Dr. Sean McAllister is a molecular pharmacologist at California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute. He is the principal investigator on The SETH Group's research projects assessing anti-cancer effects of medicinal cannabis. Dr. McAllister earned his bachelor's degree in Biology and his doctoral degree in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the Medical College of Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. McAllister's doctorate research focused on the interactions of cannabinoids with their endogenous receptors. He completed postdoctoral training at the Forbes Norris Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Research Center where he was part of the first group to discover that the cannabinoid, THC, was effective at delaying the onset of ALS in a genetic mouse model. Findings led to a small pilot clinical trial with positive outcomes. Dr. McAllister was trained and funded by the National Institutes of Health and has been studying endocannabinoid pharmacology for over a decade. The endocannabinoid system in our body was originally discovered through research focused on the primary active constituent of medicinal cannabis, THC. Dr. McAllister has published numerous scientific peer-reviewed journals as well as book chapters and reviews on this topic. He is also a member of the International Cannabinoid Research Society, American Association for Cancer Research and The Society for NeuroOncology. Dr McAllister's research team has an active research program focusing on the antitumor activity of cannabis extracts. His laboratory is also focused on understanding the endocannabinoid system's role in controlling brain and breast cancer cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Dr McAllister has received multiple National Institute of Health grants to study the anti-tumor activity of cannabis constituents, including the prestigious Howard Temin career award. His group was also recently funded by CBCRP to study the ability of non-psychoactive cannabis constituents to inhibit breast cancer metastasis. Based off this work, a clinical trial is now being proposed. The research team also recently discovered that a synergistic increase in the antitumor activity of cannabinoids can be produced by combining specific ratios of multiple plant cannabinoids. Dr Qian is both a physician and a scientist. She is currently a board certified psychiatrist and the Medical Director at the San Francisco Mental Health Rehabilitation Facility. She received an M.D. degree from Beijing Medical University in mainland China (currently Beijing University Medical School). She also received a Ph.D. degree from the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Her doctoral work described neuronal changes in dopamine receptor function and gene expression in response to antipsychotic medication. Dr. Qian completed two years of postdoctoral research training at the University of California San Francisco as well as psychiatry residency training at San Mateo County General Hospital in California. As a research consultant at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, Dr. Qian's main research interest is incorporating traditional Chinese medical treatment modalities with Western medical treatment for cancer. Dr. Qian is a bridge builder and has formed many alliances with institutions in China. Dr. Qian's combined expertise in Western and Eastern medicine as well as her formal scientific training brings a comprehensive and discerning perspective to the SETH Group. Ms. Sontheimer studied quantum physics and philosophy at Mount Holyoke College where she received her bachelor's degree. She has worked as a grant writer for San Francisco performing art troupes and also spent several years on Wall Street in an administrative position at Lehman Brothers. She is a published author and yoga teacher. Combining her analytical and creative talents, Ms. Sontheimer furthers The SETH Group's innovative research program by facilitating organizational development and public relations.