Positioned at the heart of the life sciences sector, the Cannabinoid Research & Development Group UK is a new research strategy group led by academics, researchers, clinicians, patients and industry.
The group will propel scientific research and development of pharmaceutical cannabinoid-related products in the UK.
Our ambition is to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to transform the UK into the global leader in cannabinoid research and medicine development.
We will build a robust ecosystem by integrating universities, research institutions, investors, businesses, and the NHS – driving innovation and development, nurturing top talent and fostering advances in healthcare.
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A platform giving cannabinoid R&D leaders the opportunity to educate others, hold debates on the latest developments, and rally their peers in support of fostering growth in the sector.
Latest articles:
Zack Bellman argues that addressing key legal questions and improving the management of IP rights will lead to a more robust and innovative landscape for cannabinoid medicine.
Co-Chair
Elected to Parliament in 2010 after a 15 year career in biotechnology venture capital founding and financing high growth UK businesses, George has served on the Government front bench in a number of key Science and Technology Ministerial roles under four Prime Ministers over the last 14 years: as first UK Minister for Life Science, first Minister for Decarbonisation & Digitalisation of Transport, Minister of State for Science & Technology shaping the UK’s programs for Quantum, EngBio, Fusion & Space.
Representing the UK at successive G7 and G20 Science Summits, in 2023 he oversaw the UK’s renegotiation to the European Horizon R+D and negotiated the UK’s S+T Collaborations with Canada, Japan, Israel and Switzerland.
A longstanding advocate of the Bioeconomy, George oversaw the prioritisation of industrial biotechnology in the UK S+T Framework and the launch of the £2bn 10yr UK EngBio program to drive UK leadership in the AgriFood, Biomedical and Industrial Materials sectors.
Co-Chair
Professor Trevor Jones, is an eminent figure in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, his career integrates academia with private sector leadership. Jones earnt a PhD from King’s College London in 1967, laying the foundation for his career in pharmaceuticals.
Prof Jones was Head of R&D at Wellcome plc, where he orchestrated the development of several groundbreaking pharmaceutical products. His leadership extended to various pivotal roles, including serving as a main board director for Research & Development at Wellcome and contributing to the boards of companies like Allergan and VeronaPharma.
Beyond his corporate achievements, his academic endeavors have been equally noteworthy. As a visiting professor at King’s College London, he has nurtured budding talents, sharing his wealth of industry experience. His contributions have earned him prestigious honours and fellowships, including the esteemed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and a Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
His influence transcends the confines of academia and industry, as evidenced by his active involvement in advising governments on pharmaceutical and life sciences policy. His contributions to bodies like the UK Government’s Pharmaceutical Industry Ministerial Strategy Working Group reflect his commitment to shaping policies that foster innovation and progress in these vital sectors.
Professor Sagnik Bhattacharyya, a leading authority in Translational Neuroscience and Psychiatry, directs pioneering research at the intersection of psychotic and substance abuse disorders, notably cannabis-related phenomena. Heading the Translational Neuroscience and Psychiatry research group, he orchestrates multi-center clinical trials investigating cannabidiol’s efficacy in psychosis and Parkinson’s disease psychosis.
With qualifications from Calcutta Medical College and extensive psychiatric training, Professor Bhattacharyya holds a distinguished position as a Consultant Psychiatrist at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. His research, spanning diverse methodologies from neuroimaging to epidemiological cohort studies, aims to unravel the neurobiological underpinnings of cannabis use and its therapeutic potential.
Recognized with prestigious awards including the NIHR Clinician Scientist award, Professor Bhattacharyya is committed to bridging research and clinical practice. He also leads a specialist dual diagnosis clinic, addressing the complex needs of individuals with psychosis and substance misuse. Situated within the Psychosis Clinical Academic Group at the Department of Psychosis Studies, Professor Bhattacharyya’s work underscores a dedication to advancing psychiatric understanding and treatment.
Grace Blest-Hopley, PhD, is a researcher investigating cannabis, cannabinoids, and psychedelics’ neurochemical and neurofunctional aspects. As Chief Scientific Officer at NW Pharma Tech, she leads clinical trials in psychiatric and neurological disorders. With a focus on large-scale data-driven research, she collaborates with Heroic Hearts to explore psychedelic substances’ therapeutic potential for combat trauma. Blest-Hopley also works as a Post Doctoral Researcher at King’s College London.
A member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, Damian has an extensive background in real estate investment. He is also father to a 13-year-old son, Darragh, who lives with autism and has epilepsy. Damian and his wife Fiona have been using CBD oil to help successfully control Darragh’s seizures since January 2017.
An advocate of the research, development and prescription of medical cannabis, Damian was extensively involved in the patient-led campaigns for the UK government to reschedule cannabis-based products for medicinal use in 2018.
In 2019, Damian co-founded Kingdom Therapeutics, a team of leading experts in the pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical development, the science of cannabinoids, healthcare and pharmaceutical intellectual property. Kingdom Therapeutics is developing a novel cannabinoid-based medicine to help improve the lives of children living with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Kingdom’s groundbreaking science explores the role of the gut-brain-endocannabinoid axis in profound autism, and currently, their team are investigating if their first product candidate, the cannabinoid-based treatment KT-20610, can improve both behavioural and gastrointestinal symptoms in ASD.
Dr Muhammad obtained his medical qualification from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria-Nigeria in 1990. He practiced mainly orthopaedic surgery for many years in public and private medical practice in Nigeria before moving to the UK. He was trained at the Institute of Orthopaedics, University College London and subsequently worked at Epsom General Hospital.
