Featured Speaker: Sandra Leal, PhD, Chair, Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Associate Professor of Biology, Harris Stowe State University; HSSU Coordinator, Missouri Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation

At Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) in the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, several undergraduate researchers are studying the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) oil treatment on specific behavioral outcomes including locomotion and sleep by using the fruit fly as a model system.

On a physiological level, HSSU student researchers are examining whether CBD Oil treatment affects the levels of key molecules known as neurotransmitters. These molecules, found in the brains and guts of both people and fruit flies, have profound affects on our moods and behaviors. Although tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive form of hemp, or the marijuana plant, CBD oil is marketed as a pain-relieving agent and may affect neurotransmitter levels or activity to improve analgesic effects.