Arcadia University Forensic Science alumni Dr. Alex Krotulski ’15 MSFS and Olivia Dremann ’23 MSFS co-authored a journal article titled “In Vitro Cannabinoid Receptor Activity, Metabolism, And Detection In Seized Samples Of Ch-Piata, A New Indole-3-Acetamide Synthetic Cannabinoid.” The article, which was published in the Drug Testing and Analysis journal, highlights their research regarding the global proliferation of CH-PIATA and its detection patterns.

Their work stems from a collaborative effort involving Arcadia University, the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education in Pennsylvania, the Leverhulme Research Center for Forensic Science in Dundee, UK, and the Laboratory of Toxicology at Ghent University in Belgium.The collaboration between these institutions exemplifies the impact that academic partnerships can have on advancing scientific knowledge and its practical applications.

Dr. Krotulski and Dremann, who led the in-vitro metabolism analysis of CH-PIATA, identified key metabolites and their potential structures. The study’s findings underscore the global prevalence of CH-PIATA and its persistent detection, even in cases where receptor activity is low. The implications of this research are significant not only for the field of forensic toxicology but also for clinical applications. In light of their discoveries, the researchers recommend that Clinical and Forensic toxicologists incorporate the identified metabolites into their analytical methods.