 Ketamine saves lives.
Video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/XF4Zps6dOVA Noah CraftCofounder & Co-CEO, People Sciencehttps://peoplescience.health/ (https://peoplescience.health/) Noah is a physician-scientist-entrepreneur. He is the Co-Founder/Co-CEO of People Science, focused on self-inquiry and the R&D of alternative medicines. He was previously the co-founder/CEO of Science 37, one the industry leaders in Virtual Clinical Trials. Before that, he ran a successful translational research laboratory at LA Biomed and serves as a strategic advisor to multiple biotech companies including Bexson Biomedical. He lives with his wife, son, and 2 dogs in Venice Beach, California. Belinda TanCo-founder & Co-CEO, People Sciencehttps://peoplescience.health/ (https://peoplescience.health/) Belinda Tan MD, PhD, is a physician-scientist-entrepreneur who spent her formative professional training years in Los Angeles where she currently resides. Early in her career, she began applying high impact technology ideas to clinical practice with the purpose of providing broader access to quality care. She is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of People Science, a clinical research marketplace for the R&D of alternative medicines. Dr. Tan is in the early founding team and continuing advisor to DirectDerm, the national leader delivering teledermatology services and improving health outcomes among underserved populations. She previously co-founded and served as Chief Medical Officer of Science 37, a venture-backed pioneering market leader in virtual clinical trials that led several groundbreaking first-ever FDA-regulated studies. The company's focus on bringing clinical research to people in their homes significantly improved diversity among clinical study participants, from an average of 5% to 40%. Dr. Tan is a continuing student of life, a listener, and a mentor. As a wife, mother, daughter, and sister, her first-generation American journey has enriched her appreciation of belonging to a global citizenship and of cultural competence as a healthcare provider and entrepreneur. Her personal and professional pursuits are guided by promoting inclusivity, attribution, and access. Inspired by the needs of people seeking healthcare within the LA County public health system where she trained, Dr. Tan continues to mentor medical students and residents as Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Her board and advisory roles involve the Los Angeles Mayor's WiSTEM (Women in STEM) Initiative, 826LA, Bexson Biomedical, Seed Health, and VisualDx. She earned her MD and PhD from UCLA and BS from MIT, with additional clinical training at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Cornell-New York Presbyterian Hospital. She lives with her husband, son, and two Labradors in Venice Beach.
Reid Robison, MD, MBANovamind VenturesChief Medical Officer and DirectorDr. Reid Robison is a board-certified psychiatrist who was named Best Psychiatrist in Utah by Salt Lake City Weekly's Best of Utah Body & Mind 2020. Dr. Robison is the co-founder of Cedar Psychiatry and serves as the Medical Director for the Center for Change, a leading Eating Disorder center. He is currently the coordinating investigator for the MAPS-sponsored MDMA-assisted psychotherapy study of eating disorders. As an early adopter and researcher of ketamine in psychiatry, Dr. Robison led a pivotal IV ketamine study for treatment-resistant depression by Janssen, leading up to the company's recent FDA-approval of Spravato™. To date, Dr. Robison has guided thousands of ketamine therapy journeys and hundreds of Spravato™ dosing sessions. As a social entrepreneur, Dr. Robison has built a number of purpose-driven companies including Tute Genomics which was acquired by PierianDx in 2016. Dr. Robison is also an adjunct professor at both the University of Utah and Brigham Young University and is the founder of the Polizzi Free Clinic, a free mental health clinic for marginalized people based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Erica ZelfandSimba HealthPhysicianDr. Erica Zelfand is a licensed family physician specializing in integrative and functional medicine. She is also a facilitator of therapeutic psychedelic experiences, and teaches professional trainings on the medicinal use of these powerful substances. www.ericazelfand.com www.microdose.buzz/psychedelic-guides-with-dr-erica-zelfand
David RosenSecret Chord LaboratoriesCo-founder and CEODavid Rosen, PhD has published interdisciplinary research in an array of domains: creative cognition, music perception, music production, verbal creativity, education, and engineering. His most recent work (publications under review) investigates the role of psychedelics in psychological well-being and social judgments. He is a skilled presenter, having been invited to speak at domestic and international conferences, events, and podcasts. His leadership positions in research labs, classrooms, and the music industry guides his leadership and management strategy. David has been playing the piano since age eight, composing since age 16 and has formal jazz training on the electric bass. www.secretchordlaboratories.com Trey BrasherUnlimited SciencesResearcherTrey Brasher is a pharmacology researcher from Denver, Colorado. He has previously conducted research at Stockton University and Rutgers University in New Jersey. He is currently working with Unlimited Sciences, a psychedelic research startup based out of Denver, on several studies including a real-world psilocybin study sponsored by Johns Hopkins. www.unlimitedsciences.org
