Pittcon 2020 Plenary Lecture announced

Pittcon is pleased to announce Dr. Ziva Cooper as the 2020 Plenary Lecturer. Dr. Cooper’s lecture is entitled Cannabis Constituents as Novel Strategies to Tackle the Opioid Epidemic. The topic’s significance is reinforced by recent advancements in cannabis legislation in many U.S. states, including similar legislation in Illinois. Moreover, the topic addresses America’s growing opioid crisis as it relates to cannabis-related research.

Dr. Cooper is the Research Director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative in the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. Her research, conducted primarily through double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, focuses on understanding variables that may influence the therapeutic potential and adverse effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

Dr. Cooper’s current research focuses on understanding the neurobiological, pharmacological, and behavioral variables that influence both the positive and negative potential of cannabinoids and opioids. She has served of the National Academies of Sciences Committee on the Health Effects of Marijuana, serves on various editorial boards, is President of the International Study Group Investigating Drugs as Reinforcers, and is Associate Editor of The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Dr. Cooper received her PhD in biopsychology from the University of Michigan.

The Plenary Lecture is a distinct feature of the annual Pittcon conference and exposition. The lecture is part of a larger technical program that works to keep the greater scientific community informed on the latest research and developments, presented from top scientists around the world. The program features more than 2,000 technical sessions focusing on a range of scientific applications and methodologies. The 2020 Plenary Lecture is scheduled to begin at 5:00 pm on March 3, 2020, in Chicago, IL, taking place at the city’s McCormick Place convention center during Pittcon’s annual conference and exposition.

Pittcon is the premier annual conference and exposition on laboratory science. Proceeds from Pittcon fund science education and outreach at all levels – kindergarten through doctorate and beyond. Pittcon donates more than one million dollars annually to provide financial and other support for various science outreach activities, including science equipment grants, research grants, scholarships and internships for students, awards to teachers and professors, and grants to public science centers, libraries, and museums.