Raphael Mechoulam

Biography

• Raphael Mechoulam was born in Sofia, Bulgaria on 5 November 1930.
• His parents were well-educated; his father was a physician, and his mother studied in Berlin.
• He immigrated to Israel in 1949.
• Mechoulam received an M.Sc. in biochemistry from Hebrew University in 1952.
• He served as rector of Hebrew University from 1979 to 1982.

Research

• Mechoulam’s major interest was the chemistry and pharmacology of cannabinoids.
• He elaborated on the structures of major plant cannabinoids like CBD and THC.
• Mechoulam established the concept that THC-style activity depends on a three-dimensional stereospecific structure.
• He discovered endocannabinoids like anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol.
• In 1998, he posited the entourage effect.

Contributions

• Mechoulam published over 425 scientific articles.
• He co-founded the company 180 life sciences.
• Mechoulam helped clarify the importance of cannabinoids and endocannabinoids in physiological processes.
• He furthered research into the possible use of cannabinoids in treating pathological conditions.
• The Harvey Prize was awarded to him for discovering active molecules in the cannabis plant.

Affiliations

• Mechoulam was a founding member of the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines.
• He was a founding member of the International Cannabinoid Research Society.
• Mechoulam served as president of the International Cannabinoid Research Society from 1999 to 2002.
• He was the chairman of the Board of the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines from 2003 to 2005.
• Mechoulam served as chairman of the Natural Sciences Division at the Israel National Academy of Sciences from 2007 to 2018.

Legacy

• Raphael Mechoulam is considered the Father of Cannabis Research.
• His contributions led to the discovery of the endocannabinoid system.
• Research in his laboratory clarified the importance of cannabinoids and endocannabinoids.
• Mechoulam’s work has opened new fields in biochemistry and brain research.
• He pioneered clinical trials with THC and CBD in animal models.

Raphael Mechoulam Data Sources