University of California, Los Angeles

UCLA Psychedelic Studies Initiative

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Current State

A particular strength of the proposed UCLA PSI is the vast array of scientists and scientist-clinicians working at UCLA and its affiliated institutions in areas relevant to the initiative. This breadth and depth will allow for the multidisciplinary synergy needed to foster innovative and productive research that will significantly drive the field forward.

A second unique part of the PSI lies in its opportune geographic location; Los Angeles is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse cities in the world. As such, the clinical studies launched by the PSI will be offered to a wide range of individuals across age, race, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds, which can help determine how these treatments may benefit patients in differing communities. Philanthropic support will enable UCLA to establish the PSI to investigate these compounds using state-of-the art methods and techniques.


Drug of Interest 

Area of Inquiry 

Status of Effort 

UCLA Investigator names 

Psilocybin 

Impact on demoralization and QOL

Preparing for IRB submission; seeking additional funding 

Grob, Cooper, Strouse, Morberg

 Psilocybin

Testing and optimizing psychosocial treatments (cognitive behavioral therapy) as adjunct to psilocybin for patients with depression

FDA Approval (Jan. 2022), IRB approval pending; Seeking additional funding

Weintraub, Miklowitz, Cooper, Grob, Jeffrey, Morberg

 Psilocybin

Cocaine use disorder

IRB approval pending; seeking additional funding – pilot for K99/R00

Murray, Cooper, Morberg

 Psilocybin

Fadiman microdosing protocol: individuals with substance use disorders and/or depression

 Preparing for IRB submission

Murray, Fadiman, Morberg

 Psilocybin

Psychological insight and neuroplasticity in the context of cocaine use disorder – EEG/fMRI

 K99/R00 submitted 2/14/22

Murray, primary mentor Cooper and co-mentors Grob, London, Cohen

MDMA

Effects of MDMA on social motivation 

Preparing IRB submission

Bershad, Marder, Green

MDMA

MDMA assisted therapy for PTSD in veterans

Initial approval from donor

Marder, Taylor, Dunn

 Psilocybin

 Psilocybin Assisted Therapy for Smoking Cessation

 Central IRB approved; local site approval pending, budget pending approval from sponsor; IND pending

 Dunn, Marder

 MDMA

Transcriptional effects on specific subsets of neurons in model systems

  Preparing for IRB submission

 Krantz, Flint, Andrews

 Psilocybin

Transcriptional effects on specific subsets of neurons in model systems

  Preparing for IRB submission

Krantz, Flint, Andrews

Message from Leadership

Welcome to the UCLA Semel Institute Psychedelic Studies Initiative.

We invite you to look through our website to see who we are today and where we are headed in the future.

READ MORE >>

participate

Have you used psilocybin to treat a drug addiction?

Principal Investigators:
Drs. Ziva Cooper & Conor Murray
Contact Information:

Dr. Murray, Post-doctoral Scholar conormurray@mednet.ucla.edu