College Hires Cannabinoid Pharmacologist to Develop Responsive Programming and Research Capacity

Oct 29, 2019

Canadore College welcomes Dr. Pritesh Kumar, a world eminent research scientist specializing in cannabinoid pharmacology to develop a suite of programs in response to industry demand.

Dr. Kumar will be responsible for cannabinoid research and developing comprehensive curricula in medicinal cannabis programming, which will include workshops for the general public, professional development modules for health care professionals, as well as part-time courses and full-time postsecondary programs.

“We are very pleased to have Pritesh join our team to help lay the foundation for programs and research that will strengthen plant-based medicines and improve patient well-being,” said George Burton, president and CEO of Canadore College. “The Village at Canadore is committed to providing access to a breadth of health options rooted in Indigenous, Eastern and Western wellness practices and this work supports these principles.”

In addition to course development, Dr. Kumar will be responsible for the upstart of a cannabinoid analytical testing laboratory and cannabinoid genomics laboratory at Canadore. The outcomes related to these initiatives are aimed at analyzing the efficacy of medicinal cannabis strains for specific treatments, determining optimal methods of transmission, isolating genomic virtues and more.

Dr. Kumar earned his PhD in pharmacology and toxicology, with a focus in cannabinoid pharmacology from the University of Louisville in Kentucky. He has been published in numerous scientific journals including the European Journal of Pharmacology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science and Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. He joins Canadore College on November 1.