Raphael Mechoulam
Raphael Mechoulam is currently a Professor in the Department for Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.  He paved the way for future research in 1964 by identifying and synthesizing THC, the primary psychotropic constituent of marijuana, and was the first Chairman of the International Association for Cannabis as Medicine.  His successful isolation of the THC compound in marijuana for medical use allowed him to continue testing other compounds of cannabis for their pharmaceutical effectiveness, and he later isolated the structures of most compounds in the cannabis plant. Dr. Mechoulam is past President of the International Association of Cannabis Research, and in 2000 was awarded the most prestigious scientific accolade in Israel, the Israel Prize.