the mechoulam lecturer

Ziva Cooper , PhD

Dr. Ziva Cooper is a Professor, the Vice Chair for Research, and Interim Director for the Addiction Division in the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, as well as the Director of the UCLA Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids in the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the David Geffen School of Medicine.   

As a leading translational neuropsychopharmacologist, Dr. Cooper’s rigorous, double-blind, placebo-controlled human laboratory studies investigate the variables influencing both the therapeutic potential and adverse effects of cannabis and cannabinoids. Her extensive research portfolio spans the exploration of sex differences in cannabinoid pharmacokinetics, the evaluation of cannabis constituents to manage pain, and critical investigations into whether cannabinoids can safely reduce reliance on opioids amidst the ongoing public health crisis.   

Nationally and internationally, Dr. Cooper’s impact on the field is profound. She served as a distinguished member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) committees responsible for the landmark 2017 consensus report on the Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids and the 2024 report focused on the public health impact of changes in cannabis policy. She has also held prominent leadership roles, including serving as president of the International Cannabinoid Research Society and as a board director for the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Through her scientific leadership, advisory contributions to public health and professional organizations, and dedication to bridging the gap between evolving public policy and empirical science, Dr. Cooper continues to shape modern standards in cannabis research and education.