Background

Dr. Gabriella Gobbi

Professor

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Department of Psychiatry

Office: Ludmer 220

Email: gabriella.gobbi [at] mcgill.ca

Education

  • MD, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
  • Residency, Psychiatry: Policlinico Gemelli, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
  • Internship, Psychiatry: University of Lausanne, Switzerland
  • PhD, Neuroscience: University of Cagliari, Italy
  • Post-doc: Dept. Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada
  • Post-doc: Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Canada

Positions and Honors

Canada Research Chair in Therapeutics for Mental Health (Tier 1)(2021-2028)

Elected Secretary, International College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CINP)(2021-2025)

Director of Research, Dept. Psychiatry MUHC (2020-2024)

Full Professor (tenured) (2018)

Councilor, International Collegium Neuropsychopharmacology (CINP) (2018)

Member of the Education and Training Committee, American college of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) (2018)

CME/CPD Co-Director, Department Psychiatry, McGill University (2017)

Co-leader, Mental Illness and Addiction (2010-2014)

Member of the Space Committee, Ludmer Research and Training Building (2010-2016)

Psychiatrist, MUHC, Montréal, Canada (Active member) (2008)

Associate Professor, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (Tenure-Track: 2016, Fast-track tenure: 2017) (2008-2018)

Psychiatrist, “L. H. Lafontaine Hospital”, Montreal, Canada (2007-2008)

Psychiatrist, “Institut Philippe Pinel de Montreal”, Montreal, Canada (2002-2007)

Assistant Professor, Dept of Psychiatry, Univ. de Montreal, Montreal, Canada (2002-2008)

Adjunct Professor, Dept of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada (2002-2008)

Postdoctoral Fellow, McGill University, Montreal, Canada (Dr M. Avoli) (2000-2001)

Postdoctoral Fellow, McGill University, Montreal, Canada (Dr P. Blier) (1998-2000)

PhD Fellow, Dept. of Neuroscience, Cagliari, Italy (Prof. G. Gessa) (1995-1998)

Resident in Psychiatry, Policlinics “A. Gemelli”, Rome, Italy (1991-1995)


Awards

  • 2022 Sumitomo/Sunovion Brain Health Basic Research Award, The International College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CINP)
  • 2022 Innovations in Neuropsychopharmacology Award, Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CCNP)
  • 2020 Principal's prize for public engagement through media, McGill University
  • 2017 Dr. Samarthji Lal Award, Graham Boeckh Foundation
  • 2015 Venezia prize, Italian Chamber of Commerce of Canada
  • 2014 Medal for Merit, city of Osimo
  • 2012 Young investigator award, Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CCNP)
  • 2011-2015 FRSQ (Quebec Gov), Senior Research Scholarship
  • 2007-2010 FRSQ (Quebec Gov), Junior II Research Scholarship
  • 2005-2006 CPRF (Canadian Psychiatric Research Foundation) Award for young investigator
  • 2002-2006 FRSQ (Quebec Gov), Junior I Research Scholarship
  • 2001-2003 CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • 1999-2001 CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • 1999 Award for the best paper presented by a young researcher, World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry
  • 1998 Wyeth-Ayerst Canada Fellowship
  • 1998-1999 Postdoctoral Fellowship, Victoria Hospital Research Institute, Montreal, Canada
  • 1991-1995 Resident Fellowship (Ministry of University and Scientific Research, Italy)
  • 1995-2000 Doctoral Fellowship (Ministry of University and Scientific Research, Italy)

Dr. Gabriella Gobbi is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University.

Dr. Gobbi leads a laboratory of basic science (Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit), holds the Canadian Research Chair in Therapeutics for Mental Health, and works as a Staff Psychiatrist at the Mood Disorder Clinic of the McGill University Health Center. Her research approach spans from bench to bedside, bridging the gaps between fundamental and clinical research.

Dr. Gobbi received her MD (1991) and her specialty in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (1995) from the Catholic University of Rome (Italy). She also earned a PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Cagliari (Italy) and finalized a post-doc at McGill University (Montreal, Canada) in 2001.

Dr Gobbi’s lab is interested in understanding the pathophysiology of mental diseases and discover new treatments and cures for them. i) Her laboratory is studying the short- and long-term effects of cannabis use in mood and anxiety, and the potential beneficial effects of the drugs acting on the endocannabinoid system (endogenous cannabis) in the cure of mental diseases. ii) Her lab also discovered and patented novel selective agonists of the melatonin MT1 and MT2 receptors for pain, insomnia, and anxiety. iii) More recently, she published and patented research unveiling the mechanism of action of LSD and psychedelics in social anxiety and post-stress anxiety.

Dr. Gobbi is author of more than 130 highly cited manuscripts in high impact journals, 20 book chapters, one book and inventor of international patents in psychopharmacology. Her research is highly financed by governmental agencies (CIHR, FRQS, MEIE, CQDM) and private sector. In recognition of her achievement she was awarded with many prizes, including with the Venezia Prize in 2015, the Samarthji Lal prize in 2017 from the Boeckh Foundation, the McGill University Principal’s Prize for Media Engagement in 2019, the Brain Research Award from the CINP (International College of Neuropsychopharmacology) in 2022 and the Award for Innovations in Psychopharmacology from the CCNP (Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology) in 2022. She is a Fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and Secretary elected of the CINP.

Trilingual speaker, she has been invited to speak at conferences around the world and has served as reviewer/editor for many journals, international grant agencies in Europe and the USA. Dr Gobbi served as an expert witness for the Canadian Senate (2012), the Ministry of Health (2019) and the Ministry of Justice (2019) of Quebec for the cannabis legislation, her studies on cannabis have influenced policies raising the age of cannabis consumption from 18 to 21 yo in Quebec and banning the advertisement of cannabis.

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