Researcher profile

Amrit Baral

Dr. Amrit Baral is an epidemiologist and physician-scientist, with a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and medical training from Chongqing Medical University, China. Currently, he is a NIDA T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Mental Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Baral received his Master of Public Health degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Born and raised in Pokhara, Nepal, he practiced clinical medicine in Nepal before transitioning to a career in public health and research in the United States. His research focuses on exploring the biological, behavioral, and societal effects of cannabis and psychedelics on human health and disease through a comprehensive “cells-to-society” approach. Passionate about conceptualizing, designing, and implementing rigorous epidemiological studies, Dr. Baral aims to elucidate the role of alternative and integrative medicine—particularly cannabis and classic psychedelics—in promoting health and addressing chronic disease. Dr. Baral is a founding member of the Global Cannabis and Psychedelics Research Collaboratory at the University of Miami in Florida. He served as the Lead Biostatistician for the Herbal Heart Study, a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-funded R01 investigation examining the effects of cannabis, cannabinoids, and routes of administration on sub-clinical cardiovascular risk. He also served as the Study Coordinator for an NCI-funded project at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center that investigates patterns of cannabis and psychedelics use among cancer patients. Beyond academia, Dr. Baral is committed to community health. As a founding member and former Health Services Coordinator of Dirghayu Nepal, a non-profit organization, he led numerous initiatives to organize free medical camps, public health awareness campaigns, and health promotion programs in underserved rural areas of Nepal.