TSC Talks Guest Blaze Therapeutics

TSC Talks Guest Blaze Therapeutics

Nadia Bodkin, CEO and Vincent Crowley, SVP of Blaze Therapeutics, LLC are an incredible team bringing a rich and relevant background of lived and learned experience across multiple special interest groups, including the rare disease community, military & veteran community, as well as health care community and more.

“Blaze Therapeutics exists to offer plant-based solutions to the rare disease, the US Veteran, and professional medical communities that target the improvement of overall health, wellness, and quality of life. We believe in amplifying the beauty of life through the pursuit of wellness. Blaze Therapeutics is comprised of a team of experts concentrated from the healthcare, patient advocacy, nutraceutical and cannabis industries. Blaze Therapeutics is engaged in supporting the open market through Responsible Distribution of plant-based dietary supplements and the Rx market through the pursuit of FDA approved cannabis-based nutraceuticals.”

Nadia is also President at EDSers United for Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and is also a member of the advocacy movement in regards to Blaze. Nadia is a seasoned rare disease patient advocate, born with three main rare conditions herself. Immediately after graduation, Nadia went straight into advocacy through EDSers United, a foundation she founded as a student. Nadia has held leadership positions at several rare disease advocacy focused organizations assisting in everything between nonprofit corporate management to event planning to therapeutic product development. She is also one of the founding members of New Love Ventures LLC and facilitates the coordination of the Rare Advocacy Movement’s activities along with fellow colleagues.

Vincent Crowley, Senior VP, is a medically retired veteran of the United States Army. His past experience in the army was as a dental hygienist. He also studied psychology at the University of Maryland. Vincent is co-founder New Love Ventures. During his years of service, Vincent discovered a heightened awareness for his core values, and beliefs (i.e loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage). Incorporating these core values into his daily life and his passion to help other service members navigate life post-military service and transition back into the civilian sector, spurred an interest to earn a degree in Psychology and Mental Health. As a student of the University of Maryland University College, Vincent makes himself available to veterans seeking guidance through social media platforms and in-person meetings. As the Executive Sales Director at Blaze Therapeutics, Vincent is leading the effort to introduce the military community to Blaze Approved nutraceuticals and therapeutics as alternative options to addressing their health concerns.”

This episode is rich with information. A few pertinent quotes:

“We both connected over our passion for advocacy work. And his focus has always been on advocating for veterans and helping them transition into civilian life. And after meeting and gaining a better understanding of each other’s advocacy work, we learned that both the veteran and rare disease communities are both dealing with very similar socio-economic and healthcare issues.”

Discussing the responsible distribution of CBD:

“Responsible distribution model is a model designed specifically for the healthcare industry for cautions taken to protect customers’ safety and ultimately protect businesses from potential liability issues. And because the cannabis industry is young and vulnerable, unfortunately, most of the products on the market are contaminated with toxins and labeled inaccurately. So products that are responsibly distributed, come with a certificate of analysis that are unbiased third party tests.”

Talking about other products in the holistic industry:

“The overall holistic products industry includes, you know, the spices that we use to season our foods and a lot of our spices have silicone in them. And a lot of our chronic pain is caused by all the different products that have so many toxins that are building up it’s increasing our inflammatory system, our bodies are trying to fight all these toxins. It’s incredible what we found”

Discussing the role of big pharma and the open CBD market:

“Big Pharma and responsible players from the open market industry can collaborate and work together. When it comes to educating the public and the healthcare industry, doctors need to know what options are available to them and the unfortunate risky realities of the open market so that they can best advise their patients. And consumers need to know that they need to consult with their doctors to identify their personal dosage of CBD, what to ask for and what to avoid when navigating the open market in order to avoid purchasing toxic or fraudulent products”

Regarding the controversy with newly FDA approved CBD isolate medication, Epidiolex:

