This episode, Dr. Jaster is joined by Samantha Bumgardaner, MS, who is currently studying substance use disorders and psychedelics for her PhD at Saint Louis University.Her work employs mixed-method approaches to study the influence of state and trait factors on substance use and mental health outcomes in psychedelic therapies.
They discuss everything from qualitative vs. quantitative research, therapeutic outcomes, accessibility to psychedelics, behavioral vs. physiological addiction + more!
This special episode of Psychedelic Brain Science is a collaboration with Psychedelic State(s) of America. Here, Dr. Jaster is joined by Julie Barron of Michigan Psychedelic Society and MI State Rep. Mike McFall to discuss the evolving landscape of psychedelic advocacy in Michigan, recent legislative efforts, and the importance of events like the Entheo Cup.
For information about Rep. McFall + legislation: https://housedems.com/mike-mcfall/
https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1900001
For information about MI Psychedelic Society and Julie: https://mipsychedelicsociety.org/
For coverage on MI Community + Legislation:
https://www.lucid.news/michigans-psychedelic-advocates-persist/
https://www.lucid.news/michigan-psychedelic-community-entheogens-and-activism/
This episode Dr. Jaster is joined by Dr. Jérémie Richard, a psychologist and Assistant Professor at University of Ottawa. At the time of recording, Dr. Richard was a Banting Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
This episode discusses a recent publication by Richard and colleagues titled, "Patterns of Internalizing Problems, Substance Use and Cognitive Flexibility Before and After Naturalistic Psilocybin Use: A Repeated Measures Latent Profile Analysis"
We know that's a mouth full, but don't worry! As you listen you can follow along to the paper and the figure that Dr. Richard references available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1zSIz4z4BM-EK7EHFi5dXEAJnjh1DbAGq?usp=sharing
In this special episode, Alaina discusses the ongoing fight for the rescheduling of psilocybin with Dr. Sunil Aggarwal and attorney Shane Pennington. They delve into the complexities of the rescheduling process, the legal challenges faced, and the importance of public advocacy in shaping drug policy. The conversation highlights the significance of psilocybin in therapeutic contexts, the right to try act, and the evolving landscape of drug regulation in the United States.
For more information check out these links:
AIMS Institute - IG @aimsinstituteseattlehttps://www.aimsinstitute.net/category/news/https://facebook.com/aimsinstitutepllc
National Psychedelics Association - https://yournpa.org/dea-petition/
Dr. Sunil Aggarwal - IG @sunil1007 -Twitter x.com/humansunilCannabinologist.org
https://Facebook.com/humansunil
https://Facebook.com/Sunil.aggarwal1
Shane Pennington -
https://www.blankrome.com/people/shane-a-pennington
Dr. Alaina Jaster is joined by Brooke Sanders, MS, a translational neuroscientist focused on understanding epigenetic impacts of synthetic cannabinoids on the human genome. She is also a Content Advisor for Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
They discuss a variety of projects Sanders is involved in including:
Is Cannabis a Psychedelic Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ttrtyHJcwZbtkKkx3BvyN?si=W0i88lhyRmKZoSmb-104aQ
Cannabis and California Sober ft. Dr. Grinspoon: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0MPaF0ru4ZF2QUztqAugCZ?si=30PG-m2FSDCX8wgPhXqisw
PsyChild Database: https://www.psychild.info/
Other resources related to the episode: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sp-BaLozZN6FCHuEYAyNdM5hiokiKtX-?usp=sharing
Welcome to the first Causal Friday!
These short segments are all about chatting casually with friends, family or strangers and how the most random interests can intersect with science. They will air on a random Friday each month, so you have to subscribe to get the notification!
The first guest of this segment is Dr. Jaster's husband and voice of the famous podcast disclaimer, Chris Wood. Here, they discuss raw denim jeans and the ethics of gene therapy.
Let us know what you think and don't forget to like, subscribe, share and check out our patreon!
Dr. Alaina Jaster is joined by child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. David Sjöström who is at the University Hospital in Lund, Sweden. He is a current PhD candidate studying adolescent use of psychedelics and perceived effects on wellbeing.
