Postdoctoral Scholar on the impact of cannabinoids across the lifespan

Postdoctoral Scholar on the impact of cannabinoids across the lifespan

A postdoctoral position is offered in a leading basic science neuropharmacology laboratory to study the effects of plant-derived cannabinoids on the endocannabinoid system in adolescent animals.

Teenagers use cannabis more than any other recreational drug. Evidence suggests that frequent cannabis use in adolescence may be associated with impairments in cognitive and affective functioning that continue in adult life. Excessive stimulation of the endocannabinoid system – the target of cannabis’s main psychoactive component, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – is a plausible but still poorly understood mechanism for the long-lasting consequences of cannabis use. Our NIH-funded Center of Excellence utilizes multidisciplinary approaches to test the hypothesis that non-physiological activation of the endocannabinoid system in adolescence initiates an epigenetically driven reprogramming of the processes that govern the molecular structure, neuroanatomical architecture and synaptic functions of this system, ultimately producing persistent abnormalities in cognition and motivated behavior.

The successful candidate will use state-of-the-art liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and in vivo animal techniques to investigate how age affects the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of THC, and how THC influences endocannabinoid signaling in an age-dependent manner.

Candidates should have a recent PhD degree and hands-on experience in LC/MS, in vivo animal techniques (handling and drug injection) and must be highly motivated. Experience in lipid analysis and/or animal behavior is a plus.

The culturally diverse and welcoming laboratory is located on the UC Irvine campus, a rich community of pharmacological, molecular and neuroscience research in Southern California.