“And so one of the hot topics that has been circulating the rate of the space currently regarding Epidiolex include sucralose as an inactive ingredient. Because of this, we’re seeing some parents and patients with rare epileptic conditions choose to turn to the open market as opposed to taking Epidiolex either on label or off label because of the sucralose, which is an artificial sweetener found in the formulation.”…” sucralose significantly decreased beneficial gut bacteria, negative effects have occurred at a sucralose dosage as low as 1.1 milligrams per kilogram, and FDA acceptable daily intake for sucralose is five milligrams per kilogram, so several individuals with GI issues do their best typically stay away from this artificial sweetener”

Continuing this conversation and discussing how doctors can take advantage of what Blaze Therapeutics has to offer:

“So for those practitioners in states with medical marijuana programs, of course, they can manage medical marijuana patients, they can prescribe Epidiolex to patients with certain types of severe epilepsies or they can choose to responsibly distribute CBD by signing up as a wholesaler at Blaze Therapeutics and selling CBD directly to the patients in the office or they sign up under our referral program, the and they receive they receive a percentage of the revenue per order that’s made.”

On New Love Ventures, LLC:

“So a little plug in there for new love ventures and basically what we’re doing with new love ventures. It’s a new love culture, it’s a social movement to help people bring awareness to themselves and being human, you know, looking out for their, their fellow person, regardless of what they’re doing in their lives and what they believe in”

There is a large amount of detailed but well-explained information contained in this episode. A final quote on how we as patients can ask doctors to enter the conversation which is of utmost importance:

“Can you please reach out to blazetherapeutics.com and the people there or just call that company and then we will help educate them in an expedited, then we understand their busy schedules, we will provide them with the materials in order for them to learn what they need to do in order to help their patients. Right now the stigma within the health care community has dwindled. There’s enough clinical evidence out there for cannabis. So now doctors are actually learning ”

Thanks for listening! For more information, see the following links:

Website: https://www.blazetherapeutics.com/
Website Resources: https://www.blazetherapeutics.com/resources
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blazetherapeutics/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blazetherapeutics/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blazetherapy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blaze-therapeutics/
New Love Ventures: https://www.newloveculture.com/
Nadia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiabodkin/
Vincent on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-crowley-a87a1a55/
Nadia Bodkin Rare Advocacy Movement: https://www.rareadvocacymovement.com/nadia-bodkin

Thanks for tuning in!

TSC Talks Canna Combo Mini Pod

TSC Talks Canna Combo Mini Pod

A mini compilation of a few Canna conversations; Blaze Therapeutics, Michael Pedersen, Tyrone Williams & past guest Mike Robinson.

1-“Blaze Therapeutics exists to offer plant-based solutions to the rare disease, the US Veteran, and professional medical communities that target the improvement of overall health, wellness, and quality of life. We believe in amplifying the beauty of life through the pursuit of wellness.

Blaze Therapeutics, Nadia Bodkin-Rare Disease Advocacy Professional, Executive Officer, Philanthropist and Vincent Crowley-Senior Vice President-Blaze is comprised of a team of experts concentrated from the healthcare, patient advocacy, nutraceutical and cannabis industries. Blaze Therapeutics is engaged in supporting the open market through Responsible Distribution of plant-based dietary supplements and the Rx market through the pursuit of FDA approved cannabis-based nutraceuticals.”
Website: http://www.blazetherapeutics.com

2-Michael Pederson, Host, Producer of Cannabis Update Podcast. “This podcast features stories about the leaders and organizations involved in cannabis legalization in Canada. This is not a “Pro Pot”​ podcast, but a balanced representation of news and information pertaining to legalization”
Website: https://www.distinctmedia.ca/cannabis-update-podcast

3- Tyrone Williams-Proud Father👣 Direct From Source Supplier🌿License THC and Hemp Product Acquisition and Quality Control Specialist. I’m a second generation grower with 20 years in indoor hydroponic space design and quality control. Specializing in licensed farm direct THC products of the highest quality. The products personally rigorously tested and vetted from only the best quality. I have designed products that have proven positive results that I will be introducing to the market, if anyone is interested in an investment opportunity. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyrone-william-5b4b45195

