WARD TRANSLATIONAL
NEUROSCIENCE & BEHAVIOR LAB
The Ward Translational Neuroscience & Behavior lab is focused on advancing cannabis science through rigorous translational research, exploring the intersections of cannabinoid pharmacology and human behavior to drive innovation in nervous system health.
Drs. Ward, Ippolito, and Li in the lab
Sean Hayduk prior to taking first prize in the poster competition
Research Projects
Development of novel treatments for Methamphetamine Use Disorder
Investigating the anti-tumor properties of plant-based and novel cannabinoids
Cannabinoid-based therapeutics for neuropathic pain
Reduction of Opioid Use Disorder symptons
Investigating cannabidiol (CBD) for the prevention chemotherapy‑induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in rodent models and translating these findings into the clinic, evaluating a novel synthetic CBD analogue designed to retain the protective, analgesic actions of CBD while optimizing its suitability as an FDA‑approved therapeutic for patients experiencing cancer‑related nerve pain.
Developing opioid-sparing strategies, reducing reliance on traditional opioids while maintaining effective analgesia, directly alleviating symptoms of opioid use disorder, including withdrawal, cravings, and reinstatement, through distinct cannabinoid mechanisms, paving the way for safer alternatives in addiction and pain management.
Tackling methamphetamine use disorder through testing compounds that boost brain signaling to reduce cravings and relapse by reducing neuroinflammation and promoting neural plasticity.
Studying how CBD and structurally related cannabinoids suppress colorectal, breast, and liver cancers using in vitro systems and rodent models, focusing on mechanisms such as apoptosis, inhibition of proliferation and metastasis, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment.
Lab Member Biographies
Dr. Hongbo Li
Hongbo Li, MD, PhD, is an Associate Scientist at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, who originally trained and practiced as a cardiologist after earning her medical degree in China. She joined Dr. Ward’s laboratory as a doctoral student and has worked in the lab since receiving her PhD in Physiology in 2014, contributing continuously to its research programs in neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain. She brings exceptional technical and analytical skills in rodent models of neurological disease, sophisticated histology and immunohistochemistry, and a wide range of molecular biology methods that make her an indispensable member of the team.
Dr. Mike Ippolito
Mike’s research focuses on how cannabis‑derived and cannabinoid‑mimetic drugs can be developed into effective treatments for cancer‑related pain and chemotherapy‑induced peripheral neuropathy. He earned his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Thomas Jefferson University, where he also completed a master’s degree in Medical Cannabis Science and first met Dr. Ward. He combines expertise in GPCR pharmacology, biased signaling, and in vivo neuropathic pain and tumor models to dissect the mechanisms and therapeutic potential of compounds such as cannabidiol analogues.
Aidan Ellis
Aidan joined the Ward lab as a Neuroscience PhD student in 2023 and is investigating how GPR55 receptor antagonists, including cannabidiol (CBD), can mitigate adverse effects of opioid therapy. His project focuses on reducing opioid tolerance and withdrawal by targeting GPR55-mediated signaling pathways in preclinical models. Through this work, Aidan is developing strong expertise in behavioral pharmacology, rodent models of opioid dependence, and the neurobiology of pain and addiction.
Sean Hayduk
Sean first joined the Ward lab in 2019 and has since grown from undergraduate researcher to technician, lab manager, and now doctoral trainee. His research focuses on methamphetamine self-administration and the therapeutic potential of combining a selective PDE4B inhibitor (11H) with psilocybin to reduce relapse-like behavior after early life stress. Sean is especially interested in how neuroinflammation and aberrant hippocampal plasticity drive vulnerability to substance use disorders, and he is developing strong expertise in rodent self-administration models, stress paradigms, and mechanistic analyses of neuroimmune and neuroplastic pathways.
Current Events, Favorite Sites, and Friends of the Lab
ICRS Conference, Dijon France
Cannabis Research in the News
Need in Deed
Take a hike!
Contact the CTNB Lab
Showing off our collaborative laboratory environment with the Daws lab
Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Medical and Educational Research Building
3500 North Broad Street
Philadelphia PA 19140
saraward@temple.edu