In 2002, Dr Muhammad started a career in the pharmaceutical industry. He joined early phase Charterhouse Clinical Research and Richmond Pharmacology both in London. He worked briefly for PPD Inc before joining GW Pharmaceuticals, a UK pharmaceutical company specialized in research and development of innovative cannabinoids medicine. He worked as the medical director of GW for 6 years during which he supported several cannabinoid clinical research programmes in the company as well as helped in bringing the first cannabinoid medicine in the world (Sativex) to the market in 2010.
Dr Muhammad was trained in pharmaceutical medicine at the UK’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FPM) of the Royal College of Physicians as well as at the University of Wales in Cardiff from 2007 to 2011. He is honoured with the fellowships of both the FPM (the highest professional honour and recognition in pharmaceutical medicine specialty and the pharmaceutical industry) and of the Royal College of Physicians of London. His areas of expertise are in safety and pharmacovigilance of products in development and in the post-authorisation settings as well as clinical research strategies.
He has worked for many global pharmaceutical companies including InMed Pharmaceuticals (Vancouver, Canada – another cannabis medicines research and development company), Ipsen, AstraZeneca, UCB, IO Biotech and Cybin in various capacities including as a chief medical officer, vice-president and senior global medical director helping these companies to develop and register several neurology, oncology and other products iglobally. He has also consulted for regulatory authorities, helping to draft guidelines, conduct training and inspections.
Dr Muhammad holds a specialist MBA in pharmaceutical industry management and is a current board member of the FPM.
Apart from Pharmaceutical Medicine practice, Dr Muhammad is a keen global health enthusiast with special interests in the areas of drug development for neglected and rare diseases, planetary, environmental and social determinants of health. He acquired a postgraduate degree in global public health from Queen Mary’s University of London and is a fellow of the UK’s Faculty of Public Health.
Dr. Elisabeth Philipps, PhD, is a clinical neuroscientist specializing in the endocannabinoid system. With a focus on CBD and medicinal cannabis, she explores their impact on health and wellness.
Passionate about empowering individuals to optimize their health, Dr. Philipps guides them through lifestyle and dietary adjustments, fostering awareness and facilitating positive change. Her mission is to inspire individuals to embrace personal freedom and lead fulfilling lives.
Dr Mikael Sodergren MBChB (Hons), DIC, PhD, FRCS is the Chief Medical Officer at Curaleaf International where he leads the pre-clinical and clinical medical cannabis research programmes in Europe and is responsible for the cannabis clinic rollout across the continent. Dr Sodergren founded Sapphire Medical Clinics (now rebranded Curaleaf Clinics), which was the first specialised medical cannabis clinic approved by regulators in the UK. He is also a Senior Clinical Lecturer and Consultant Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgeon at Imperial College London where he leads the Medical Cannabis Research Group – a research group which evaluates and develops novel therapies targeting the endocannabinoid system through a framework of in vitro, in vivo, and clinical translational activities.
Clarissa Sowemimo-Coker is the Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies Holdings PLC, a UK-based biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative cannabinoid-based medicines. Prior to becoming CEO, Sowemimo-Coker held various positions at Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies, including Chief Operating Officer. Clarissa was instrumental in the Group’s listing on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange in May 2021.
Clarissa is a qualified solicitor in England and Wales with experience in the retail, telecoms, and pharmaceutical sectors. Following an early career with Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP in London,
where she spent time seconded to a range of clients including London Underground Limited and All Saints Retail Limited, she held posts as senior in-house counsel in established corporations including Hutchison 3G UK Limited (Three) and Virgin Media Limited, a subsidiary of Liberty Global plc. She is a member of ICSA, The Chartered Governance Institute. Clarissa is also a management coach and has delivered compliance training and management coaching to blue chip clients including Google LLC, Biogen Inc. and McDonald’s Corporation across the EMEA and APAC regions.
Clarissa holds a BA in philosophy and literature from Warwick University and PGDL and LPC from BPP Law School in London. After completing her undergraduate degree, Clarissa spent two years working as a project manager in the residential construction industry before retraining as a solicitor.
Jeremy Sturgess-Smith is a dynamic finance leader with a proven track record in corporate finance, investor relations, and strategic growth. As employee number one and a co-founder of Ananda Developments plc, Jeremy played a pivotal role in the company’s inception and spearheaded its successful IPO in July 2018. He also led the acquisition of MRX Medical Limited, a company running two phase II clinical trials in partnership with the University of Edinburgh. Beyond managing Ananda’s & MRX’s corporate finance, audit processes, and investor relations, he also oversees IT and HR.
Dr Sebastian Vaughan is successful serial entrepreneur in healthcare and technology, Sebastian is CEO and creator of the Phytome vision.
Sebastian firmly believes that we are only just beginning to understand the language and interplay of botanical and human chemistry and the opportunity to harness its complexity for the healing of disease.
He built Phytome to deliver the required research capabilities and life sciences investment opportunities to radically accelerate safe and effective new medicines to those in need.
Dr. Andrew Yates, Ph.D., is the Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Artelo Biosciences. With a background in cannabinoid medicinal chemistry from the University of Nottingham, UK, Dr. Yates brings extensive experience from his tenure at AstraZeneca, where he played significant roles in development, commercial strategy, and medical affairs.
His expertise includes managing key multi-billion-dollar products like CRESTOR®, FORXIGA®, and KEYTRUDA®. At Artelo, Dr. Yates is tasked with advancing the company’s research and development, overseeing engagement with the Scientific Advisory Board, and contributing to the executive management team. His focus lies in developing therapies for anorexia, cancer, PTSD, pain, and inflammation, showcasing a commitment to addressing significant unmet medical needs.
Dr. Yates is known for his successful track record in partnership agreements with academia, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical companies, highlighting his collaborative approach to advancing healthcare solutions.
Our first strategy paper will be published in July 2024.
