Dr. Harrison Elder is a graduate of the University of Virginia where he was first introduced to the field of behavioral pharmacology as an undergraduate. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology & Toxicology from VCU’s School of Medicine where his research focused on the co-use of fentanyl with psychostimulants, such as methamphetamine and cocaine. While at VCU Dr. Elder conducted preclinical research with monoaminergic drugs to examine the contributions of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin receptors to methamphetamine’s effects and published peer-reviewed papers on the pharmacology of opioids, stimulants, and psychedelics. Dr. Elder’s research background also includes over 4 years of experience with industry sponsored clinical trials where he was involved in abuse liability assessment and pharmacovigilance monitoring of opioid and cannabinoid therapeutics, which contributed to the successful approval and rescheduling of the cannabidiol (CBD) therapeutic Epidiolex. Currently, Dr. Elder is completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine’s Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit under the guidance of Drs. Ryan Vandrey and Tory Spindle where he is studying the various cognitive, psychomotor (e.g., driving impairment), and therapeutic effects of cannabis use in humans. Beyond cannabis, his research interests include the therapeutic use of psychedelic compounds, psychostimulants, and the pursuant regulatory issues surrounding the use of controlled substances in research and medicine.

Recent Publications and Projects
Orchid
PubMed