Who Is Rael Cahn? Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC
Clinical associate professor of psychiatry and the behavioral sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and director of the USC Center for Mindfulness Science.
Rael Cahn, MD, PhD, is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry and the behavioral sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the director of the USC Center for Mindfulness Science.
At Mind Medicine Law, we track the people building legal, evidence-based access to psychedelic medicine: the companies running the trials, the researchers and advocates behind them, and the officials who write and run the laws.
Cahn co-led the University of Southern California's first clinical study of psychedelic therapy alongside Caryn Lerman, operates a laboratory at the USC Brain and Creativity Institute, and leads the EVIDENT-MAP study investigating mindfulness-assisted psilocybin therapy.
Where Rael Cahn Is Now
- Current role: Clinical associate professor of psychiatry and the behavioral sciences and director of the USC Center for Mindfulness Science.
- Organization: Keck School of Medicine of USC.
- Known for: Leading the development of a structured mindfulness and meditation intervention designed to amplify and prolong the benefits of psychedelic therapy.
Rael Cahn serves as a faculty member and research director at the University of Southern California, focusing on the combination of mindfulness interventions and psychedelic therapies, as reported by News-Medical.
Academic and Research Background
Rael Cahn holds both MD and PhD degrees, according to News-Medical.
At the University of Southern California, Cahn operates a laboratory at the USC Brain and Creativity Institute and co-led the university's first clinical study of psychedelic therapy alongside Caryn Lerman, as detailed by News-Medical.
Clinical Trials and EVIDENT-MAP
Cahn leads the EVIDENT-MAP study, formally known as Evaluation of Integrated Digital, Biomarker and Neurophysiological Tracking in Mindfulness-Assisted Psilocybin Therapy, as reported by Bioengineer.org.
On the EVIDENT-MAP study, Cahn serves as a principal investigator alongside Assal Habibi and Shrikanth Narayanan, according to News-Medical.
Research Perspectives and Hypotheses
Cahn led the development of a structured mindfulness and meditation intervention aimed at amplifying and extending the benefits of psychedelic therapy, as noted by News-Medical. Cahn and his colleagues hypothesized that pairing mindfulness with psilocybin therapy helps individuals with depression better integrate therapeutic insights and sustain symptom relief, according to Bioengineer.org.
According to News-Medical, Cahn stated that mindfulness meditation helps people dismantle unhelpful narratives, a process that psilocybin-assisted therapy may amplify, and expressed the goal of understanding how mindfulness training combined with psilocybin-assisted therapy can enhance both immediate and long-term effects of psychedelic medicine.
Regarding clinical observations and session procedures, Cahn stated that nearly all participants in an ongoing psilocybin and mindfulness study reported the experience as one of the most meaningful of their lives months later, and explained that therapists during psilocybin sessions act more as supportive observers rather than active interveners, as reported by News-Medical.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Rael Cahn?
Rael Cahn, MD, PhD, is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry and the behavioral sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the director of the USC Center for Mindfulness Science.
What degrees does Rael Cahn hold?
Rael Cahn holds MD and PhD degrees.
What is the EVIDENT-MAP study?
EVIDENT-MAP stands for Evaluation of Integrated Digital, Biomarker and Neurophysiological Tracking in Mindfulness-Assisted Psilocybin Therapy, a study led by Rael Cahn alongside principal investigators Assal Habibi and Shrikanth Narayanan.
Where does Rael Cahn operate a laboratory?
Rael Cahn operates a laboratory at the USC Brain and Creativity Institute.
What did Rael Cahn hypothesize about mindfulness and psilocybin therapy?
Rael Cahn and his colleagues hypothesized that pairing mindfulness with psilocybin therapy helps individuals with depression better integrate therapeutic insights and sustain symptom relief.
How does Rael Cahn describe the role of therapists during psilocybin sessions?
Rael Cahn explained that therapists during psilocybin sessions act more as supportive observers rather than active interveners.
Sources
General information compiled from the public reporting cited above, not medical or legal advice. Mention of a treatment, trial or bill is not a claim that it is safe, effective or legal where you live. Not endorsed by or affiliated with Rael Cahn or Keck School of Medicine of USC. See more people in psychedelic medicine.