4- Mike Robinson -Cancer Survivor/Cannabis Activist, Founder, Global Cannabinoid Research Ctr., Chief Operating Officer at Nanobles, Inc. “Cannabis is Medicine and it’s important it’s recognized globally as such by all nations. Setting the pace now to educate those providing healthcare is imperative for both patients and providers. As a cancer survivor with severe epilepsy that quit a 24 yr. pharma opioid addiction with the use of Cannabis oils to overcome, choosing a healthy alternative medicine was the key to my own success – and for many is the key to exit the Pandora’s Box of addiction, illness, and so much more.”

https://www.mikesmedicines.com/mikes-other-publications/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-robinson-~-cannabis-heals-256b3192

Thanks for tuning in! Stay tuned for Blaze Therapeutics up this week and keep on keepin’ on.
https://tsctalks.com

TSC Talks Guest Nikki Lawley

TSC Talks guest Nikki Lawley is a former pediatric nurse, former blackjack dealer and much more, who went from a full active life to chronic daily pain and other debilitating symptoms after suffering a traumatic brain injury on the job in 2016. This is the story of how it happened, what happened and how she’s been able to move from existing in survival mode to having a life filled with hope despite ongoing challenges. In her own words; “since my (TBI) injury, one of the things that I’ve learned more than anything is about living in the moment. my life changed a second and I can’t go back and write a new ending, but I sure can start now and I just have really become more human with this injury. ”

Nikki states: “I suffered both a traumatic brain (TBI) and whiplash injury to my neck. Due to this, I have been unable to work as a nurse ever since. My injury also comes with some debilitating symptoms, which include cognitive issues, chronic headaches, and severe neck pain. Cannabis helps alleviate my pain, bringing it from a 7/10 daily pain and down to a more tolerable 2 and 3. Other symptoms of my injury include impacted balance/coordination, visual impairment, and depression/anxiety.”

She details what was an active, chock full life, growing up in Buffalo, NY, relocating to Fort Myers, FLA and then returning to the Buffalo area, having to change careers moving from nursing to HVC sales, working at a local Planned Parenthood and back to nursing, as well as taking on a second job as a blackjack dealer at a local casino. After listening to Nikki talk about how she was able to roll with life’s challenges repeatedly and reinvent herself time after time, one can see how life as she knew it coming to a screeching halt after her TBI, was a brutal blow. It was in part, the perseverance and tenacity from years of walking through changes and challenges that gave her the ability to push to find answers and not give up after her injury.

Regarding the aftermath of the TBI, she states, “And I expected to be out a day, maybe two, definitely not three-plus years. And when I say, I could not cognitively function, I could not stop the head pain. I literally cried for the first year after my injury so often, because I just, I had so many different medications and yeah, so many treatments failed and people were like, “Well, it can’t be from the concussion.” She goes on to further explain, “So two of my ligaments are completely level three in the front and they really caused a huge amount of issues as far as, I get no cerebral spinal fluid CSF flow to my frontal parts of my brain because of the way the bones are and again, it causes complete compression and occlusion of the CSF flow. The neurosurgeon said, Oh, you don’t need surgery will wire back to work and, and I constantly felt like I had to tell people my side of the story like I’m not crazy people, there’s something really wrong. It is not normal to never not have a headache. So one of the biggest things that devastated me and probably the most of my cognitive challenges was I can’t count anymore. When I worked at the casino, I emptied a deck of cards. So fast in blackjack, and I could count like backward. Just never a challenge. I cannot count higher (now) consistently than five.”

