Daniel Morgan
PhD
Department Chair
Professor
BMS
Office: 256 • Leonard Hall • Pocatello Campus
Pharmacology • Neuroscience • Receptor Signaling
The primary focus of the Morgan laboratory is to understand the role of neuropeptide and endocannabinoid signaling in human health and disease including cannabinoid tolerance, drug addiction, and metabolic homeostasis. In 2012, Dr. Morgan started his own independent research laboratory in the Department of Anesthesiology at the Penn State College of Medicine where he was promoted to associate professor with tenure. In 2020, his research group moved to the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University where he was an associate professor and vice chair in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. In 2025, Dr. Morgan moved into his current role at Idaho State University. Since 2013, the laboratory's research on cannabinoid signaling and tolerance has been funded by R21, K01, and R01 awards from the National Institutes of Health as well as grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, and the West Virginia INBRE. The group's current work involves understanding the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways that drive tolerance and dependence for cannabinoid drugs including ∆9-THC, the psychoactive and pain-relieving component of cannabis. This work has important clinical relevance, since tolerance and dependence are two of the criteria used by clinicians for diagnosing patients with cannabis use disorder. Dr. Morgan also serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, is on the program committee for Winter Conference on Brain Research, and is involved in various leadership teams for the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
Past Trainee's
| Years of Mentorship | Name of Mentee | Position During Mentorship | Current Position |
| 2026-present | Bret Hirshe | Undergraduate Summer Intern | Undergraduate, Brigham Young University-Idaho |
| 2026-present | Sameena Mateen | Postdoctoral Fellow | Postdoc, Idaho State University |
| 2025-present | Diana Cortez | Post-Bac Student | Post-Bac, Idaho State University |
| 2022-present | Kayla DeSchepper | Predoctoral Student | Graduate Student, Marshall University |
| 2024 | Olivia McCoy | Medical Student | Medical Student, Marshall University |
| 2024 | Rebecca Hicks | Medical Student | Medical Student, Marshall University |
| 2023 | Kahleif Tye | High School Student | Student, Huntington High School |
| 2022-2023 | Malabika Maulik | Postdoctoral Fellow | Assistant Professor, Oklahoma State University |
| 2021-2024 | Courtney Lulek | Undergraduate Student | MD/PhD Student, Marshall University |
| 2021-2022 | Madison Michels | Undergraduate Student | Medical Student, WV School of Osteopathic Medicine |
| 2019-2023 | Lataijah Crawford | Predoctoral Student | Postdoc Fellow, NIH |
| 2019-2022 | Mary Piscura | Predoctoral Student | Assistant Professor, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine |
| 2018-2020 | Peter Milianta | Medical Student | Resident Physician, Brown University |
| 2017-2019 | Bradley Nolan | Undergraduate Student | Graduate Student, Universitat Pompeu Fabra |
| 2017 | John Muller | Medical Student | Resident Physician, New York University |
2016-2019 David Hale Medical Student Neurology Fellow, John Hopkins University
| Years of Mentorship | Name of Mentee | Position During Mentorship | Current Position |
| 2016-2020 | Diana Castro | Post-Bac Student | Lab Technician, Penn State University |
| 2016 | Erin Ferguson | Undergraduate Student | Data Analyst, Cognito Therapeutics |
| 2015-2017 | Rebecca LaFleur | Postdoctoral Resident | Attending Veterinarian, Jackson Labs Bar Harbor, MA |
| 2015 | Nathan DeTurk | Medical Student | Resident Physician, Univerisity of Virginia |
| 2014-2017 | Matthew Yuill | Predoctoral Student | Scientist, Psychogenics |
| 2014-2016 | Aaron Kline | Undergraduate Student | Medical Supply, Ft. Worth, TX |
