Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University (Medicine) is host to the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, which is one of the leading research institutes into psychedelics. The center is led by Roland Griffiths and Matthew Johnson.

Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research

The center, launched in 2019, originates from the research that has been ongoing at Johns Hopkins Medicine since 2000 (Johns Hopkins Center for Study of Psychedelics). The research group was the first to start studying psychedelics (psilocybin) in healthy volunteers (since the 1960s). The research has been a catalyst for many other universities and recently private companies to see the possible (long-sustained) benefits psychedelics may provide.

“At the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, researchers will focus on how psychedelics affect behavior, mood, cognition, brain function, and biological markers of health. Upcoming studies will determine the effectiveness of psilocybin as a new therapy for opioid addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (formerly known as chronic Lyme disease), anorexia nervosa and alcohol use in people with major depression. The researchers hope to create precision medicine treatments tailored to the specific needs of individual patients.”

The current center is funded by philanthropists with $17 million given to support their research.

“The center’s operational expenses for the first five years will be covered by private funding from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation and four philanthropists: Tim Ferriss (author and technology investor), Matt Mullenweg (co-founder of WordPress), Blake Mycoskie (founder of TOMS, a shoe and accessory brand) and Craig Nerenberg (investor).”

The center works together with Unlimited Sciences, Imperial College London, and many other researcher around the world.

Key Staff

• Roland Griffiths – Professor & Center Director
• Matthew Johnson – Professor & Associate Center Director
• Frederick Barrett – Assistant Professor & Director of Neurophysiological Mechanism & Biomarker Assessment
• Albert Garcia-Romeu – Assistant Professor
• Alan Davis – Adjunct Assistant Professor
• Mary Cosimano – Director of Guide / Facilitator Services
• William Richards – Psychologist

Research

The center’s website lists its most notable achievements and academic publications. You can find more at the specific staff member pages or using the academic paper page of this website.

News

• First-of-Its Kind Psychedelic Research Center Debuts at Johns Hopkins (January 2020)
• Johns Hopkins Scientists Give Psychedelics the Serious Treatment (Scientific American, January 2020)
• Johns Hopkins launches new Center for Psychedelic Research (September 2019)
• Johns Hopkins Opens New Center for Psychedelic Research (NYT, September 2019)