Columbia University in the City of New York · ChemistryIbogaine Research and Development Lab
Dalibor Sames · New York, New York
Research Focus
The lab led by Dr. Dalibor Sames at Columbia University focuses on researching iboga alkaloids, particularly ibogaine, which is known for its potential to treat substance use disorders like addiction to opioids and alcohol. The lab is developing safer analogs of ibogaine that maintain therapeutic benefits while minimizing cardiac risks. They also investigate the pharmacological properties of these new compounds in various disease models, aiming to pave the way for innovative treatments for substance addiction and related mental health issues.
IbogaineSubstance Use DisordersDrug AddictionPharmacologyOpioid Use DisorderNeuropharmacologyTherapeutic AgentsDrug DiscoveryCardiac SafetyPsychoactive Compounds
Research Aims
5AIM 01Develop novel ibogaine analogs with improved safety profiles.
AIM 02Investigate the therapeutic effects of ibogaine on substance use disorders.
AIM 03Map the iboga pharmacophore to understand its biological mechanisms.
AIM 04Create pharmacological probes for evaluating drug efficacy.
AIM 05Explore the potential of iboga-based compounds for treating mental health conditions.
Skills the Lab Values
Organic SynthesisPharmacological TestingIn Vitro AssaysAnimal ModelingCardiomyocyte CultureChemical CharacterizationData AnalysisBehavioral ExperimentsMolecular Biology Techniques
Output against the department
Publications239top 46% of dept.100th of 216
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations14ktop 37% of dept.80th of 216
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.