Lucia HuangOsmindCo-founder and CEOLucia previously worked to help find cures for ALS and Parkinson's at Verge Genomics, an AI-driven neuroscience biotech startup. At Verge, she helped scale the company from seed to post-Series A. She previously invested in innovative healthcare technology companies at Warburg Pincus. Lucia started her career advising pharmaceutical companies in investment banking. Lucia graduated Yale with a B.S. in Chemistry and earned an MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she was also awarded a Certificate in Public Management and Social Innovation. At Stanford, Lucia focused her studies on healthcare and co-led the GSB Healthcare Club. Lucia is passionate about mental health and has devoted her career to improving healthcare, from life sciences to new technology innovation. www.osmind.org
Dr. Marvin S. Hausman, MDNova Mentis Life Science Corp., Pilz BioscienceChairman of Nova Mentis' Scientific Advisory Board; Board Chairman & Chief Scientific Officer for Pilz BioscienceDr. Marvin S. Hausman is the Chief Medical Officer of Pilz Bioscience Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nova Mentis, and is leading their research and development efforts in medicinal psychedelics. Dr. Hausman is also Chairman of Nova Mentis' Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Hausman is an immunologist and board-certified urological surgeon with more than 30 years of drug research and development experience with various pharmaceutical companies, including Bristol-Myers International, Mead-Johnson Pharmaceutical Co., E.R. Squibb, Medco Research and Axonyx. Youtube link: https://youtu.be/bOaGQHvM7sQ (https://youtu.be/bOaGQHvM7sQ)
Jeremy Weate is the CEO of the Vancouver-based Universal Ibogaine, which plans to go public on the Toronto Stock Exchange shortly. Universal Ibogaine will take ibogaine through clinical trials for opioid use disorder in Canada, with a view to multi-country phase 3 trials. The company will launch ibogaine assisted therapy clinics in North America and subsequently globally this decade under the Clear Sky Recovery brand, beginning with a retreat centre in the Bahamas in Q1 2021.
In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Ted Bender, PhD, MBA, LCDC, President of UnityPoint Health - UnityPlace. Dr. Bender earned his doctorate in psychology at Florida State University. He then completed his residency at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine – Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Later in his career, he completed his MBA at Texas A&M. While at FSU, Dr. Bender did research for the Military Suicide Research Consortium, which gave him a deep understanding of suicide and a great empathy for veterans. Dr. Bender has served in the addiction field as a clinician and in leadership roles. Dr. Bender is also a Board Member of NAMI Illinois. As President of UnityPoint Health - UnityPlace, Dr. Bender places emphasis on improving access to behavioral health services, community outreach, and integrating resources in order to provide the best outcome for each and every individual.
Dr. Carlos graduated from the School of Medicine at the University of Anahuac in Mexico, then received additional clinical training at Harvard University from 2001- 2002. Since 2001 he has led a center of integral health in Malinalco, cultivating organic medicinal plants and refining them into herbal formulas. In 2012, Carlos co-founded Sapientia, an integrative model specializing in emotional support through neurotransmission balance — with the aim of treating and preventing ailments like depression, anxiety, insomnia and dementia. His practice incorporates medical models from around the world, including Chinese medicine and shamanism. He has conducted workshops and consultations in Mexico, South Africa, Spain and Switzerland.
Dr. Jetly is senior advisor in Psychiatry for the Canadian Armed Forces and currently is the Head of the Centre of Excellence on Mental Health, Directorate of Mental Health. He is an associate professor of psychiatry at Dalhousie University (Halifax) and at the University of Ottawa. He has published numerous articles in professional journals and presents nationally and internationally on such topics as post-traumatic stress disorder and operational psychiatry. He is also the Chair for Military Mental Health with the Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research in Ottawa. He is a strategic thinker who is committed to evolving mental health research by investigating the underlying biological underpinnings of mental health disease, by incorporating the use technology to modernize treatment and diagnostic modalities and by finding strategies to advance precision medicine.
After receiving her PhD in natural products and organic chemistry, Jackie was drawn to industries that challenged the norm. She has worked in various fields of drug discovery from neglected and tropical diseases to antibiotics to psychoactives, all of which are understudied fields with many drug discovery challenges. Her father's diagnosis with a rare form of dementia and her family's struggle with addiction catalyzed my interest in neurological conditions and continues to motivate her today. The goal with Psilera Bioscience is to find ways to accelerate research of mindful medicines whose purpose is to benefit patients as a whole and for the long term.
Nikolai has spent the majority of his career helping organizations solve their biggest challenges with innovative technology. His interest in the breakthrough potential of psychedelic medicine led him to start Mindleap Health a company focused on providing an advanced platform for psychedelic aftercare and other mental health services. During his time working at high-growth technology companies, he has formed multi-million-dollar partnerships, sold and led complex data analytics and cybersecurity software projects for various Fortune 500 organizations, as well as for the US and Canadian Governments. Nikolai's mission is to positively impact society by contributing to the broad adoption of psychedelic medicine.
