The Southern Illinois Cannabis Science Center is scheduled to host a virtual meeting to talk about “Hemp & Cannabis Research” Wednesday, December 7. The event called “Let’s Talk Research: Hemp & Cannabis Research” is set for 12-1 p.m. Central Time.

SIUC Professor and Department Chair of the Departments of Physiology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dr. Buck Hales, will discus his exciting research conducted at SIUC. Sign up for the Zoom meeting here.

Hales is a renowned expert in steroid hormone biology and cancers of the reproductive tract. His work has led to wide scale acceptance of the laying hen model of ovarian cancer, the only spontaneous and natural model that accurately represents the human disease. The Hales lab pioneered the use of the laying hen model for natural product intervention for the prevention and treatment of ovarian cancer. CBD and other cannabinoids have garnered a significant amount of public interest, and there are many anecdotal reports on the health benefits of the cannabinoids, especially their anti-cancer actions. The hen model and expertise of the Hales lab provide a unique opportunity for examining the anticancer actions and other health benefits of CBD and other cannabinoids.

SIUC has been at the forefront of cannabis research with its relatively new Southern Illinois Cannabis Science Center. The Cannabis Science Center, according to its website, brings together a collaborative network of biomedical scientists, health care providers, agricultural economists, plant biologists, and analytical experts with the common goal of advancing the science and medicine of cannabis. Central to the mission is community involvement, to provide a clearinghouse for hemp and cannabis related knowledge and expertise synergizing with the strengths of the university.

The Cannabis Science Center faculty now numbers more than 20 and has its primary academic appointments in the School of Medicine, Rehabilitation Institute, College of Agriculture, Life and Physical Sciences, School of Agriculture Science, School of Biological Science, Center for Rural Health and Social Services, and more.

Dr. Jose Franco Da Chunha Leme, whose research expertise encompasses cannabis biology and cropping systems, helps lead the Cannabis Science Center. The mission of the Cannabis Science Center is

• To formally establish a collaborative network for cannabis research.
• To establish specific projects with defined goals.
• To identify funding streams to support these projects.
• Clearinghouse for hemp and cannabis related information.
• Host symposium and outreach activities.
• To bring into working groups individuals with a common interest in cannabis: Agricultural; Analytical; Biomedical, and Community.
• Bringing together Healthcare, Educational and Commercial interests.

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