Research Team
Paul L. Prather, Ph.D. (Principal Investigator)
Dr. Prather’s research involves understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the addictive states produced by drugs of abuse. Specifically, he investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms of signal transduction mediated by G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) with which drugs of abuse interact. He has recently shown that active phase I hydroxylated metabolites of synthetic cannabinoids present in K2/Spcie may contribute to the rather unique toxicity profile associated with use of these drugs. As such, his laboratory provides students with the opportunity to employ cellular and molecular techniques to characterize the pharmacological and toxicological properties of novel drugs of abuse.
Catheryn Wilson, B.S. (Ph.D. Candidate)
Catheryn is a graduate student in the Prather Lab and Fantegrossi Lab. Her research focuses on studying the effects of synthetic cannabinoids using in vivo and in vitro approaches.
Christian Cabanlong, B.S. (Ph.D. Candidate)
Christian is a graduate student whose current research interest is in signal transduction.
Amal Shoeib, M.S. (Ph.D. Candidate)
Amal is a graduate student whose research interest is in the development of Cannabinoid receptor-biased agonists for potential improvement of the safety and efficacy of therapeutic agents.