Psychedelics

Advancing Science & Application to Improve Mental Health

The Charmaine & Gordon McGill Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin aims to advance the application of psychedelics for the treatment of mental health disorders through impactful clinical research.

The Fonzo Lab is proud to be affiliated with the center, as our team works jointly with our clinical trials team under this division driving its progress. The center — the first of its kind in Texas — looks to improve the health of those suffering from severe and treatment-resistant forms of mental health disorders. Currently the center is conducting research with psychedelic-assisted interventions for:

• Treatment-Resistant Depression
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Neurocognitive Dysfunction and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) as a result of military combat exposure
• Prolonged Grief

As our horizons continue to grow, we will be expanding our research initiatives to include a wider range of mental health disorders. The Charmaine & Gordon McGill Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy is focused on achieving its five core missions.

Develop and Test Novel Therapies

• • To better understand optimal psychedelic compounds and their administration for consistent therapeutic effects — and to develop new psychedelic drugs and methods of administration — the center investigates:
    • Types of psychotherapy and drugs offered;
    • Settings under which therapy is conducted;
    • Potential for combining or sequencing other treatment methods; and
    • Preparatory or post-psychedelic augmentations that prolong or enhance therapeutic effects.

Optimize the Delivery of Treatments

• • The center pursues research to develop clinical decision-making tools that assist clinicians to better psychedelic-assisted therapy, from treatment selection to administration. This includes the identification of biological markers of treatment response and the development of artificial intelligence-based or machine-learning approaches to individualized prediction.

Understand Biological and Psychological Mechanisms

• • With the goal of developing more effective forms of treatment and discovering breakthroughs, the center investigates the mechanisms that underlie the therapeutic effects of psychedelic-assisted therapies across levels and processes, including brain function and structure, neuroendocrine signaling, neuroimmune signaling, inflammation, epigenetics, and psychological and neuropsychological domains.

Serve the Mental Health Needs of Austin and Central Texas

• • The center contributes to the improvement of mental health in the Austin and greater Central Texas community by affording eligible individuals access to psychedelic-assisted therapies through clinical research studies.

Promote Community Education and Train Mental Health Practitioners

• • The center contributes to educating both the public as well as aspiring and practicing mental health professionals regarding the latest scientific advances and practical applications of psychedelics for mental health purposes.