Gabriella Gobbi

Dr Gobbi’s laboratory is interested in understanding the causes of mental diseases and in the discovering new treatments. In particular, her laboratory is studying the short- and long-term effects of cannabis use in mood and anxiety and the potential beneficial effects of the drugs acting on the endocannabinoid system (endogenous cannabis) in the cure of mental diseases. The lab also studies the action mechanism of hallucinogens and their potential therapeutic effects. In addition, her laboratory examines the effect of melatonin in mood, anxiety, and sleep regulation in an effort to understand how novel selective ligands for melatonin receptors (called MT1 and MT2 receptors ) can be used to treat seasonal depression, major depression, sleep disorders, and other neuropsychiatric conditions. The laboratory approach spans from bench to bedside, bridging the gaps between fundamental and clinical research. Laboratory techniques include in vivo electrophysiology, optogenetics, behavioural pharmacology, and neurochemistry. Dr Gobbi is also a psychiatrist in the Mood Disorders Program at the McGill University Health Centre. Her other interests include the psychopharmacology of violent behaviour and the neurobiological consequences of paternal separation.