So after years of seeking treatments, paying out of her own pocket repeatedly, traveling around the country and doing everything and anything she could to lessen the daily nightmare she was living in, on a trip to Vegas, she saw a “sign from God” in the form of a billboard advertising,

“So I’m standing outside looking and it’s hot, and it’s like, the sun’s on my face. So, I should be feeling happy because I came out of Buffalo in January. I wonder though. They have these driving billboards on the Vegas Strip, and I see this “get your medical cannabis card today. ..call one 800 get your weed card” and I’m like, I doubt that’ll help. And then it comes back by again. What the hell? So, my husband came back from a walk because he said I literally can’t stand to be around you. I have to get out of the room. Yeah. So I mentioned to him when he gets back, I’m like, there’s this billboard, “get your weed card”, you know and he said do it. He said, “Do it like just do it now. Let’s do it.”

Nikki was finally able to find some relief with some guidance and using particular strains of cannabis that she has only been able to find in Nevada and Canada. The cannabis took her pain from a daily level 7/10 to a 2/3 on the pain scale. However, it has been incredibly frustrating not to have access to the strains of cannabis that actually work in her home state of NY due to restrictive regulations. Nikki often travels to Nevada and Canada to find the right strains that give her the relief that allows her to function.

Throughout this journey, despite hitting some true “window ledges” where she didn’t know how she was going to go on, she’s come back to being a passionate and eloquent advocate for TBI survivors, sharing her story of hope and the amazing potential of the cannabis plant every chance she gets.

“What I do now is I just started sharing my story. I sent it to Mike (Mike Robinson, Cannabis Advocate/Activist) and I have a very good friend Rachelle Gordon, who is a writer for financial cannabis news. And she kind of helped me lose some of the rambles and make my story more concise. And then I said to Mike, “I don’t know do you think this is worth having more exposure? Do you think people want to hear about this?” You know, I’m not trying to be famous in any way shape or form. I’m just trying to promote awareness.”

For Nikki, while cannabis has provided relief, she still struggles with misunderstanding and judgment because injuries related to TBI are invisible. Sharing this final quote here;

“But you know, if nothing else, since this injury, I’ve learned so many things about chronic illness, and how, how much is misunderstood about it. And just because somebody doesn’t have a broken leg or isn’t in a wheelchair doesn’t mean they’re not disabled, it doesn’t mean that they’re not challenged in some way. If I use my parking sticker, it’s usually when it’s icy out, and I met a huge risk fall risk. So I still suffer with dizziness and balance issues and depth perception issues. I feel guilty that as the person using that sometimes, and I shouldn’t.”

There’s a lot more in this episode you don’t want to miss! Thank you Nikki Lawley for the inspiration and education on TBI, cannabis and dealing with life!

Nikki’s links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-lawley-aa281517/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikki.lawley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawleynikki/?hl=en
Recent podcast: https://player.fm/series/coffee-party-usa-radio/i-want-access-4-all-nurse-nikki-lawley-stops-by-for-a-cup-of-joe
Blog article: https://www.mikesmedicines.com/medical-marijuana/cannabis-shopping-with-nikki-lawley-everyone-is-unique/
Nikki’s book suggestion: https://www.amazon.com/Medical-Cannabis-Primer-Ushering-Marijuana/dp/1885176023

https://tsctalks.com STAY TUNED FOR MORE!
TBI One Love: https://www.tbionelove.com/single-post/TBI-One-Love-Survivor-Nikki-Lawley

TSC Talks Guest Tiffani Goff

I was honored to interview Tiffani Goff, mother, blogger, author of Loving Tiara: A Memoiron the podcast. I followed Tiffani’s journey with her daughter Tiara who had Tuberous Sclerosis Complex for several years on Facebook as she shared glimpses from her day to day life with an incredibly challenging presentation of TSC, one that would ultimately claim Tiara’s life. I observed her posts in the days leading up to her passing and waited and watched for her to reappear on the other side of this loss. So many of we parents of loved ones affected by chronic life-threatening conditions live with the reality that we may lose our children at some point in our lifetimes and while this is not often the case, it happens regularly.

