Conference Report
The 25th International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS) Symposium on the
Cannabinoids, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, June 28th-July 3rd, 2015
The ICRS Symposium has been organised annually for over 25 years, bringing together
international scientists from many fields relate to cannabinoids ranging from chemical,
biochemical, physiological and clinical research. The symposium this year consisted of 3
plenary lectures, 8 different themed oral sessions and poster sessions.
My current PhD research involves studying pharmacology of pain. The most interesting
plenary lecture was, therefore, “From receptor to pain: The molecular dynamic of pain”
delivered by Prof. Michael Salter which was very informative and related my work. There
also was a thought provoking and research stimulating lecture from Prof. Raphael
Mechoulam who discovered 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (9-THC), an active compound from
cannabis.
The topics of the themed oral sessions ranged from chemistry of cannabinoid-rerated
substances and their biological activities, pharmacology of receptors, transporters and
enzymes to the effects of cannabinoids in animals and in human. There were a special
symposium and more than 10 research talks dedicated to the roles of endogenous
cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) in chronic pain. These sessions provided me an
overview of alterations of endocannabinoid system and pathophysiology of chronic pain
e.g. neuropathic pain and particularly osteoarthritis, a form of chronic pain I am working
on at the moment.
I presented the results from the work I have done during the second year of my study
entitled “Inhibitory effect of aspirin-triggered resolvin D1 (AT-RvD1) on spinal
nociceptive transmission in acute inflammatory pain”. AT-RvD1 is a member of
specialized pro-resolving mediators in the resolvin system. The resolvin system has
complex biosynthetic and degradation pathways and shares some common metabolic
pathways with endocannabinoids. Among 65 posters, more than 10 posters were from
pain research groups. The pain researchers there were attracted by the main technique
I am using, specifically in vivo electrophysiology, and came to visit my poster.
I received question and comments from them, as well as those who work in different
research areas. Their valuable and useful comments will be fed into the publication I am
drafting; hopefully I could submit it in the next 6 months.
In addition to the intensive scientific programme, the conference also had amazing social
activities especially the trip to Peggy’s cove and ended with a special banquet.
I took this experience as a kind of academic reward for me after working constantly for
over a year. Attending the conference enabled me to gain competency as a researcher,
facilitated my PhD study and initiated a network for my academic career in the future.
I would like to thanks the School of Life Sciences for funding part of the travelling
expense and made it possible to travel distance and attend the ICRS2015. I also deeply
appreciate the support of my supervisors, Prof. Victoria Chapman and Dr. Gareth
Hathway and the Arthritis UK Pain Centre, student travel grants from the ICRS and the
Guarantor of Brain and the Thai Government for funding my PhD study.
Pongsatorn Meesawatsom
PhD student
Supervised by Prof. Victoria Chapman and Dr. Gareth Hathway