David E. Olson

David E. Olson is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Davis, leading the Olson Lab. His research focuses on psychoplastogens—small molecules that enhance neural plasticity to treat neuropsychiatric disorders like depression and addiction. He employs synthetic chemistry, molecular neurobiology, and behavioral pharmacology to develop next-generation neurotherapeutics.

Education: PhD in Chemistry from Stanford University (2011); BS in Chemistry from Union College (2006). Postdoctoral training at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (2011–2015).

Research Interests

His lab investigates mechanisms of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity, drug design for mental health, and translational neurotherapeutics. Key areas include:

• Development of non-hallucinogenic neuroplastogens (e.g., DLX-001, DLX-159)
• Biosensor-driven drug discovery for brain disorders
• 5-HT2A receptor signaling pathways
• Psychedelic analogs for addiction and depression treatment

Awards & Recognition

• 2023: Mahoney Institute Rising Star Award, UC Davis Chancellor’s Fellow
• 2021: Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar, Listed as Top 100 in Psychedelics
• 2020: Jordi Folch-Pi Award (American Society for Neurochemistry)

Labs & Teams

Olson Lab (UC Davis) focuses on interdisciplinary approaches blending chemistry, neuroscience, and pharmacology. Collaborates with Delix Therapeutics (a top academic spinout) to translate research into clinical therapies.