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Psychedelics and the Science of Suffering

Season 3
Episode #3
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University of New Mexico researchers are joining a multi-site clinical trial of an experimental psychedelic drug intended to alleviate the mental suffering many patients experience when they receive a life-altering disease diagnosis. In this episode of It’s Probably Not Rocket Science, lead researcher Dr. Lawrence Leeman, professor in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at the UNM School of Medicine, discusses the REKINDLE trial that will test the effectiveness of RE104, a synthetic “prodrug” that is chemically similar to psilocybin, the active ingredient in so-called magic mushrooms.

About Our Guest(s)

Lawrence Leeman

Dr. Lawrence Leeman is a professor in the Departments of Family & Community Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynecology. His research focuses on rural maternity care, perinatal opioid use disorder, neonatal opioid withdrawal, and psychedelic-assisted therapies for trauma and addiction. He completed the California Institute of Integral Studies certificate in Psychedelic Therapies and Research and served as a therapist and co-investigator in the MAPS Phase 3 PTSD study. Leeman emphasizes the therapeutic process as essential to behavioral change in psychedelic-assisted treatments.

Hosted by UCAM's Alexa Skonieski

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From podcast listener to podcast host, Alexa Skonieski is a university communication representative on The University of New Mexico’s Communication and Marketing team (UCAM). She’s thrilled to spread the word on important research coming out of UNM, New Mexico’s flagship university. In addition to producing It’s (Probably) Not Rocket Science, she writes stories and creates videos for the UNM Newsroom, the university’s official communication platform.

Skonieski is a graduate of Central Michigan University’s School of Communication, Journalism, and Media (’19). She is a former news reporter/anchor who worked at TV stations in Michigan, Nebraska, and most recently in New Mexico at KRQE News 13, where she won a New Mexico Broadcasters Association award. She is passionate about academic research and wants its topics to be understandable and accessible to everyone. People should know the important role UNM plays. She hopes you’ll subscribe to the show and follow along!