Dr. Shishuka Malhotra to Host Psychedelic Research Panel at CNS Summit 2026
This week, our founder, Shishuka Malhotra, M.D., heads to CNS Summit 2026 at Encore Boston Harbor, an annual gathering of the people working to bring new treatments for brain and mental health conditions to patients. She isn't just attending. On Monday, November 2, she's hosting a Spotlight Session panel built around a question most conferences politely avoid: what actually happened, and what would we do differently?
The Session
After the Trip: What Phase 3 Taught Us—and What We'd Never Do Again
Monday, November 2 | 2:00 to 2:50 PM ET CNS Summit 2026, Encore Boston Harbor
Psychedelic research has moved from the fringe to late-stage clinical trials in a remarkably short time. Phase 3 is where promise meets reality: bigger studies, more sites, more participants, and plenty of lessons that never make it into the published paper. This panel is about those lessons. The wins, the surprises, and the things everyone in the room agrees should never happen again.
It promises to be a refreshingly honest conversation, and that's exactly the point.
Who's on the Panel
Dr. Malhotra will be joined by key opinion leaders from across the psychedelic research landscape:
Paula Jacobsen, Definium Therapeutics
Atul Mahableshwarkar, Helus Pharma
Alexandria Wise, Ph.D., Syneos Health
Denise Bedoya, Worldwide Clinical Trials
Charles S. Wilcox, Ph.D., Praxis Research and Consulting
Between them, the panel covers the sponsor side, the contract research side, and the consulting side of late-stage trials. Dr. Malhotra brings the perspective of the research site, the place where protocols on paper meet real people in real chairs.
Why the Site Perspective Matters
At NBCR, we see clinical research from the ground floor. Screening visits, preparation sessions, scheduling, follow-ups, the phone calls when a participant has a question at 6 PM on a Friday. Those details look tidy in a protocol document. They look different when someone is sitting across from you, nervous and hopeful at the same time.
Dr. Malhotra has built NBCR around a simple belief: people who volunteer for research deserve dignity, clear information, and respect at every step. That belief shapes how our team runs studies, and it's the lens she'll bring to this panel. When the next generation of studies gets designed, the people who actually run them, and the participants who make them possible, should have a voice in the room.
Why This Matters Close to Home
Research that shapes the future of mental health care isn't only happening in Boston. It's happening in North Canton, too. When our team helps influence how studies are run across the industry, the benefit comes right back to Northeast Ohio: better-run studies and better experiences for the people in our own community who choose to take part.
Follow Along
We'll share highlights from the session after the Summit, so keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram. If you're attending CNS Summit, come say hello to Dr.
Malhotra and the team.
And if you've ever wondered whether a clinical research study might be right for you, see if you qualify for one of our current studies.
See you in Boston, CNS Summit.
