A growing room is being built by St. Anne’s University Hospital to conduct research into medical cannabis. Researchers from the International Center for Clinical Research will study the use of cannabinoids in treating illnesses as well as factors influencing plant production. Photo Credit: Freepik / Illustrative Photo.
Brno, Feb 12 (BD) – St. Anne’s University Hospital (FNUSA) in Brno is establishing its own cannabis research plant to serve as infrastructure for the Cannabis Research Center (CRC). The facility will be used by researchers from the International Center for Clinical Research (ICRC) to conduct studies of medical cannabis.
According to specialists from ICRC, this comprehensive cannabis research will cover a wide range of areas, including the study of genetics, constituents, and new applications to treat diseases. Dr. Václav Trojan, Head of the ICRC Clinical-Pharmacological Unit, explained that apart from THC, there are over 140 cannabinoids present in the plant which are exempt from legal restrictions.
“There is huge scope for research for many years to come,” said Trojan. “The use of not only individual cannabinoids, but also the whole extract still raises many questions that need to be answered, thus, of course, strengthening or refuting the arguments and providing clear data for the treatment of patients with different diagnoses.’’
The research team has already completed their first clinical study on Czech medical cannabis, the results of which will give patients a better understanding of their medication and their ability to drive while using it. The cannabis growing room is expected to be ready for the researchers to start growing medical cannabis in the middle of this year. The facility will also be used to implement clinical trials with healthy volunteers or patients.
“Production alone will not be the only use of the growing room. The technology will make it possible to study external factors such as light, temperature and others which influence the production of the plants themselves and their yield – for example, cannabinoid ingredients which are naturally produced by the plant,” said Trojan.
The facility at FNUSA is located close to where Gregor Johann Mendel lived and conducted his experiments. “Next year marks 200 years since his birth, and he himself mentioned in his writings a plant called Cannabis gigantea. Therefore, growing cannabis in the hospital is actually a continuation of the legacy of the father of genetics, Mendel, who himself worked partly at FNUSA.”
