Department of PsychologyRyan McLaughlin

Ryan McLaughlin

  1. Associate Professor
  2. Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Sciences; Psychology
Email Addressryan.mclaughlin@wsu.edu
LocationVeterinary and Biomedical Research 235
Phone509-335-6448

Biography

  • Associate Director of Graduate Studies in Neuroscience
  • Co-Director, WSU Cannabis Research Center
  • Assistant Professor, Psychology Department, College of Arts and Sciences, WSU

Dr. Ryan J. McLaughlin joined the Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience at WSU as an Assistant Professor in 2014 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2021. The goal of Dr. McLaughlin’s research program is to determine how endogenous and exogenous cannabinoids affect the brain and behavior. His research has shown that the endocannabinoid system is a vital component of the neuroendocrine and behavioral stress response, and that pharmacologically targeting this system could be a promising strategy for treating stress-related disorders. More recently, Dr. McLaughlin’s research team has developed a novel, translationally valid approach for modeling cannabis use in rodents that uses response-contingent delivery of vaporized cannabis extracts to better understand the effects of cannabis use on the brain and behavior. Dr. McLaughlin’s team uses this approach to examine how cannabis use during sensitive developmental periods contributes to behavioral, cognitive, and neurobiological alterations, and whether they differ by sex.

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 2014
  • PhD, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2012
  • MA, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2006
  • Hon BSc Department of Psychology, Mount Allison University, 2004

Research Interest

  • Cannabis
  • Endocannabinoid System
  • Stress Neurobiology
  • Behavioral Flexibility
  • Neurodevelopment

Publications

Professional Service

  • Standing Panel Member, NIH Biobehavioral Regulation of Learning and Ethology (BRLE) (2023-Present)
  • Ad Hoc Reviewer, NIH Biobehavioral Regulation of Learning and Ethology (BRLE) (2023)
  • Member, The College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) (2021-2024)
  • Ad Hoc Reviewer, NIH Developmental Brain Disorders (DBD) (2021)
  • Ad Hoc Reviewer, NIH NIDA Mechanism for Time-Sensitive Drug Abuse Research (2021)
  • Ad Hoc Reviewer, NIH Biobehavioral Regulation of Learning and Ethology (BRLE) (2020)
  • Early Career Reviewer NIH Neuroendocrinology, Neuroimmunology, Rhythms & Sleep (NNRS) (2020)
  • Ad Hoc Reviewer, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Collaborative Research and Development Grants (2014)
  • Member, Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids (CCIC) (2010-2014)
  • Member, International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS) (2007-Present)
  • Member, Society for Neuroscience (SFN) (2006-Present)

Honors and Awards

  • RA + 10K Competitive Office of Research Award, Washington State University (WSU)
  • Travel Award, Winter Conference on Brain Research (WCBR)
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship (declined) Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
  • Healthy Minds Canada Prize in Children’s Mental Health, Healthy Minds Canada / Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Fonds de Recherche Santé Quebec (FRSQ)
  • Conference Travel Award, Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS)
  • Trainee Support Award, Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids
  • Charles Banting & Frederick Best Canada Graduate Scholarship
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Junior Graduate Scholarship
  • Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR)