Dennis Jon McKenna is an American ethnopharmacologist, research pharmacognosist, lecturer and author. He received his doctorate in botanical sciences from the University of British Columbia and completed post-doctoral research fellowships in the National Institute of Mental Health and in the Department of Neurology at Stanford University School of Medicine.

His research has included the pharmacology, botany, and chemistry of ayahuasca and oo-koo-hé, the subjects of his master's thesis. He has also conducted extensive fieldwork in the Peruvian, Colombian, and Brazilian Amazon. Having authored numerous scientific articles and books, McKenna’s work led to the development of natural products for Aveda Corporation as well as greater awareness of natural products and medicines. Additionally, together with his brother Terence McKenna and Jeremy Bigwood, he developed a technique for cultivating psilocybin mushrooms, and published what they had learned in a book Psilocybin - Magic Mushroom Grower’s Guide.

With that immense experience and knowledge of psychedelics, Dennis McKenna is a founding board member and the director of ethnopharmacology at the Heffter Research Institute, A non-profit which investigates the potential medicinal uses of these substances.

Tune in to this week’s episode to find out about the true significance of ethnopharmacology and a conference organised by Dennis that you’ll be able to stream online very soon!