What Tiffani details is often heart-rending and painful, Treatment after medication after surgery after procedure. In Tiffani’s own words; “So whenever normally work, didn’t work for her. So it was a lot of trial and error. And I think for even families who have a child not as affected (by TSC) as Tiara, that’s the most important piece as a parent and/or caretaker is being able to identify; Is this a behavior from medication? What’re the side effects? What is the actual condition? How is my child feeling when they can’t communicate? That’s the hardest part and guessing and guessing. Am I doing this right? Am I doing this wrong?… but I kind of feel like the best advice, if I’m giving advice was kind of just gotta go with your gut. And you just have to really pay attention.”

Managing a condition such as TSC requires a parent or caregiver become incredibly knowledgeable about various aspects of medicine, A TSC case manager is a person that has learned to traverse multiple systems of care at the same time and bridge the communication gaps between these systems of care in order to make sure nothing slips through the cracks, amassing legions of knowledge about pharmaceuticals, insurance companies, social services, the mental health and behavioral health industry, dentistry, and more in order to insure that all treating are as close to on the same page as possible.

“And when I was dealing with Tiara after the first couple meds didn’t work, and I knew they weren’t working and I realized that some of the doctors, like when a doctor, in the beginning, who’s our first doctor, just picked up and left. I was like, Oh, my, I realized I’m responsible for her. So a doctor can just leave us and he was like our lifeline. And so that first made me realize I have to be in charge here. I can’t just depend, (on anyone) and then when you can’t get visits, so I just put aside my fear. I think that is one of the biggest things for anyone, whether not getting a new job or being afraid to speak up, is fear. And I just was …I am not going to. I was scared, but I was like, forget it. I’m not being scared.”

Tiffani continues throughout the episode to walk us through the timeline of her life managing Tiara’s TSC diagnosis, which got more involved, complicated and convoluted with each passing day but also impinged greatly on the lives of her family, She discusses these challenges as well. Challenges to find balance in the midst of chaos, challenges to stay connected to all of our family members and fulfill our “societal obligations” when our hearts are breaking in pieces daily.

“So I think I just knew Tiara was not going to live forever. So it was kind of like, I know she’s taking up so much time but these kids are here for a reason. I’ve got two other kids and I can’t drop the ball and I knew wasn’t going to be forever. You know, so it was kind of like God was keeping me going because they were going to be here. I knew they were going to be here a lot longer, and I just couldn’t abandon them. And my husband is the sweetest guy in the whole world. But he’s never filled out a piece of paperwork for school. He doesn’t know. He didn’t know any of that, you know, he didn’t even know how to find the volleyball schedule online. So, if I wasn’t going to do it, nobody was going to do it. Let me do it. And then when Tiara was here, then well, you know, I just felt like, I didn’t have a choice. And I was always trying to overcompensate. I would not sleep.”

Tiffani talks as well about coping throughout Tiara’s journey, and in the days following her passing, discussing her faith in this quote that I absolutely love for it’s authenticity, humor and deep wisdom, in my opinion; “And then after Tiara passed away, I went to mass every day. I mean, that’s what it is. There are so many downsides to being a Catholic. But one of the great things about being a Catholic is that you can go to any church in the world. And everyone’s saying the same prayer on the same day and standing up and kneeling. And it’s just like a meditation for me. And I don’t limit myself to the Catholic beliefs. It’s like, that’s my home. I love those people. I go there, there’s so many faults and so much that’s wrong. But it kind of just kind of keeps me centered. Because I do believe in mediums and psychics and I believe if you’re Buddhist, your God is still going to be the same as my God, I just like, being a good person and living with integrity. And doing the right thing is my God. And so, it just happens to be I find that at my church.”