Dr. Witowski has devoted his career to the study of bioactive and psychoactive medicines to benefit humanity and mental health. His research has received numerous accolades and patents on marketed products while bridging corporate leadership within emerging industries. He leads Psilera Bioscience, a psychedelic-based biotechnology company developing its proprietary neuromodulator pipeline to target cognitive, mood, and addiction disorders. Psilera leverages its research strengths and pharmaceutical background to repurpose psychoactive natural products as building blocks for next generation therapies to improve mental health.
We sat down with Anders Beatty, Founder of Ibogaine Counselling Services Anders is a qualified integrative psychotherapist and plant medicine counsellor who founded Ibogaine Counselling Services after overcoming his own 25 year battle with addiction. His groundbreaking pre-and-post-treatment program has become widely adopted as a fundamental component of professional ibogaine treatments, and his guidance and counselling services are now relied upon by most of the top ibogaine providers worldwide. Anders approach to addiction focuses on the trauma his clients have suffered and looks to address this in their recovery so that their journey becomes the narrative of empowerment. Anders regularly engages and speaks at various Psychedelic events, forums and podcasts.
We sat down with Manesh Girn, PhD Candidate in Neuroscience, McGill University Manesh Girn is a Neuroscience PhD student at McGill University and has been lead or co-author on a dozen scientific publications and book chapters on topics including psychedelics, meditation, mind-wandering, and brain network interactions. Manesh currently has ongoing collaborations with Robin Carhart-Harris and others at the Imperial College Center for Psychedelic Research and is investigating the brain changes underlying psilocybin, LSD, and DMT. He has had a passionate interest in psychedelics and their scientific investigation since his teens and also runs a psychedelic science YouTube channel – “The Psychedelic Scientist” – that provides accessible discussions of the latest research findings.
We sat down with Stephen Barnhill, MD of Aion Therapeutic, Inc. Dr. Barnhill is a physician, fellowship trained in Laboratory Medicine and Board Certified by the American Board of BioAnalysis, an expert in artificial intelligence, an inventor on more than 40 patents globally and is an experienced pharmaceutical and biotech executive with experience as a CEO in both private and public companies in the United States and internationally. Previously, he was Founder, Chairman and CEO of a U.S. publicly-traded international biotech company, which he took from inception to profitability. Throughout his career, Dr. Barnhill has negotiated and executed deals with many companies including Pfizer, Corning-MetPath, Quest Diagnostics, Clarient (now GE Healthcare), LabCorp, NeoGenomics, Abbott, Bruker and others. He has published many papers with academics including those from MD Anderson Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Stanford University Medical Center and others. Dr. Barnhill is a pioneer in artificial intelligence and machine learning (pattern recognition algorithms) and is an inventor on more than 40 patents globally including neural networks and support vector machines including the Hallmark SVM-RFE technique now cited by more than 10,000 publications. His patents were part of the intellectual property portfolio that won 1st Place out of 1600 publicly traded companies and was awarded the MICO award from MDB Capital for the most disruptive intellectual property portfolio. Dr. Barnhill's Neural network patents were acquired by Johnson & Johnson. He was an inventor on patents related to laboratory developed tests and tumor markers, as well as, diagnostic test development relating to cancers of the prostate, pancreas, breast and ovary, cytogenetics, flow cytometry, FISH and imaging in digital mammography, funduscopic analysis of macular degeneration (AMD) and he was part of the team that launched the first SVM iPhone app using artificial intelligence for melanoma detection. Dr. Barnhill is currently Executive Chairman of Aion Therapeutic Inc. and Chairman and CEO of AI Pharmaceuticals Jamaica limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aion Therapeutic Inc. He is also Chairman and CEO of Doc's Place International, Inc., the first Global Center of Excellence for Medical Cannabis Therapy in Jamaica, Chairman and CEO of Apollon Formularies, Inc. (United States), President and Board Member Apollon Formularies Jamaica, Ltd. (Jamaica) and Chairman and CEO of Apollon Formularies, Ltd. (United Kingdom).
We sit down with Dr. Joseph Tucker, CEO of MagicMed Industries. During his two decades of biotechnology C-Suite leadership Dr. Tucker cofounded four companies, taking two public and selling one, while the fourth remains an operating private company. He has raised tens of millions of dollars from investors in the United States, Europe and Canada, during which time his teams took seven drugs into FDA, EMA, and HC-approved clinical trials. Among other achievements Dr. Tucker, in collaboration with Dr. Peter Facchini, was the first to sequence the entire genome of the commercially relevant Papaver somniferum, is a co-inventor of cardiovascular drug candidate APABETALONE, and is the discoverer of the human blindness-associated gene SLC24A1. Dr. Tucker has published in high-ranking journals such as Nature Biotechnology and Nature Chemical Biology, has been interviewed by national newspapers and television, is an inventor on 7 issued and 15 pending patents, and holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Calgary.