David E. Olson, a professor of chemistry, and biochemistry and molecular medicine at the University of California, Davis, was recently appointed editor-in-chief of ACS Chemical Neuroscience, a transdisciplinary publication of the American Chemical Society that focuses on the use of chemical and molecular tools for understanding the nervous system and identifying new neurotherapeutics.
“As ACS Chemical Neuroscience is the top journal in my specific area of research, it’s a wonderful opportunity for me to shape the direction of my field over the course of the next 5 to 10 years,” said Olson. “I will work tirelessly to ensure that ACS Chemical Neuroscience has a lasting impact on the trajectory of neuroscience research and inspires a new generation of chemical neuroscientists.”
Olson previously served as an associate editor for ACS Chemical Neuroscience. He has also served on the editorial advisory board for the publication as well as the journals ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science, iScience, and Psychedelic Medicine.
“David’s appointment as the editor-in-chief of ACS Chemical Neuroscience really speaks to his international leadership in this field,” said Professor Peter Beal, chair of the Department of Chemistry. “It also speaks to the strength of the training and research ecosystem we have created in the Chemistry Department and the Graduate Program in Chemistry & Chemical Biology.”
Why chemistry is essential in neuroscience
As editor-in-chief of ACS Chemical Neuroscience, Olson said his overarching goal is to highlight that chemistry and molecular science are at the heart of all neuroscience research.
“When you consider the fact that neuroscience is a field that is inherently chemical — from the small molecule neurotransmitters, psychoactive drugs and therapeutics that control behavior to the analytical techniques used to quantify changes in brain dynamics — you quickly realize the potential for a journal with a molecular perspective to shape the entire neuroscience field,” Olson said.
Olson joined the UC Davis faculty in 2015 with joint appointments in the Department of Chemistry, housed in the College of Letters and Science; and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, housed in the School of Medicine. His research expertise spans central nervous system medicinal chemistry, molecular/cellular neurobiology and behavioral neuropharmacology.
"It has certainly been gratifying to watch David become a scientific star,” said Beal, who was on Olson’s hiring committee. “His research program beautifully blends organic chemistry and neurobiology in a truly unique way.”
David Olson's research on psychoplastogens and neurotherapeutics
Olson’s lab first discovered that psychedelics from multiple classes promote the growth of key neurons in the brain, making them candidates for drug development for a host of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. His team coined the term “psychoplastogen” to describe therapeutic molecules that produce rapid and long-lasting neuronal effects after a single dose.
Building off this research, Olson became the founding director of the UC Davis Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics, which aims to advance understanding of the neurobiology of psychedelics and translate that knowledge into safe and effective therapeutics for a wide range of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases.
Olson is also co-founder and chief innovation officer of Delix Therapeutics, which aims to develop safe and effective non-hallucinogenic psychoplastogens, and bring them to market. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Jordi Folch-Pi Award from the American Society for Neurochemistry, the Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences Rising Star Award, the Sigma Xi Young Investigator Award, the Life Young Investigator Award and the Sacramento Business Journal's 40 Under 40, among many other awards and honors.
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