Send Dr. Riley a Voicenote Using the Mic, Bottom Right
BIOACTIVE

BIOACTIVE

Dr. Riley Kirk is a cannabis research scientist and educator with a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences, specializing in natural product chemistry. She studies the traditional and contemporary uses of hundreds of medicinal plants. Bioactive is a bi-weekly podcast which disseminates the chemistry and pharmacology of natural products covering current news and research surrounding cannabis, psychedelics, toxins, pharmaceuticals & other bioactive substances. Listen for special guests highlighting community stories.

Recent Episodes

March 21, 2025

Homegrow Made Easy with Jordan River from Growcast

In this conversation, Jordan River shares his journey into the cannabis industry, emphasizing the importance of home growing and the concept of Overgrow, which advocates for more individuals to cultivate their own plants. He ...
March 7, 2025

Choosing the Right Cannabis Seeds with Dan Nelson from Happy Valley Genetics

In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk and Dan Nelson from Happy Valley Genetics discuss the importance of home growing cannabis and the various types of seeds available. They delve into the differences betw...
Feb. 21, 2025

Cannabis Medical Cards with Dr. June Chin from Leafwell

In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk speaks with Dr. June Chin, Chief Medical Officer at Leafwell, about the evolving landscape of medical cannabis. They discuss the benefits of obtaining a medical card, t...
Feb. 7, 2025

How to Evaluate Quality Cannabis With Certified Ganjier Elizabeth Sage

In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast, host Dr. Riley Kirk sits down with Elizabeth Sage who is a certified Ganjier- which is essentially the weed equivalent to a sommelier in the wine world. In this conversation, Riley an...
Jan. 24, 2025

Unlocking the Secrets of Hop Latent Viroid in Cannabis: Dr. Ali Bektaş

In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast , host Dr. Riley Kirk dives deep into groundbreaking cannabis science with world-renowned molecular biologist Dr. Ali Bektaş. Dr. Bektaş has an impressive background in plant biology, ...

About the Host

Dr. Riley Kirk Profile Photo

Dr. Riley Kirk

Host, Ph.D., Cannabis Research Scientist and Educator

Dr. Riley Kirk is a cannabis research scientist and educator. She obtained her Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences, specializing in natural product chemistry, studying the traditional and contemporary uses of hundreds of medicinal plants. She is currently an assistant associate professor at the University of Rhode Island, has worked as an immunology scientist in the biotech industry, and works in the cannabis industry studying the chemical complexity of cannabis smoke.

Riley is also the co-founder of the cannabis research and education non-profit organization called the Network of Applied Pharmacognosy (NAP). Through NAP and on her podcast, Riley uses science as advocacy to research and communicate findings that highlight the unique power of natural products. The goal of Riley’s work is to unite people in the Cannabis industry, academia, and consumers to further the reach of Cannabis education and reduce harm.

Riley is passionate about making Cannabis science accessible through social media channels and alternative media which lead to Bioactive; an educational podcast which disseminates the chemistry and pharmacology of natural products. On this bi-weekly podcast, she covers current news and research surrounding cannabis, psychedelics, toxins, pharmaceuticals & other bioactive substances. Listen for special guests highlighting community stories.