Dr. Patricia Di Ciano Showcases State-of-the-Art Driving Simulator Used to Study the Effects of Cannabis on Driving
Faculty News
Dr. Patricia DiCiano of the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health and the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, provides a tour of the Driving Simulator Lab, featuring a fidelity driving simulator that the lab uses to determine the impact of cannabis on driving.
Dr. Di Ciano has a multi-disciplinary background and her general research area is clinical trials and regulated studies into the use of cannabis and other substances of abuse. Her experience spans multiple techniques for evaluating human cognitive performance and biology, including positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. She has also studied the addictive properties of a number of substances including cocaine, heroin, nicotine and amphetamine. Her current research aims to understand the impact of cannabis on driving, cognition and related outcomes. Dr. Di Ciano is also investigating the relative impact of different routes of cannabis administration. Her research is supported by the Ministry of Transportation, Transport Canada, the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR), CAMH and the University of Toronto.
