Cannabis Science and Technology® Announces Incoming Class of Editorial Advisory Board Members

Cannabis Science and Technology® is excited to share the addition of several new members to its editorial advisory board in their incoming 2022 class. New board members include:

• Katherine M. Evans, Longboard Scientific Consulting Company
• Adam Jacques, ZED Therapeutics
• Paul Lessard, Varin Science & Engineering, LLC
• Jumar Pasion, Principle Consultant
• Christian West, ZED Therapeutics

Katherine M. Evans, PhD has more than 25 years’ experience as an analytical chemist in a variety of industries including toxicology, pharmaceuticals, botanicals, cannabis, and hemp with an instrumentation focus of chromatography and mass spectrometry. She holds a PhD from the University of Akron in analytical chemistry with emphasis on polymer chemistry, with several publications on modeling of Hansen Solubility Parameters and Permeation Data of hand protection (Viton and Nitrile glove materials). She has worked for several instrumentation vendors including Waters Corporation and Thermo Fisher Scientific supporting chromatography methods development and operation, as well as training and application development and support. While at Thermo Fisher she managed the North American Applications Team and participated in the launch of new sample preparation products and provided assistance in marketing and developing application notes for the first solid core particle HPLC column. She has also worked with a team of pharmacists and physicians to develop a generic transdermal pain patch (cGMP), including in-house QC testing and CRO testing-developed validated methods (HPLC [USP], FT-IR, dissolution, stability testing, extractables and leachables testing, peel testing, viscosity), manufacturing (specialized coating and heat sealing equipment, dispensing equipment, labeling and packaging), DEA licensing, and FDA-ANDA submission, leading to company purchase by major generic pharmaceutical company—as well as being a transdermal patent holder. She has expertise in toxicology and ran a pain management laboratory on the big island of Hawaii where she set-up two laboratories including drug screening and high complexity testing LC–MS/MS of pain panels, added robotics, sample cleanup and staff to support growing substance abuse business. She currently holds ASCP Chemical Technologist certification and is licensed as a CLS in Hawaii. During the last few years, Dr. Evans has participated in committees for standard development including: USP, AOAC, ASTM and NELAC. The hemp and cannabis space is still a very young industry, and she brings significant industry experience which enables her to perform both methods development and methods validation. As a former VP of Lab Operations – Global, Laboratory Director and Technical Supervisor, she has performed both internal and external audits ISO/IEC 17025:2017, CLIA/CAP, and most recently participated in the development of D37 ASTM program for certification of testing laboratories in the cannabis and hemp space. This experience has led Dr. Evans to having expansive knowledge in the industry here in the US as well as internationally. She is currently owner/CEO of Longboard Scientific Consulting Corporation located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Adam Jacques is a world-renowned expert with more than 20 years of experience cultivating unique strains of cannabis. Having developed more than 300 high-cannabidiol (CBD) strains of cannabis, Adam has established himself as the foremost expert on CBD genetics and was recognized as the “Most Influential Person in the Northwest and Canadian Cannabis Industry” in 2016 by CannAwards. Adam’s strains Frank’s Gift (24.6%/9%, CBD/THC) and Lucy’s Lion (25.6%/0.3%, CBD/THC) are some of the highest known laboratory-tested CBD strains on earth making him highly sought by pharmaceutical companies and hemp farmers. Adam’s deep passion for helping people in need, coupled with his expertise and vision have touched the lives of patients across the United States, and he has also contributed to the promulgation of “Leni’s Law” in Alabama, which made cannabis medicine more accessible to children suffering with debilitating illnesses. Adam speaks all over the world about his experience with breeding and using CBD to treat patients. He is a featured writer for GROW magazine and has been featured in countless articles and media appearances. Adam also focuses on cannabinoids other than THC and CBD, developing new strains high in extremely unique, rare, and valuable compounds and terpenes such as CBDV, CBG, and CBC. Other skills of note include large-scale cultivation, creating individualized cannabinoid therapies, and developing new products for the cannabis space. He is currently the head geneticist at ZED Therapeutics.

Dr. Paul Lessard is President and Founder of Varin Science and Engineering (VSE) located in Santa Cruz, California. He and his team have more than six years of experience in extraction, distillation, and purification of cannabis to create high-purity, award-winning, pharmaceutical-grade THC and CBD medicinal products and formulations. Dr. Lessard and his team have won multiple First Place product awards including Best Distillate at the Emerald Cup in December 2018. Dr. Lessard also developed technology including:

• Catalytic Pesticide Removal (patent pending), a unique process that removes pesticides from extracted biomass
• Nanoemulsion preparation to decrease onset time for beverages and edibles
• Custom cosmetic, topical, tincture, pet, and vape formulations
• Mushroom extraction and measurement techniques and research

Dr. Lessard's company offers lab design and build, product development and formulation, emulsion and nanoemulsion solutions as well as licensing, joint venture, and other collaborative opportunities in both North and South America. Dr. Lessard has a PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of California, Davis, 1990, and BS degrees in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

Jumar Pasion’s work is directly related to outfitting multiple applicable facilities with the necessary laboratory systems/processes to comply not only with local jurisdiction, but to the same standards as federally regulated industries such as nutraceutical/dietary supplement, pharma and biotech industries. Mr. Pasion brings a finely tuned perspective essential for all laboratory processes, analytical method development and validations along with personnel development; trailblazing the emphasis on building a higher standard of quality and accuracy in the sciences of all applicable industries. His aim is to make an meaningful impact by raising the bar for laboratory standardization, thereby providing the safest and highest quality products for the end consumer. He is part of the American Association for Lab Accreditation Certification(s), ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) Certification, and he has expertise in cGMP laboratory techniques including, but not limited to:

• Method development on GC and LC systems including CO₂ convergence techniques (UPC2)
• ELISA assay development
• protein synthesis
• purification
• DNA isolation
• PCR,
• reagent reconstitution/preparation
• serial dilutions
• protein microarrays
• surface chemistry for immobilizing proteins and nucleic acids, and
• point-of-care assay development.

Christian West has been cultivating cannabis for more than 20 years. Christian has long experimented with a wide array of cannabis genetics and growing techniques, through which he has achieved great knowledge of all facets of cannabis horticulture. He spreads his knowledge by educating growers and entrepreneurs worldwide. Christian has experience designing and implementing large scale licensed cannabis production facilities for the medical and adult-use markets around the United States. Prior to the legalization of adult-use cannabis, Christian operated his own business growing medical cannabis and producing edible, smokable, and topical products for the licensed medical dispensary market. Christian is now working on adapting his growing techniques to the novel hemp cultivars produced by ZED Therapeutics and bringing hemp cultivation to a higher standard.

Welcome to all of our new editorial advisory board members! For a complete list of the Cannabis Science and Technology® Editorial Advisory Board members please visit: www.cannabissciencetech.com/cannabis-science-and-technology-editorial-advisory-board.