

DR. STACI GRUBER
DIRECTOR
Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core, McLean Hospital
MIND Program, McLean Hospital
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN PSYCHIATRY
Harvard Medical School
biography
Dr. Staci Gruber is the Director of the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core at McLean Hospital’s Brain Imaging Center and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Gruber’s clinical and research focus is the application of neurocognitive models and multimodal brain imaging to better characterize neurobiological risk factors for substance abuse and psychopathology, particularly disruptions of the frontal network. In recent work, her lab has examined the etiologic bases of neural models of dysfunction in patients with bipolar disorder as well as cannabis-using adolescents and adults, the results of which have been published in numerous peer reviewed journals and been the basis of national and international symposia, documentaries and press conferences. Dr. Gruber has also been involved in the application of behavioral science to help shape policies regarding juvenile advocacy and defense; her lab’s work in adolescent development was part of the Amicus brief leading to the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Roper v. Simmons, which states that it is unconstitutional to execute minors. Her ongoing initiative to educate policymakers, judges, attorneys and the general public in the differences between adults and adolescents and the impact of cannabis on the brain has already had both local and national impact on policy formation. Dr. Gruber directs the recently launched the Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery (MIND) Program, designed to clarify the effects of medical cannabis (MC) on brain structure, function, and quality of life.
THE 'POT DOC'
Dr. Gruber is often referred to as the 'Pot Doc' -- but where did this nickname come from? Dr. Gruber first shared the origins of 'Pot Doc' in an interview with Dr. Sanjay Gupta for his CNN documentary entitled WEED. Former research participants actually began referring to Dr. Gruber as the 'Pot Doc' because they had never meet anybody as interested in hearing about their cannabis use as she was! To this day, both recreational cannabis users and medical cannabis patients still fondly use this nickname for Dr. Gruber, who continues to search for answers about the good, the bad, and the truth when it comes to cannabis!
RECENT publications

To learn more about our lab members, please visit our People page!
CCNC
For more info about Dr. Gruber's lab, the CCNC, please click here to view our dedicated webpage.
MIND
For more info about the MIND program, please click here to view our dedicated webpage.