September 11, 2025 01:00 PM MST

Potential Application of the Cannabinoids as Antivirals

Dr. Mark T. Hamann is the Charles and Carol Cooper/SmartState Endowed Chair of Drug Discovery at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), serving in the Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine. He holds affiliate appointments with the University of Maryland’s Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, the MUSC-Clemson Bioinformatics Program, and the College of Charleston Marine Biology Program. Dr. Hamann began his career in pharmaceutical manufacturing at Solvay Pharmaceuticals before earning a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at the University of Hawaii, where he discovered kahalalide F, a lead anticancer agent that entered six clinical trials. He completed postdoctoral research in Antarctica and spent 22 years at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy before joining MUSC. Over his career, Dr. Hamann has published more than 250 scientific papers and mentored over 100 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scholars. He served as Associate Editor for Biochimica et Biophysica Acta and received numerous honors, including NIH New Investigator and Career Development Awards, the ASP Young Investigator Award, and Researcher of the Year awards from both the University of Mississippi and MUSC. His research focuses on isolating and optimizing natural products from plant and invertebrate microbiomes for applications in cancer, infectious diseases, and neuropsychiatric disorders. His lab also works on cannabinoid structure optimization for pain, cancer, and infection control.