Aphria Introduces Dr. Jonathan Simone, PhD as Director of Research and Clinical Studies

Dr. Simone is recognized for his award-winning research on the role of the endocannabinoid system in neurodevelopment, and in the regulation of affective and cognitive behaviours

LEAMINGTON, ON, Oct. 25, 2018 /CNW/ – Aphria Inc. (“Aphria” or the “Company“) (TSX: APH and US OTC: APHQF) today officially introduced Dr. Jonathan Simone, PhD as the Company’s Director of Research and Clinical Studies. Dr. Simone joined Aphria in July 2018 and serves as the primary liaison between the Company’s science, technical and medical division teams and outside medical, academic and clinical centers. He is also spearheading Aphria’s participation in various clinical studies.

“As the post-legalization era unfolds, Aphria remains committed to supporting our patients and the advancement of medical cannabis around the world through much-needed clinical research studies,” said Vic Neufeld, Chief Executive Officer of Aphria. “Jonathan is a rising star in the medical cannabis research community and we are pleased to welcome him to the Aphria family. He is uniquely qualified to accelerate Aphria’s support for and participation in medical cannabis clinical research to further the Company’s continued global leadership in medical cannabis.”

Dr. Simone recently completed his PhD in Neurobiology and Physiology at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario where he was instrumental in the development of an award-winning, multi-disciplinary cannabinoid research program. His research into the neurobiology and behavioural pharmacology of cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system has been recognized both nationally and internationally with awards from organizations including the Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids (CCIC), the International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CCNP), Dr. Simone’s research has been consistently published in high-quality, peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented at scientific conferences around the world. In July 2018, his research into the role of the endocannabinoid system in social behaviour development was awarded the Scientific Achievement Award at the 28th Annual ICRS Symposium on the Cannabinoids in Leiden, Netherlands.

“I am thrilled to be part of an organization that is leading the global medical cannabis industry through an uncompromising commitment to quality, integrity, accountability, and above all else, a dedication to the well-being of their patients,” said Dr. Simone. “Through rigorous, high-quality research collaborations with world-class medical and academic partners, we will work tirelessly to generate new cannabis knowledge, drive new product innovation, and most importantly, validate the use of cannabis as medicine.”

Dr. Simone has served as an expert-reviewer for several high-impact scientific journals and has been an invited guest lecturer in various university classrooms to speak on topics related to cannabis and cannabinoids. Jonathan is also a certified horticulturist with several years of commercial and retail greenhouse management experience, providing him a unique background from which to guide Aphria’s clinical research program.

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