They discuss a variety of projects Sjöström is involved in including:
For access to the papers referenced in this episode: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LNNKtTgDjLQNohKSKGHmwPb0PRxRD7oR?usp=sharing
PsyChild Database: https://www.psychild.info/
The final episode of Season 4 of Psychedelic Brain Science discusses a recent preprint that gets at the heart of reproducibility in science.
Dr. Jaster is joined by Berkeley PhD candidate Odilia Lu, Stanford researcher and professor Dr. Robert Malenka, and anesthesiologist and Stanford researcher Dr. Boris Heifets, all representing the laboratories involved in the Psychedelic Bay Area Animal Neuroscience Consortium; Psy-BAANC.
Five laboratories performed the same experiments at Stanford, Berkeley and UCSF to test the acute and persistent effects of 2 mg/kg psilocybin on various behaviors that psychedelics have been proposed to affect in mouse models. Many of these methods have been featured in publications that have received a lot of media attention, but can be difficult to replicate.
This body of work titled “A multi-institutional investigation of psilocybin’s effects on mouse behavior” can be found on BioRxiv here: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.08.647810v1
In this episode, Dr. Jaster is joined by Kayla Greenstien, a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney researching touch in psychedelic therapy. They'll define different types of touch, theoretical frameworks behind focused bodywork and the ideas surrounding consent to touch in psychedelic therapy. Given the nature of this discussion, there is mention of sexual assault, trauma and abuse so please listen with caution.
For more of Kayla's works:
https://kaylagreenstien.com/
https://medium.com/@kgreenstien
A starting point for history on Esalen:
https://press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/453699.html
On this weeks ISRP Speaker Spotlight Alaina is joined by psychologist and co-founder of the Open Psychedelic Evaluation Nexus (OPEN), Dr. Jason Luoma. They discuss evaluation of psychedelic assisted therapy in the real world following legalization in Portland, Oregon.
Register for ISRP at https://www.ISRPsych.org to catch Dr. Luoma's presentation March 7 at 4:15 PM EDT / 1:15 PM PDT.
For more about OPEN: https://www.openpsychedelicscience.org/
Currently Recruiting in Oregon: https://www.openpsychedelicscience.org/longitudinal
Dr. Luoma's podcast "Research Matters": https://jasonluoma.com/researchmatters/
This weeks ISRP Speaker Spotlight is Alejo Acuña, a PhD student in Biology at the Neuroplasticity Unit of the Laboratorio de Neurociencias, University of the Republic, Uruguay. Alejo's project focuses on atypical psychedelic, Ibogaine, and how it can enhance ocular dominance plasticity in the mouse visual cortex, as part of a broader effort to understand its potential role in promoting brain plasticity.
If you liked what you heard today, register for the virtual ISRP conference at ISRPsych.org. Alejo kicks off the conference at 11:10 EST / 8:10 PST!
For research articles mentioned in the episode: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QctEWR-rkofMkXRD7I6QoyRSoaMtg6xz?usp=drive_link
This episode is the first of three in our special ISRP Speaker Spotlight series. We've decided to showcase some amazing scientists that will be presenting at the virtual International Society for Psychedelic Research Conference March 7! It's not too late to register at: https://www.isrpsych.org/conferences
Our first feature is Kate Lawson, a PhD student at UC Irvine studying the persistent effects of stress in rodent models and how these negative effects may be reversed by psychedelics. We chat about ultrasonic vocalizations in rodents, the importance of translational models, and what mouse god smells like. For more about her research, register for ISRP and tune into her talk at 11:55am EDT / 8:55am PDT.
In this episode, Alaina discusses the evolving language about some of our favorite substances and how we got to the term psychedelic. In the first segment, she highlights some historical names for psychedelic substances in western medicine. In the second segment, she is joined by Stanford anesthesiologist and psychedelic researcher Dr. Boris Heifets to discuss how the scientific field classifies compounds as psychedelic and how to make sense of the psychedelic experience.
For more on Dr. Heifets research:
https://heifetslab.stanford.edu/publications/
For more on the history and references discussed in the introduction:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14761703/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278584606000364
https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/ajp.108.8.572
https://academic.oup.com/ijnp/article/16/10/2165/652314?login=true
https://marijuana-uses.com/mr-x/
https://content.ucpress.edu/title/9780520285422/9780520285422_chapter1.pdf
Content only reflects opinions of the authors and does not reflect the opinion of others or author affiliations.
