Aidan Hampson
About Aidan Hampson
Aidan Hampson serves as a Program Officer in the Science Office Division of Pharmacotherapeutic Development at the National Institute on Drug Abuse/NIH, where he has worked since 2011. He has a strong background in pharmacology and biochemistry, with significant contributions to drug development and cannabis science.
Work at National Institutes of Health
Aidan Hampson has served as a Program Officer in the Science Office Division of Pharmacotherapeutic Development at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), since 2011. In this role, he has focused on drug development and research related to substance use disorders. Hampson previously worked as a Scientific Review Officer at NIDA from 2008 to 2011. His contributions include leading the development of a kratom-derived drug product aimed at treating opioid withdrawal and drug relapse.
Education and Expertise
Aidan Hampson earned his PhD in Lipid Biochemistry from Swansea University, where he studied from 1988 to 1992. He completed postdoctoral studies in Marine Toxicology at Stony Brook University from 1992 to 1994 and further pursued a postdoctoral fellowship in Pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco, from 1994 to 1996. His educational background supports his expertise in pharmacology and toxicology, particularly in relation to drug development and cannabis science.
Background
Before joining NIH, Aidan Hampson worked as a Senior Scientist at Cortex Pharmaceuticals from 2000 to 2008 in Irvine, California. He also held a fellowship in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco, from 1994 to 1996. His diverse background in both academic and industrial settings has contributed to his extensive knowledge in pharmacotherapeutic development.
Achievements
Aidan Hampson has made significant contributions to the field of pharmacotherapy. He co-led the development of the Standard Research E-Cigarette (SREC) to enhance clinical research. Hampson innovated the use of acetazolamide microdoses for monitoring medication adherence, resulting in publications in 2016 and 2020. He was also the NIDA representative in the collaboration that led to the FDA approval of Lucemyra™, a medication for opioid withdrawal, in 2018. His work has been recognized with the Mitchell-Balter Award for PharmacoEpidemiology.
Patents and Publications
Aidan Hampson authored a patent that established the antioxidant value of cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (US Patent: #6630507). His research has led to multiple publications, particularly focusing on innovative approaches to drug development and adherence monitoring. His work in cannabis science has positioned him as a subject expert, advising regulatory and non-profit organizations.