Prof. Ravi Das, a psychopharmacology expert at UCL, dives into innovative treatments for addiction and anxiety. He discusses the groundbreaking largest DMT study and its implications for memory reconsolidation. The conversation highlights the ethical landscape of psychedelic research and the potential effectiveness of DMT compared to traditional therapies. Taking a closer look at memory reconsolidation, he explains how targeting unstable memories could disrupt cravings and anxiety conditions, paving the way for future mental health treatments.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
UCL Career Path
Ravi Das's academic career started at UCL, mentored by Celia Morgan and Val Curran.
He became interested in drug research and addiction, leading to a PhD with Sanjeev Kamboj.
insights INSIGHT
Research Limitations
UCL was one of the few places to research repurposing Schedule 1 drugs for therapeutic effects.
Licenses for this research were and still are rare, hindering research progress.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Unexpected Career Turn
Ravi Das initially wanted to be a shipbuilder, not a researcher.
His path changed due to a happy accident of choosing psychology at UCL.
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Prof Ravi Das is a leading expert in psychopharmacology and cognitive neuroscience, with a career dedicated to understanding and developing innovative treatments for addiction and anxiety disorders. He completed his BSc in Psychology and MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London (UCL), followed by a PhD in Psychopharmacology at the UCL Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit.
Prof Das’s research takes a translational and experimental medicine approach, focusing on the mechanisms of memory plasticity and their role in the development of addictive and anxiety disorders. A key area of his work is memory reconsolidation—the process by which established memories become temporarily unstable when retrieved, creating an opportunity to modify maladaptive memories. By targeting these unstable memories, Prof Das explores how drug or behavioral interventions could potentially disrupt the cravings and relapse associated with addiction, the fear underlying anxiety disorders, or the flashbacks experienced in PTSD.
In addition to his work on memory reconsolidation, Prof Das is deeply interested in the phenomenology and effects of illicit drug use, as well as the role of cognitive and mindfulness-based strategies in treating substance use disorders. His research bridges the gap between scientific discovery and clinical application, with the ultimate goal of developing more effective, evidence-based treatments for mental health challenges.
The Drug Science Podcast