Stephen Ross: Psychedelic-assisted therapies for difficult-to-treat psychiatric and medical disorders

A single dose of psilocybin combined with psychotherapy produced rapid, substantial, and enduring reductions in anxiety and depression among advanced cancer patients, according to a landmark 2016 study that attracted 1.7 billion media views. The work, led by Professor Stephen Ross at NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine, also demonstrated efficacy for alcohol use disorder and major depressive disorder. Ross secured the first National Cancer Institute grant for psychedelic research in over 50 years, helping revive a dormant field. His ongoing research extends into pain management, early-stage cancer interventions, and possible anti-inflammatory properties of psychedelics, aiming to address conditions with substantial unmet needs.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Professor Stephen Ross is a prominent faculty member in the Departments of Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine who has transformed the landscape of psychedelic research since 2006. In this Genomic Press Interview, Dr. Ross reveals how as co-director of the NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine and director of its research training program, he has spearheaded groundbreaking clinical trials demonstrating the remarkable efficacy of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for treating existential distress in advanced cancer patients, alcohol use disorder, and major depressive disorder. His 2016 landmark study showing rapid, substantial, and enduring improvements in cancer-related anxiety and depression following single-dose psilocybin treatment garnered global attention with 1.7 billion media views. It rejuvenated a dormant field of psychiatric research. Despite early career warnings that psychedelic research was “a road to nowhere,” Dr. Ross persevered to secure the first National Cancer Institute grant for psychedelic research in over 50 years, establishing NYU as a pioneering institution in psychedelic medicine. Throughout his 25-year career at NYU, he has balanced research innovation with clinical leadership, directing Bellevue Hospital's substance abuse division for 12 years, receiving numerous teaching awards, and maintaining a compassion-driven approach inspired by early experiences with hospice care. His current research extends beyond psychiatry into pain management, early-stage cancer interventions, and the potential anti-inflammatory properties of psychedelics, reflecting his commitment to developing novel therapeutics for conditions with substantial unmet needs and public health burden.