September 10, 2026 1:00 PM MT

Cannabinoids and weight loss:  A twisted tale

Dr. Ken Mackie is a Distinguished Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (IUB) and a Linda and Jack Gill Chair of Neuroscience. He received his MD from Yale University, did his Anesthesiology Residency at the University of Washington, and performed post-doctoral work at Rockefeller University and the University of Washington. For the past thirty years, Dr. Mackie’s research program has sought to understand the relationships between phytocannabinoids (such as THC and CBD), terpenes, endocannabinoids, and the pharmacological and physiological responses to both. His interests include the potential therapeutic applications of cannabinoids as well as the impact of cannabis and cannabinoids on the developing brain. His lab takes diverse approaches (imaging, electrophysiological, behavioral, molecular, and biochemical) to address these questions. In 2023 he and his colleagues developed IUB’s Center for Cannabis, Cannabinoids and Addiction to provide the field with cutting edge research tools to apply to clinical and preclinical studies.