Robert Laprairie

Biography

Dr. Laprairie is a member of the Drug Discovery and Development Research Group and the Cannabinoid Research Initiative of Saskatchewan (CRIS). He is a member of the Canadian Society for Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CSPT), the Canadian Consortium for the Investigators of Cannabinoids (CCIC), the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET), and the International Cannabinoids Research Society (ICRS).

Research Interest

Dr. Laprairie’s research focuses on the endocannabinoid system and specifically the type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1R). CB1R is activated by the body’s own cannabinoids, synthetic cannabinoids, and cannabinoids from marijuana (e.g. THC and cannabidiol). CB1R is a potential target for the regulation of appetite and the treatment of pain, spasticity in multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, epilepsy, and anxiety, among others. Despite its potential as a therapeutic target, we are still learning how CB1R is regulated by cannabinoids to alter physiology. His laboratory is working to (1) understand how the many different cannabinoids from marijuana affect CB1R function; and (2) develop new compounds known as allosteric modulators that increase or decrease CB1R activity. Dr. Laprairie’s research utilizes molecular biology, cell culture and animal models to study the endocannabinoid system in an attempt to further our understanding of marijuana as a medicine, and possibly lead to the development of new drug compounds.