While marijuana has a long history of cultivation, consumption and regulation, scientists are still learning how the plant’s compounds behave in the human body.
At Oregon State University – Cascades’ next Science Pub, OSU College of Pharmacy researcher Jane Ishmael will present “Marijuana as Medicine,” an exploration of current trends in marijuana use and recent progress in understanding how cannabinoids act on the body.
The Science Pub will take place on August 21 in Father Luke’s Room at McMenamins Old St. Francis in Bend.
Ishmael, an associate professor and member of a state legislative task force on the medical and public health properties of cannabis, will provide an overview of what is known about the chemicals in marijuana and how they affect human health. She will explore questions such as how marijuana is metabolized and how it interacts with cellular pathways involved in pain perception, appetite and the immune system.
Ishmael received a B.Sc. in biomedical sciences at the University of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England and a Ph.D. in toxicology at OSU. After postdoctoral training in molecular biology, she joined OSU’s College of Pharmacy and teaches the pharmacology of drugs that act on the central nervous system.
Her research interests are aligned with the natural product drug discovery efforts underway at the College of Pharmacy. Her laboratory studies the action of new chemical structures that have arisen in nature and may inspire future drug development.
OSU-Cascades Science Pubs engage community members in the work underway by Oregon State researchers and scholars from around the state.
Science Pubs take place from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Networking and food and beverage service begin at 5:30pm, and the presentation starts at 6:30pm. Science Pubs are free to community members, but reservations are required. Space is limited to 100 guests.
Register by 5pm the day prior to each Science Pub at www.osucascades.edu/sciencepubs.
About OSU-Cascades
Oregon State University’s campus in Bend, Ore. features outstanding faculty in degree programs that reflect Central Oregon’s vibrant economy and abundant natural resources. Nearly 20 undergraduate majors, 30 minors and options, and three graduate programs include computer science, energy systems engineering, kinesiology, hospitality management, and tourism, recreation and adventure leadership. OSU-Cascades expanded to a four-year university in 2015; its new campus opened in 2016.