This special episode includes presentations from a recent workshop, where Dr. Alaina Jaster, Dr. Neşe Devenot of Johns Hopkins and Dr. Gill Bedi of University of Melbourne presented their expertise and perspectives on how the psychedelic research field can move forward from the recent FDA rejection of MDMA-AT.
Dr. Jaster's presentation sets the tone by going over recent events, followed by how researchers can be involved in promoting evidence-based regulatory and policy decisions.
Dr. Devenot's presentation focused on what it means to be a psychedelic bioethicist and how the recent events have conflated constructive criticism with attacks, followed by a call to be better about having these discussions.
Dr. Bedi's presentation discussed how scientists studying MDMA and other psychedelics can better their study design and use methodology that is evidence-based and thorough.
These taken together, provided the framework for how to move forward in the field and prompted a discussion by members in the crowd (of which was not recorded to protect those participating).
For more information and to see some of the slides, you can go to psychedeliccbrainscience.com
In this special episode of Psychedelic Brain Science, Dr. Alaina Jaster is joined by Dr. Hilary Marusak, host of BrainSTEM and Principle Investigator in the THINK lab at Wayne State University. They are also joined by Dr. Christine Rabinak, a world-leading PTSD researcher, who brings a unique perspective on the impact of recent federal funding cuts—not just on scientific innovation, but also on patients whose lives depend on this research.
The conversation centers on the Trump administration’s executive actions affecting NIH indirect costs and broader federal science funding freezes. These cuts threaten groundbreaking research, training the next generation of scientists, and the economic and public health benefits of biomedical innovation. Beyond the numbers, they also affect real people—patients with PTSD, cancer, and other life-threatening conditions who rely on scientific progress for hope and treatment.
Scientists across the country are facing uncertainty, and the lack of clear information has created widespread concern. But there are ways to take action. In this episode, we highlight concrete steps researchers, advocates, and the public can take to push back against these harmful policies and fight for the future of science.
🔗 Topics Covered:
How recent NIH funding cuts and freezes impact research, jobs, and innovation
The ripple effects on early-career scientists and the next generation of researchers
The role of science in shaping policy—and how policy shapes science
Firsthand perspectives from both researchers and patients affected by these decisions
Actionable steps for advocacy and protecting scientific funding
📢 Take Action:
Contact your representatives via phone or email: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials/
Make 5 calls in 5 minutes to advocate for NIH and NSF funding:https://5calls.org/issue/nih-nsf-funding-cuts/
Check out templates for emailing and a fact sheet specific to DEIA in health and drug policy here: https://ssdp.org/blog/action-alert-support-funding-for-scientific-research/
Sign petitions and stay informed through professional societies:
Join activist groups and find more resources:
Indivisible – Fighting against the constitutional crisis https://indivisible.org/
The People’s Union – Economic boycotts and protest organizing https://jointhepeoplesunion.com/
Stand Up for Science – Grassroots science advocacy https://www.standupforscience2025.org/STAND-UP-FOR-SCIENCE-2025-1965a8bd7a44806a8182dc6b75b80da2
🧠 Special thanks to the BrainSTEM production team for editing this recording: Amanpreet Bhogal, Manmeet Bhogal, and Gabby Maramag.
This episode is the last of the Psychedelic Circuits mini-series! Today, Alaina gives a brief overview on circuits involved in stress responses. Then Dr. Devin Effinger deep dives into his work with the amygdala, paraventricular nucleus and how these regions send signals to relay important information about threat, stress and more. This circuit goes beyond just anxiety disorders and can also be implicated in substance use disorders.
For publications of Dr. Effinger related to our discussion:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kg0tH2iRxDbR6UyaVtg9DGHOf78GXwG_?usp=drive_link
Welcome to a super extra special episode of Psychedelic Brain Science! Dr. Jaster has finally settled back into real life after spending a week at DEA HQ fighting with Students for Sensible Drug Policy and many other scientists to keep DOI and DOC legal. She's joined today by psychedelic journalist Jack Gorsline, who was embedded with the team. They go through each day and give highlights and takeaways from the experience.