Finally, Tiffani discusses poignantly the final days when Tiara was in hospice an she had an interaction with a hospice doctor; “so when we went home from that visit, on hospice when the hospice physician came over, and I was describing Tiara and her life, and she was only able to crawl (at this point in her life) and he was very quiet. It went on and on. And it was so quiet, and I said, Do you think that she’s going to pass away? Like, what do you think? And he said, “’ I’ve kind of never seen something like this. And I’m having a hard time telling you how I’m feeling (he said), because she is suffering so much, and I can’t believe you can still find joy for her.’” And he said, “I can’t believe you’ve made it this far”. I was like, Really? I mean, he couldn’t talk. I was like, so you think she’s going to die? And he said, “yeah, I don’t know how she’s still alive. We’re keeping her alive.” I was so baffling to me. But it was confirming that I wasn’t crazy because he was a total outside person who’d never met her. And just looking at her, and just the way she was struggling to walk or to breathe and how was like, “I need to let her go.”

The full episode is full of wisdom, humor, honesty, tears and a testament to the inner strength, faith and passion on Tiffani’s behalf, a final quote on the power of authenticity in written form, “it’s going to benefit our whole community. You know, because having this many people read about TSC and I’m sadly My story is, other people’s story. There are other families that live that same story. But they don’t have the way to get it out.”

Tiffani’s links!
Purchase the book! 😊 https://amzn.to/2s7tMLg
Tiffani’s amazon page: https://amzn.to/2QDbvPo
Website: https://tiffanigoff.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TiffaniGoffAtHome/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/twigdecor?lang=en
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanigoff/?hl=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/tiffanigoff
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanigoff/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48912091-loving-tiara
Indiebound.org
Barnesandnoble.com
https://nonfictionauthorsassociation.com/directory/25788/tiffani-goff/

Information on Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: https://tsalliance.org

TSC Talks Guest Ricardo Rivera-Acevedo

In this episode, my guest is Ricardo Rivera-Acevedo, Chief Science Officer and Director at Ecovita Health Corporation, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada working to initiate and manage a medical cannabis extraction facility and guide research and development of new therapeutic products. Ricardo is host of the Cannabis Science Podcast, the first weekly Canadian radio show focused entirely on cannabis and he is also a Scientific Consultant at ACGT, where he works to provide the skill and knowledge necessary to comply with the regulations set forth by Health Canada’s Cannabis Act.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, he attended City University of Puerto Rico. One of his college professors was from Canada and encouraged him to check out Vancouver where he ended up coming and starting his Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia in the Department of Pharmacology with a fantastic mentor. “That’s kind of where I started my path of not just drug development, medical research, but also my introduction into the science of cannabis.”

While preparing for his Ph.D. comprehensive examination, he mentions, “while studying the capsaicin receptor (the spicy hot feeling when eating a chili pepper) that receptor is actually activated and interacts with cannabinoids. And that receptor is also directly involved in pain sensation, noxious pain sensation. So I began to prepare this document for this examination. And I began to realize, Oh, you know what, there’s a lot more to cannabis than I had previously considered in terms of like these molecular interactions because I always thought cannabis just had its effects on you know, on CB 1 receptor, cannabinoid receptor one and CB 2, and that’s it. But it’s much more complex than that and much more dynamic. And so that kind of began to push me in that direction”

