Join us for a conversation with Dr. Francis S. Lee and Dr. Richard A. Friedman regarding Dr. Lee’s recent research findings and the impact of effective scientific communication.
Date: Friday, January 24, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Eastern (US) Time
In late November 2024, Francis S. Lee and colleagues at Weill Cornell Medical College (New York, USA) reported in Science Advances that elevated levels of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) diminish the rewarding properties of opioids while maintaining their analgesic efficacy. Subsequently, psychiatrist and scientific journalist Richard A. Friedman provided coverage of these findings for the renowned publication The Atlantic. IASP is excited to present a conversation with Drs. Lee and Friedman regarding the impact of these results and the importance of science communication to elevate them within the public discourse.
Martínez-Rivera A, Fetcho RN, Birmingham L, et al. Elevating levels of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol blunts opioid reward but not analgesia. Science Advances. 2024;10(48):eadq4779.
Friedman RA. Imagine a Drug That Feels Like Tylenol and Works Like OxyContin. The Atlantic. 29 November 2024.
This webinar will include insights and recommendations from Dr. Friedman regarding science communication for a broad audience, as well as his inspiration to cover Dr. Lee’s research findings for The Atlantic. Furthermore, Dr. Lee will present the work of his lab and colleagues, and its significance for future studies. These presentations will be followed by an interactive Q&A. Join us for a webinar that promises to provide useful information for scientists, communicators, and physicians alike.
Participants include:
- Francis S. Lee, MD, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA
- Richard A. Friedman, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA (speaker/moderator)
About the Presenter
Francis S. Lee, MD, PhD, is the chair of the Department of Psychiatry, a professor of psychiatry, neuroscience, and pharmacology, research co-director for the Center for Youth Mental Health at NewYork-Presbyterian, and the psychiatrist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. In addition to his leadership roles, he directs the Lee Lab at Weill Cornell Medicine, whose main area of research is basic molecular and neural mechanisms that are relevant to neuropsychiatric disorders. In particular, his research is focused on using genetic models to delineate the role of neuroplasticity factors, such as endocannabinoids and neurotrophic factors, in complex behaviors related to the pathophysiology and treatment of affective disorders. In addition to his academic responsibilities, he maintains a faculty practice treating a range of conditions incorporating psychotherapy and/or psychopharmacology.
About the Speaker/Moderator
Richard A. Friedman, MD, is a professor of clinical psychology and director of the Psychopharmacology Clinic at the Weill Cornell Medical College. He is an expert in the neurobiology and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, and is actively involved in the clinical research of mood disorders. In particular, he is involved in several ongoing randomized clinical trials of both approved and investigational drugs for the treatment of major depression, chronic depression, and dysthymia. He has a keen interest in mental health policy, and the social and cultural implications of current psychiatric practice. He has published on a wide range of topics in The New England Journal of Medicine, The American Journal of Psychiatry, and The Journal of the American Medical Association. Friedman is also a contributing op-ed writer at The New York Times and The Atlantic, where he writes on mental health, addiction, human behavior, and neuroscience.