Ram Kandasamy

Ram Kandasamy, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at California State University, East Bay (CSUEB), where he has served since 2019 and earned early tenure in 2024. He teaches courses in Physiological Psychology, Experimental Psychology, and Drugs and Behavior, while mentoring undergraduate research trainees. His NIH-funded research focuses on developing non-opioid pain treatments, particularly through multitarget enzyme inhibitors for orofacial and inflammatory pain. He actively involves undergraduates in all research stages, many of whom have published and presented at national conferences.

Dr. Kandasamy holds a B.S. in Neuroscience and Psychology (magna cum laude, Washington State University) and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience (Washington State University, Vancouver). His postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan Medical School explored opioid analgesics and their abuse potential. He serves as Principal Investigator for the Beckman Scholars Program and previously led the Center for Student Research as Interim Director.

His research integrates behavioral neuroscience, pharmacology, and translational models, with a focus on cannabinoid analgesia, opioid receptor modulation, and enzyme inhibitor development. Key contributions include pioneering wheel-running assays for pain assessment and advancing understanding of pain mechanisms in chronic conditions.

• Grants/Leadership: NIH-funded projects, Beckman Scholars Program PI, ASPET executive roles, CSUBIOTECH Faculty Consensus Group
• Labs/Teams: Active lab developing pain therapies, undergraduate research mentorship focus

Current research emphasizes dual inhibitors targeting FAAH and sEH enzymes, as well as cannabinoid-based pain therapies. His work bridges basic science and clinical applications, fostering student development through hands-on research opportunities.