The Cannabis Panel

Interested in exploring careers in clinical research, data science, consulting, entrepreneurship within the cannabis industry?  Learn more about the range of opportunities within this emerging market.

MODERATOR:

Rony Chamoun, PhD
Academic Coordinator and Industry Liaison Manager, Commercial Cannabis Diploma, McGill University

PANELISTS:

Carolyn J. Baglole, PhD
Director- McGill Research Centre for Cannabis; Director- Histopathology Technology Platform; Co-Director- Experimental Pathology Unit;
Associate Professor, Departments of Medicine, Pathology & Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University

Antonio Vigano, MD, MSc
Attending Physician, Supportive and Palliative Care Division, McGill University Health Centre (MUHC); Associate Professor, Department of Oncology, McGill University;
Director, Cancer Rehabilitation Program (CAREPRO), MUHC; Director, McGill Nutrition and Performance Laboratory, MUHC; Expert on Medical Cannabis appointed by the Court of Quebec
Research Director, Santé Cannabis (santecannabis.ca)

In 2002, Dr. Vigano joined the Supportive and Palliative Care Division at McGill as Assistant Professor. He is now Associate Professor in the Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University. He has been practicing palliative care medicine for over 30 years both in Europe and in Canada. In 2005, he received both the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator and Fonds de la Recherche en Sante (FRSQ) Chercheur-Boursier Clinicien Career Awards. Through a Canadian Foundation for Innovation award, he founded the McGill Nutrition and Performance Laboratory (www.mnupal.mcgill.ca). His research and clinical activities at MNUPAL were developed in partnership with the Department of Exercise Science at Concordia University (Dr. Robert Kilgour), the Division of Geriatric Medicine (Dr. Jose Morais), and the Lymphedema Program (Dr. Anna Towers) at McGill University Health Centre. Dr. Vigano has either first or senior authorship on over 55 publications in peer reviewed journals, 40 invited lectures, 115 peer-reviewed published abstracts and four book chapters. These reflect his clinical interests and expertise and include: the organization of the first palliative care unit in Italy within a public hospital, prognostication in terminal cancer patients, age-related changes in opioid consumption, cancer cachexia assessment and management, prevalence and role of hypogonadism in male cancer patients, cancer pre-habilitation and rehabilitation and more recently the role of medicinal cannabis in pain and symptom management, supportive and palliative care. Dr. Vigano was appointed Expert on Medical Cannabis by the Court of Quebec, created the first world-wide post-doctoral research fellowship in medicinal cannabis and cancer supportive care within McGill’s Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, developed the first cannabis clinic within a quaternary oncology centre, is co-lead of Biomedical Axis of the newly created McGill Research Centre for Cannabis and is Principal Investigator in several cannabis clinical trials including the first large scale, province wide, prospective, multicenter cohort study, the Quebec Cannabis Registry with over 3000 patients enrolled to date.

Cynthia El Hage, PhD.
Director of Research & Innovation, Santé Cannabis

I hold a Ph.D in Neurosciences with a specialty in Mental Health and Drug Addiction from the University of Lyon-France. I moved to Montréal in 2012 for my postdoctoral fellowship training during which my work focused mainly on studying medical cannabis in patients suffering from psychostimulant drug abuse and co-morbid mental health disorders.  I have more than 10 years’ experience in research (among which 4 years experience in clinical trials and in medical cannabis). I have several publications in peer review journals, conferences and several award winning prices related to research projects. I recently contributed to writing a book on Cannabis and its medical use.  I am currently the Director of Research & Innovation at Santé Cannabis clinic in Montréal where I lead the research department and direct projects for the advancement of cannabis-related Research.

Caroline Lavoie, Cannabis Consultant, M.Sc.

As a consultant in the cannabis industry, Caroline Lavoie advises Canadian and international companies from that sector in their government relations, public relations and business development. As one of Quebec’s first cannabis analyst and consultant, Caroline launched the public relations campaign that led to the creation of the Société Québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) and later led the formation of the Quebec Cannabis Industry Association (QCIA).  Prior to discovering her passion for helping build the cannabis industry, Caroline worked in international relations and public affairs in Canada, the U.S., Latin America and Europe.  Caroline holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from McGill University and a Master’s in public policy from the Paris Institute for Political Studies (Sciences Po). A longtime volunteer with disadvantaged youth and cultural institutions in Montreal, she also has a keen interest in governance and now acts as a Trustee for the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax.

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