Raphael Mechoulam

He attended an "American grade school" in Sofia until the enactment of antisemitic laws and the beginning of World War II.From 1960 to 1965, he worked as a researcher at the Weizmann Institute, and studied the chemistry of natural substances, including cannabinoids, terpenes, and alkaloids.[21][22] With other members of his research group including Yehiel Gaoni, Mechoulam elaborated the structures and stereochemistry of the major plant cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD, 1963) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, 1964) and succeeded in their total synthesis in 1965.[23] In 1970, Mechoulam's doctoral student Zvi Ben-Zvi reported the first isolation of an active THC metabolite in the human body.[24] During the 1980s, Mechoulam continued to study the active structure of the cannabinoids and began to work with clinicians on clinical trials with THC and CBD in animal models.[25] In 1987, Mechoulam and A. Abrahamov initiated a clinical trial with Δ8-THC (a more stable isomer of Δ9-THC) in children who were undergoing chemotherapy treatments against cancer.[32] In 1998, Mechoulam and Ben-Shabat posited the “entourage effect”, the idea that a variety of metabolites working together can result in increased activity compared to individual endogenous cannabinoids.The discovery of the endocannabinoid system and the study of its functions in the body has helped to open a new field in biochemistry and brain research.
BulgariaJerusalemtetrahydrocannabinolcannabinoidsendocannabinoidsHarvey PrizeIsrael PrizeEMET PrizeRothschild PrizeHeinrich Wieland PrizeWeizmann Institute of ScienceRockefeller UniversityHebrew University of JerusalemDoctoral advisorFranz Sondheimerorganic chemistcannabisanandamideendocannabinoid systemSephardic Jewishphysicianantisemitic lawsWorld War IIconcentration campchemical engineeringIsraelchemistrybiochemistryIsraeli ArmyinsecticidesRockefeller InstituteterpenesHebrew University in JerusalemIsrael Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesInternational Association for Cannabinoid MedicinesInternational Cannabinoid Research SocietycannabidiolcannabigerolendocannabinoidLumír Ondřej HanušendogenousTechnionComplutense University of MadridHonorary doctorateOhio State UniversityCannabis in IsraelHebrewBulgarianThe New York TimesPsychology TodayEncyclopaedia JudaicaTikun OlamTelegrassAle YarokHolocaust Survivors and Grown-Up Green Leaf PartyIn the militaryEfraim ZalmanovichKarin Kloosterman