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Imran Khan
Strategy and communications advisor for science & society
Imran Khan is the Executive Director of the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics (BCSP), a position he has held since May 2022. His role involves leading initiatives that explore the scientific, social, and health implications of psychedelics through research, training, and public education.13 Khan has a diverse background, having previously served as CEO of the British Science Association and Head of Public Engagement at Wellcome, a major scientific foundation.13
Education and Career Background
Khan holds several degrees:
- BA in Biological Sciences from the University of Oxford
- MSc in Science Communication from Imperial College London
- MBA from Bayes Business School in London.14
His career spans various roles including policy campaigner, journalist, and strategy advisor. He has been involved in psychedelic research since 2021 with UCSF's TrPR psychedelic program and has contributed to discussions at high-profile events such as the World Economic Forum and Aspen Ideas Festival.134
Contributions to Psychedelic Research
Under Khan's leadership, the BCSP has made significant strides in psychedelic research and education. Notable achievements include:
- Launching educational programs like "Psychedelics and the Mind"
- Conducting public surveys on attitudes toward psychedelics
- Expanding research initiatives and community engagement efforts.25
Khan's work emphasizes the importance of evidence-based education and aims to facilitate a greater understanding of psychedelics' therapeutic potential.35 He is also known for his engaging public speaking style, often moderating discussions on the future of psychedelic science.5
Personal Interests
In his personal life, Khan describes himself as an "irreversible nerd" passionate about science and social change. He enjoys outdoor activities such as trail running and rock climbing, and resides in a floating home in Sausalito with his family.14
For more professional insights, he can be found on LinkedIn under the username imrankhansf.4
Highlights
It's been an enormous privilege to serve as the first permanent Executive Director of the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics (BCSP), and help grow the organization from a core group of passionate faculty to a thriving community of researchers, communicators, scholars, funders, and practitioners.
As a new inter-disciplinary center at the intersection of psychedelics, science, and society I'm proud that we've launched cutting-edge neuroscience studies, delivered free online courses about the science and culture of psychedelics, fostered independent journalism and podcasts, incubated a professional training program, and much more. Thank you so much to our amazing team for supporting me, and to faculty including Michael Silver and Michael Pollan for trusting me with the role in the first place.
Over the last few weeks I've been handing over to my talented successor, Andrea Venezia, and I'm looking forward to staying part of the BCSP community as an advisor.
I'm switching into a portfolio period, and looking forward to the opportunity to work with a number of amazing organizatons including the BCSP, Sunstone Therapies, Simons Foundation, and others - as well as taking slow time to work on some writing projects.
One thing I'm actively looking for is volunteering or community opportunities to make a difference in the big election coming up this fall - if you have any tips or pointers, let me know.
In the meantime, see some of you in the desert next week?! 🔥
We know that psychedelics can produce profound changes in consciousness - but we're only beginning to understand how, and why.
Really excited about this new psilocybin & fMRI brain imaging study we're launching at UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics that aims to change that 🍄 🧠 🔬 👇
