Join a multidisciplinary panel of experts for an interactive, evidence-based discussion on cannabis use during pregnancy, including ongoing research at WSU and opportunities for participants to get involved.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the science of cannabis and the endocannabinoid system.
• Review empirical data on cannabis use during pregnancy, including effects on maternal mental health and neonatal/offspring outcomes.
• Examine myths and misconceptions about cannabis use during pregnancy.

Moderator:

Sonia S. Hassan, M.D., MBA, Dr. Hassan is Associate Vice-President at Wayne State University (WSU), a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and the Founding Director of the Office of Women's Health at WSU. She leads the SOS MATERNITY Network in Michigan, a statewide implementation science program to reduce preeclampsia and preterm birth, the leading causes of maternal and infant mortality. The SOS MATERNITY Network is composed of 20 leading universities, hospital systems, and private practices that care for over 50,000 deliveries annually. Dr. Hassan has authored or co-authored over 400 publications and several patents and was the lead author of a landmark international trial, which demonstrated an intervention that decreases preterm birth by 45%. Dr. Hassan was an NIH-funded researcher for over 19 years and previously served as the Project Site Manager for the $165 million contract for the Perinatology Research Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health, on behalf of WSU.

Panelists:

Leslie Lundahl, Ph.D., Dr. Lundahl is a Professor in the Substance Addiction Research Division in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Wayne State University School of Medicine. She is a clinical psychologist and behavioral pharmacologist whose research focuses on understanding and treating substance use disorders. Her work includes clinical care and research with pregnant individuals receiving treatment for substance use disorders, with a focus on improving outcomes for both parents and infants. Dr. Lundahl has led numerous NIH- and state-funded studies on substance use and currently leads clinical trials examining the effects of cannabinoids on PTSD and pain.

Hillary Marusak, Ph.D., Dr. Marusak is a developmental neuroscientist and tenured Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Wayne State University School of Medicine. She directs the Division of Cannabinoids in Neurodevelopment (CANDID) and the THINK Lab, which use neuroimaging and behavioral approaches to study the effects of cannabis, stress, and the endocannabinoid system on brain development and mental health in youth.

Dr. Marusak is a PI or MPI on studies funded by the National Institutes of Health, One Mind, and the State of Michigan. She is an Associate Member of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) and serves as a Non-Voting Associate Member of the ACNP Council. She also holds national leadership and editorial roles, co-founded Science Policy Network–Detroit, and hosts the BrainSTEM podcast to share evidence-based brain science with the public.

Biyyiah Strickland, MSN, RN,  a Jonas Scholar and PhD student at Wayne State University College of Nursing, with more than 15 years of nursing experience. She serves as the Student Principal Investigator for the Detroit-based CannaMama study.

Her doctoral work focuses on cannabis and CBD use during pregnancy, with attention to maternal mental health, sociodemographic factors, and structural conditions that shape use and care experiences. Her broader research interests center on cannabis use among marginalized populations, including Black communities, and approaches that aim to reduce disparities in research, care, and health outcomes.