Contact us
Interested in training to become a Psychedelic-Assisted Services Facilitator? Visit our Trainings page
Other inquiries, please contact psychedelics@ucdenver.edu with your request and we will be happy to help you.
The CU Denver Center for Psychedelic Research (UCDCPR), launched in 2024, is dedicated to improving quality of life through research and education on the effects and therapeutic mechanisms of psychedelic interventions.
We are a comprehensive, transdisciplinary center focused on researching the basic science, therapeutic effects and mechanisms, and social, economic, and public health implications of psychedelic drugs and providing training to prepare the next generation of researchers, clinicians, and community leaders in the responsible and evidence-based use of psychedelic therapies.
In this initial period, the UCDCPR is focused on three areas: research, education, and infrastructure. The center will also conduct events to share with the community and to inform public policymakers.
The CU Denver CPR Facilitator Training Program
The Center has developed an inclusive curriculum drawing upon research, scholarship, and best practices to train facilitators in psychedelic-assisted services, ensuring accessibility, the highest standards of safe and ethical practice, and state licensure compliance.
Through expert-led coursework and strategic partnerships, the program establishes a sustainable, high-impact Facilitator Training Program model for professionals and researchers.
The program is approved by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) and successfully launched in 2025.
Expertise
CU Psychedelics Summit Showcases Leadership in Emerging Field
In a moment that brought together scientists and educators from across Colorado, the CU Psychedelics Summit marked a milestone in the state's leadership in psychedelic research and education. Hosted by CU Anschutz and featuring contributions from every campus in the CU System, the one-day summit reflected the energy and expertise that's making Colorado a national model for safe and effective psychedelic research. Read more
The transdisciplinary team at the Center for Psychedelic Research is comprised of leading experts in
- psychology
- medicine
- psychoneuroimmunology
- behavioral neuroendocrinology
- and public policy
who study the use of psychedelics holistically.
Our program is grounded in science and focused on the effects of these interventions on the quality of human life. The Center director is a co-principal investigator of a Colorado- and New York-based team leading the nation's largest study on the therapeutic use of psilocybin among patients facing the end of life.
The regulatory environment
In 2022, voters in Colorado approved Proposition 122, which decriminalized the use of psilocybin-containing "magic mushrooms" and other plant and fungal psychedelic substances. The law established a Division of Natural Medicine to create a framework for the use of these psychedelics in mental health and therapeutic settings.
CU Denver Center for Psychedelic Research is an authorized organization training both licensed and unlicensed individuals to use natural psychedelics in controlled settings.
Findings from all the Center's research are shared with stakeholders, government agencies including the FDA, Medicare/Medicaid, and others to inform public policy regarding the responsible and equitable use of these drugs.
We welcome collaborations with other organizations and individuals.
The Center for Psychedelic Research has a team spanning both CU Denver and the Anschutz Medical Center.
Leadership Team
Our Research
Can psilocybin help patients with advanced cancer?
The nation’s largest clinical trial on psilocybin use for cancer patients is taking place now. Researchers are exploring whether psilocybin—also known as magic mushrooms—can help people who are dealing with anxiety, depression, fear and loss of hope. Read more
Clinical Studies
We currently have one open clinical study underway, a clinical trial of psilocybin for the treatment of existential distress among people with late-stage cancer. We invite you to check back later for updates. If you would like more information about our ongoing work, please join our mailing list by using the form at the top of the page.
Brain, Emotional, and Physical Health
Preliminary research suggests that psychedelics may induce or enhance neural plasticity and neurogenesis in certain areas of the brain, and they appear to have powerful anti-inflammatory effects.
These properties could make them useful in the treatment of neurologic conditions disorders including stroke, traumatic brain injury, and perhaps neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson and early Alzheimer disease.
The center will conduct research in these areas as free-standing studies and in association with clinical trials.
Other potential areas of research are psychedelics' potential application for refugee mental health, autoimmunity, gender dysphoria, alcohol and substance use disorders, and the effects of abuse on dogs and other animals, among other conditions.
Public Health and Social Science Research
The Center is in discussions with the State of Colorado regarding studies of how Colorado's Prop 122 is implemented, and its sociological and economic impact in Colorado communities. Other research may focus on government structures and policies enacted to implement the new regulations.
Education and Training
Development and implementation of training protocols and practices in clinical use of psychedelics is a major objective of the Center. We serve as a resource for state agencies as they develop and roll out regulations and mechanisms for credentialing and licensure.
