Gary Stephens

Professor Gary Stephens is a Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Reading's School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy. He serves as Programme Director for the BSc Pharmacology program and holds editorial roles at the British Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmaceuticals journal. His research focuses on ion channel modulation, synaptic transmission, and the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids and psychedelics in pain, epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and ataxia. Notable projects include investigating presynaptic calcium channels and GPCRs in disease, psychedelic drug effects on pain, and plant-derived cannabinoid therapies.

His research group employs patch clamp electrophysiology and brain slice studies, with a focus on molecular determinants of ion channel modulation. He is affiliated with the Calcium Channel Network, Ion Channels @ Reading, and the Centre for Neuroscience and Neurodynamics. He received the Fellowship of the British Pharmacological Society. His work spans drug discovery, natural product pharmacology, and translational neuroscience, with contributions to understanding cannabinoid and psychedelic mechanisms in neurological conditions.

Key research themes include CACHD1 protein function, calcium channel targeting in pain, and psychedelic drug effects. His collaborative projects aim to bridge basic science and clinical applications, with studies on anticonvulsant cannabinoids and SUMOylation's role in neuroprotection. His publications span over three decades, emphasizing ion channel physiology, drug development, and neuropharmacology.