Philip Schmiedhofer, MSc

Despite my training as an aeronautical engineer, I have always been fascinated by biology and medicine. After doing my civilian service in a drug counselling centre, I studied medical engineering, specialising in cell and tissue engineering. It was there that I gained my first experience of tissue engineering, working on the development of bioreactors to grow cartilage tissue. When I had to learn about the relevance of this field to my own body due to a meniscus injury, I delved into the physiological processes and came across the endocannabinoid system. Out of curiosity I tried to treat my injuries with hemp extracts and was fascinated by the physiological relevance of the characteristic ingredients – the cannabinoids. After completing several internships at IMP Vienna and shifting my focus to brain research, I really became aware of the role of the endocannabinoid system.

I founded a start-up company with my friends and long-time business partners to produce and market hemp extracts throughout Europe. At the same time, I completed a Master’s degree in neuroscience, specialising in cannabinoids. At the Centre for Brain Research, I studied the effects of phytocannabinoids on GABAA receptors in the laboratory, while on the business side I was involved in the production of hemp extracts.

As a pioneer in Austria, our company cannhelp was the first to successfully produce CO2 extracts and established itself as one of the pioneers in the industry. To date, I have co-developed more than 50 products in the areas of dietary supplements, aroma products, medical products and cosmetics, and I am active in our group of companies as a managing director and medical products consultant.

As a consultant, I have also gained experience in regulatory affairs and have contributed to the approval of medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Internationally, I have been involved in the planning of a medical cannabis research facility in Thailand. I am a quality representative for ISO 9001 and have a qualification as a business manager for the development and marketing of medical devices.