For more of Jack Gorsline:
https://doubleblindmag.com/author/jack-gorsline/
https://filtermag.org/author/jack-gorsline/
https://psychedelicalpha.com/?s=jack+gorsline
Coverage by Hamilton Morris:
https://www.patreon.com/HamiltonMorris
For podcast episodes on this topic:
https://www.psychedelicbrainscience.com/podcast/episode/1c16abd2/sensible-drug-policy-in-the-psychedelic-era-part-2-ft-special-guests
https://www.psychedelicbrainscience.com/podcast/episode/1b884a6b/sensible-drug-policy-in-the-psychedelic-era-ft-special-guests
Episode with Tanner Anderson:
https://www.psychedelicbrainscience.com/podcast/episode/27ff1c32/psychedelic-circuits-the-claustrum-ft-tanner-anderson
Episode with Dr. Cameron
https://www.psychedelicbrainscience.com/podcast/episode/1f74c1a7/plasticity-and-psychoplastogens-ft-lindsay-cameron
Episode with Dr. de la Fuente
https://www.psychedelicbrainscience.com/podcast/episode/1cdc3577/wtf-is-a-head-twitch-ft-dr-mario-de-la-fuente
Episodes with Dr. Elder
https://www.psychedelicbrainscience.com/podcast/episode/251caf98/special-episode-the-state-of-psychoactiveentheogenic-plants-and-fungi
https://www.psychedelicbrainscience.com/podcast/episode/2ea213a9/struture-function-part-one-ft-harrison-elder
https://www.psychedelicbrainscience.com/podcast/episode/1fb85762/structure-function-part-two-ft-harrison-elder
Episode with Dr. Charles Nichols
https://www.psychedelicbrainscience.com/podcast/episode/2839565b/are-psychedelics-anti-inflammatory-ft-dr-charles-nichols
Episode with Dr. Ramos
https://www.psychedelicbrainscience.com/podcast/episode/23032876/psychedelic-circuits-the-spinal-cord-ft-dr-raul-ramos
This episode is the second installment of the mini-series focused on brain circuits outside of the typical frontal cortex conversation. Today, we hear from Alaina on the basics of pain and touch perception, as well as how our nerves send information to our brains. Alaina is then joined by Dr. Raul Ramos of UC Berkeley, an expert on studying sensory modalities who is now focusing their work on phenethylamine psychedelics, including DOI. This episode includes a special guest from a previous episode, talk about the clitoris, and the Grateful Dead.
Resources discussed in this episode including papers, diagrams, and a very cool video can be found at this link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12jTUQnRxCCVZ93nsysNMT0ANF2fTQ8Ug?usp=drive_link
This episode is the first of three in a mini-series focused on brain circuits outside of the typical conversations. Today, we hear from Alaina on the basics of how neurons talk to each other and a refresher on serotonin signaling. Alaina is then joined by special guest Tanner Anderson, a PhD candidate at University of Kentucky and soon to be postdoc at Yale. Tanner will discuss his recently published findings related to cortical excitability and this fun brain region called the claustrum.
Find his JUST PUBLISHED paper here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HAQcUFAuP5igAoa7FykWgT8tZXvuYbnK/view?usp=sharing
Welcome to season 4. In this two part episode, Alaina talks about the ongoing petition against the DEA's proposed rule to schedule DOI and DOC. In the first half of this episode, Alaina is joined by Elijah Z. Ullman, of the SSDP Science Policy Committee. They discuss the background and specific reasons why DOI and DOC should not be scheduled. In the second half of the podcast, Alaina is joined by Brett Phelps and Robert Rush, the legal counsel representing two of the three parties involved in the DEA case.
For more information on SSDP visit: https://ssdp.org/
For more information on our lawyers:
https://rrushlaw.com/about/
https://brettphelpslaw.com/
Suggested reading on the topic:
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/deas-move-to-ban-two-psychedelics-is-challenged-as-a-disservice-to-science-in-legal-filing-from-student-group/
https://filtermag.org/block-dea-psychedelics-ban/
https://www.aspet.org/docs/default-source/advocacy-files/aspet-dea-doi-and-doc-comments-1-12-2024.pdf?sfvrsn=62e172d3_0
https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn3530
Content only reflects opinions of the authors and does not reflect the opinion of others or author affiliations.
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https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/psychedelicbrainscience/support
