Research Team

Professor O’Brien is Chief Scientific Officer of Releaf Group Ltd and Academic Director of the International College of Cannabinoid Medicine, an online learning platform offering education on medicinal cannabis for healthcare practitioners (www.iccm.co). She is an Adjunct Professor at Torrens University. She has a strong academic career in the fields of Chinese medicine, integrative medicine, and, since 2018, in medicinal cannabis. She has worked for the Victorian Department of Human Services, and held senior leadership roles in the university and private education sector. An internationally recognised expert in Chinese medicine and integrative medicine, she has published extensively, including a book on integrative oncology (US: Springer, 2017). Kylie’s second book – on mental health and medicinal cannabis – is due for publication in 2020. She is a member of the Australian government’s Tertiary Education and Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA) Expert Panel and a previous member of the TGA Advisory Committee for Complementary Medicines.  

Kylie has been leading doctor education on medicinal cannabis in Australia since 2018. Her courses were the first to receive RACGP Category 1 CPD accreditation. She also set up the pathway via the National Institute of Integrative Medicine Ethics Committee for doctors to apply to become authorised prescribers of medicinal cannabis under the TGA’s Authorised Prescriber Scheme.

He currently holds a number of Board Director positions including on the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) in South Australia, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and as Chair of the Eldercare Aged Care Board.  He is also Chair of the South Australian Ambulance Service Clinical Governance Sub Committee and Interim Chair of the Global Centre of Modern Ageing, an innovative aged care start up. He continues to be an active GP.

Dr. Philip Blair, MD, (Colonel, US Army, retired) is a Family Physician and consultant in disease management in the Northwest USA. He graduated from West Point in 1972, attended the University of Miami School of Medicine, training as an Army Family Physician and serving as a combat physician in the first Gulf War. After medical assignments in three continents and 29 years in uniform, he retired from the Army and has been consulting on complex disease management since 2000.

Dr. Blair has been studying, treating, and lecturing about the human body’s natural endocannabinoid system (ECS) since 2014. His goal is to restore health and performance by enhancing the ECS using diet, exercise, appropriate medications and non-psychoactive therapies.

Dr Blair is the Chief Medical Officer of the International College of Cannabinoid Medicine (www.iccm.co) where he is very involved in education provision for healthcare practitioners.

Alkyoni Athanasiou-Fragkouli is the Research Officer for Project Twenty21. After completing a master’s degree in Clinical Neuroscience at University College London, she worked in research for 3 years investigating rare neuromuscular disorders and dementia. She has developed an interest in drug research, particularly the therapeutic use of psychedelics and benefits of medical cannabis. Alkyoni is committed to fighting the battle to overcome barriers to medical cannabis in the UK and ensure patients get the access they need.

Dr. Mihindu Jayasuriya completed his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at Deakin University (2017). He has since used his clinical experience and passion for cannabinoid medicine to transition to working at Releaf Clinics. Currently he holds the position of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Releaf Group Limited.

Professor Barnes is a neurologist and has worked in the cannabis field for over 20 years. He supervised the first cannabis prescription in the UK for a child with drug-resistant epilepsy – Alfie Dingley. He founded the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society in 2018 and in 2021 founded the Cannabis Industry Council. He also runs, with the campaigner Hannah Deacon, Maple Tree Medical Cannabis Consultancy. He is Chief Medical Officer of the Drug Science T21 programme

Michelle completed her Bachelor in Pharmaceutical Science in 2014 and has been involved in Phase 1 clinical trials extensively, assisting in the screening, conduct of ongoing inpatient and outpatient trials and post-trial data management with GCP compliance. With more than 7 years experience in the phase 1 clinical trial industry, she strives to gain more knowledge in clinical research. She completed her Master in Nursing Science in 2017 and has worked as a Registered Nurse specializing in Day Surgery and Perioperative Care. She has since extended her research experience by taking on the role of Study Coordinator at Releaf Group Ltd for Project Twenty21 Australia, an observational study following patients prescribed medicinal cannabis for chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD and MS.