Khaled Draghmeh, MD

Khaled Draghmeh, MD, is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids (YC-SCAN²) in the laboratory of Dr. Deepak Cyril D’Souza. He serves as the lead coordinator for two major clinical studies: one investigating the impact of aging on vulnerability to THC-induced cognitive, anxiogenic, cardiovascular, and reward-related effects, and another examining how cannabis abstinence affects hippocampal synaptic vesicle density. Khaled contributes to other YC-SCAN² projects, including a phase 1 study comparing the acute effects of DMT, THC, and placebo in individuals with depression.

Previously, he worked under the mentorship of Dr. Brian Fuehrlein at the Psychiatric Emergency Room at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, conducting research on patterns, comorbidities, and healthcare utilization related to alcohol, opioid, and stimulant use disorders.

He is particularly interested in the clinical and neurobiological mechanisms by which early-life and chronic stress increase vulnerability to addiction and relapse, with a focus on dysregulation of stress-response systems such as the HPA axis. His research aims to inform targeted prevention and treatment strategies, particularly for underserved and high-risk populations. Khaled is passionate about advancing addiction care among marginalized communities and has worked with organizations serving refugee and immigrant populations.