In July 2020, two Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences faculty received funding from Laurel Harvest Labs in partnership with Temple University Hospital to leverage the medicinal potential of cannabis components in two separate basic science research projects in cell cultures.

Carlos Barrero, MD will evaluate cannabis extracts as possible pharmacological treatments to inhibit several inflammatory processes known to occur during Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Marc Ilies, PhD in collaboration with Eugen Brailoiu, MD from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine will develop novel cannabidiol (CBD) prodrugs and delivery systems to target the intracellular receptors for cannabidiol.