Topics covered include:
- Instrumentation / Analysis / Data
- Crop steering
- Polyploid species
- Cannabinoid profiles and exotic cannabinoid production
- Cell fermentation and culturing
- Formulations and delivery
- Successful strategies for securing funding
- License agreement and research agreement language meant to foster, not hinder, successful partnerships
- Examples of federal compliance hurdles and pathways to navigate this complex regulatory landscape
- Impact of state-by-state differences and the importance of adaptable compliance strategies.
- Unique opportunities and challenges associated with student involvement, discuss their role in bridging the gap between academia and industry, and highlight the benefits of their participation in these research and commercialization projects
- Case study involving a collaboration with Florida State University and Green Point Research to develop one of the first University-led CBD studies for acute pain after orthopedic surgery.
As the hemp and cannabis industry blossoms, it’s not uncommon to overhear university administrators caution against working with companies due to regulatory concerns and fears over difficulty obtaining federal research funding. Fortunately, these fears have begun to subside as various agencies have provided clarity on their policies, and the passage of the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act (HR 8454) now assures access to research materials that were previously difficult to procure or supply.
Universities like Florida State — which partnered with Green Point Research on a university-led CBD study — Oregon State, Tennessee State, and Cornell University just to name a few, have established hemp-focused research centers that encourage interdisciplinary research and corporate partnering. Education, policy awareness, and the rapidly changing cannabis industry are also driving innovation by promoting R&D and investment in sustainable technologies as VCs increasingly seek opportunities in eco-friendly industries. At the same time, medical applications involving cannabinoids are rapidly advancing and gaining research funding as well as investor dollars.
The successful transfer from research labs into practical applications is essential for the industry’s growth and innovation, and corporations and funding agencies are well aware of the need for university partnerships. Case in point: Hemp Alliance of Tennessee — in partnership with Tennessee State University (TSU), the University of Tennessee (UTK), and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) — was awarded close to $5M in the second round of the USDA Climate-Smart Commodities Grant.
The industry is growing and opportunities for partnerships abound, but challenges remain…
That’s why we’ve teamed up with Robin Pate, Chief Marketing Officer for Green Point Research, K. Lance Anderson, partner at Dickinson Wright PLLC, and Frederick Cawthon, president of the Hemp Alliance of Tennessee and a Member of the Hemp Roundtable — for this 60-minute distance learning session.
These experts will delve into the unique challenges associated with hemp and cannabis research, including limited funding sources, regulatory compliance issues, variations in state regulations, and the involvement of students in technology transfer projects. They will draw from real-world experiences and explore how university partnerships have, and continue to, contribute to fundable and scalable research results.
