# Epigenomic approaches to study the gene networks underlying the cannabis effects on genetic vulnerability to psychosis

> **NIH NIH DP1** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2020 · $465,000

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Over the last decade, use of illicit substances in United States has decreased for most
drugs, except for marijuana that remains the most commonly abused by 7.5% of the
population, especially among adolescents. Emerging evidence indicates a link between
cannabis exposure and elevated risk of psychosis. However, the precise genetic and
molecular components underpinning this association remain largely unresolved.
The long-term goal of this research program is to use rodent models of schizophrenia
susceptibility, targeting the Reelin pathway, to investigate the complex multifactorial
nature of cannabis-psychosis association, with the ultimate goal of developing preventive
and therapeutic strategies for cannabis use disorders.
As the first step toward this goal, animal models that enable the selective isolation of
specific neuronal subtypes will be generated. An integrated strategy, based on behavioral
paradigms and epigenomic profiling, will be used to test whether and to what extent
different components of cannabis (e.g D9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol) affect
the development of specific behaviors relevant to cognitive impairments observed in
schizophrenia. A wide range of transcriptomic and epigenomic tools, based on next-
generation sequencing technologies, will be applied to investigate the molecular changes
induced by cannabis exposure. Extensive bioinformatics analysis of the genome-wide
datasets generated by this project will likely lay the groundwork for future research
programs focused on novel neuroepigenetic mechanisms underpinning cannabis use
disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9915873
- **Project number:** 5DP1DA042232-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Francesca Telese
- **Activity code:** DP1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $465,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-06-01 → 2021-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9915873

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9915873, Epigenomic approaches to study the gene networks underlying the cannabis effects on genetic vulnerability to psychosis (5DP1DA042232-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-16 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9915873. Licensed CC0.

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