Ricardo discusses being involved in the first clinical trial with dried cannabis on the island of Puerto Rico. “We were able to do the hard work and effort to initiate the first clinical trial with dried cannabis on the island of Puerto Rico, one of the first of its kind to any US territory.” He describes some of what he learned from this research; “So the basis by which you should really guide your therapeutic use is through the ratios of cannabinoids, CBD and THC. Now there are a bunch of other cannabinoids and they have some very interesting effects. But the main cannabinoids that are well studied right now are the THC and CBD. We’ve definitely established this conclusively, but it’s also something that other groups and other labs have seen and many people have known for a long time, which is that when it comes to cannabis, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. So what does that mean? That means that when you have for example, CBD by itself, it is not as effective as CBD with THC, and then CBD with the other constituents in cannabis. But the issue is that, sadly, people have been focusing on CBD and THC for a very long time. So there’s a lot of other chemical constituents that are now being explored but because they occur at such low levels in the plants, they’re very difficult to get at levels too, to do a lot of these scientific experiments, particularly in smaller sort of academic environment. So what we’re trying to do is to isolate them, purify them and then begin to introduce them back into a formula that reproduces what’d in the plant, but then we can also add or remove these different cannabinoids and see what happens. Because, honestly, to be just like open with you right now, it’s kind of interesting and novel information that we’ve discovered. It’s not just CBD and THC, that are doing this stuff, we’re seeing effects that we can’t describe just by looking at the THC and CBD that are very beneficial for a patient. And it has to do with the other cannabinoids that are actually present. And some strains have some of these cannabinoids like CBC for example, or, or even CBN that people have said, Oh, that’s the degraded products of THC. They do seem to have benefits for patients that are now only being teased apart.”

Ricardo also discusses his podcast; “Cannabis Science Podcast is exclusively dedicated to discussing the most up-to-date science on cannabis and cannabinoids, from an industry insider’s perspective”. He decided to start this labor of love to educate and inform anyone and everyone on the science of cannabis. What he had assumed was common knowledge even among the scientific population was not necessarily so. The podcast was launched in an effort to get everyone on the same page to inform and education on the science of cannabis.

In his own words; “I am a scientist and entrepreneur working to help biotech companies find better ways to solve poorly managed health conditions. To do this, my areas of expertise include drug chemistry and pharmacology, extraction, formulation, product development, facility design and operation, project management, regulatory consultation, as well as designing, organizing and directing clinical trials. I also strongly believe in science education and communication as valuable tools to improve people’s lives by empowering them to make well-informed decisions for themselves and society. At this moment, I provide the training, knowledge, and skills necessary for organizations to successfully achieve their product and research goals”

From his website bio: Dr. Rivera-Acevedo is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He is also cannabinologist and consultant for various pharma companies around the world.

With a BSc from the University of Puerto Rico – Cayey and PhD in Pharmacology from the University of British Columbia, he has extensive knowledge and expertise researching cannabis and its derivatives. In 2015, he established the first laboratory for cannabinoid research in the Department of Pharmacology at UBC, which is dedicated to understanding the therapeutic uses of different cannabis strains and formulations to treat different diseases.

He also teaches various undergraduate courses within the department including Introduction to Pharmacology, Statistics in Science, Drug Development, Natural Health Products, and Pharmacogenomics.

As former Director of Chemistry for Cannevert Therapeutics Ltd, he lead the chemistry team conducting R&D, QA/QC, and manufacturing research to improve cannabinoid extract formulations and development of new delivery methods. He also helped organize and supervise one of the first internationally recognized clinical trials with cannabis in Puerto Rico.

When not in the lab, he can be found in the dojo practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, teaching mindfulness to high school students with the Vancouver Crisis Centre, co-hosting the shows Cannabis Science Podcast, Cannabis Con Ciencia Podcast, and El Bus De Las 7 on Vancouver Coop Radio 100.5 FM.”

Thank you, Ricardo, for providing us with a glimpse of your ongoing research, work and projects in the area of cannabis science! There’s a lot more within this rich, informative episode that will be helpful for anyone wanting to increase their scientific knowledge on cannabis and gaining more of an understanding of the vast untapped potential of this plant.

Ricardo’s Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricoriver/
Website: cannabisconciencia.org  (Cannabis Science and Research)
Podcast: https://cannabisconciencia.org/podcast/
Email: ricardo.rivera@ubc.ca
Twitter: CannabisFaculty, payme4science
The Univ. of British Columbia: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/alumni/profile/ricardo-rivera-acevedo
Press Release: https://apnews.com/7fa52c472c1092fdcb22ca734d4e449b
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ricardo_Rivera-Acevedo

TSC Talks: https://tsctalks.com