| 2014 | William Christie | Medical Student | Resident, University of Colorado |
| 2013-2024 | Angela Henderson Redmond | Postdoctoral Fellow | Assistant Professor, Marshall University |
| 2013-2018 | Caitlin Nealon | Predoctoral Student | Museum Curator, San Jose, CA |
| 2013-2014 | Tammy Lowe | Undergraduate Student | Undergraduate, Benedict College |
| 2013 | Jeff Karduck | Medical Student | Assistant Professor, University of Iowa |
| 2013 | Xi Bei Tian | Anesthesiology Resident | Attending Physician, Island Hospital, Anacortes, WA |
| 2012-2016 | Michael Zee | Undergraduate Student | Graduate Student, Indiana University |
| 2012 | Maciej Gonek | Undergraduate Student | Program Manager, Healing Breakthrough Foundation |
| 2011-2013 | Chris Haskins | Undergraduate Student | Attending Physician |
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)
| Years of Mentorship | Name of Mentee | Position During Mentorship | Current Position |
| 2011-2012 | Mary-Jeannette Andrews | Undergraduate Student | Resident Physician, Indiana University |
| 2011-2012 | Alex Cook | Undergraduate Student | Neuropsychologist |
| 2010-2014 | David Marcus | Post-Bac Student | Postdoc, University of Washington |
| 2010 | Randa Amin | Predoctoral Student | Veterinarian, Sarasota, FL |
Active Grants and/or Previous Grants
Active Grants
No Grant Number, Morgan (PI) 07/01/26-06/30/27 Idaho State University Proposal Readiness and Enhancement Program Grant Idaho State University Grants Academy.
The goal of this grant is to establish a yearlong Grant's Academy Program that meets monthly to cover topics related to writing a competitive NIH grant application.
Role: PI
Total Direct Costs: $3,500
Role: PI
Total Direct Costs: $3,500
Completed Grants
5U54GM104942-09, Hodder (PI) 10/01/24-09/30/25 NIH/NIGMS
West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute (WV-CTSI): A Statewide Organization Building Research Excellence and Engaging Communities to Improve Health.
The goal of this pilot grant from the WV-CTSI entitled, "Development of a Novel Medication for Cannabis Use Disorder", is to assess whether pharmacological inhibition of peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) could be an effective target for treatment of cannabis use disorder.
Role: Co-Investigator
Total Direct Costs: $29,267
West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute (WV-CTSI): A Statewide Organization Building Research Excellence and Engaging Communities to Improve Health.
The goal of this pilot grant from the WV-CTSI entitled, "Development of a Novel Medication for Cannabis Use Disorder", is to assess whether pharmacological inhibition of peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) could be an effective target for treatment of cannabis use disorder.
Role: Co-Investigator
Total Direct Costs: $29,267
R01 DA044999, Morgan (PI) 09/01/18-08/31/24 NIH/NIDA
Mechanisms of cannabinoid tolerance.
The goal of this study is to determine whether JNK-mediated ∆9-THC tolerance is mediated through direct phosphorylation of the CB1 receptor. Role: PI
Total Direct Costs: $1,592,000
P20 GM103434-22, Rankin (PI) 09/01/22-08/31/24 NIH/NIGMS
West Virginia IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (WV-INBRE). The goal of this pilot grant from the WV-INBRE entitled, "Role of proSAAS in Metabolic Disease", is to investigate whether mutant mice lacking the neuropeptide proSAAS are resistant to high-fat diet-induced obesity. Role: Co-Investigator
Total Direct Costs: $60,000
R21 DE028650, Hu (PI) 04/01/18-03/31/20 NIH/NIDCR
The role of chronic cannabis and its two major psychoactive ingredients in papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal disease.
The goal of this study was to determine whether ∆9-THC, cannabidiol, or inhaled cannabis enhance papillomavirus virulence in oropharyngeal disease. Role: Co-investigator
Total Direct Costs: $275,000
SAP#4100079742, Morgan (PI) 07/01/18-06/30/19 PA State Dept. of Health CURE Tobacco Settlement Funds
Agonist-specific mechanisms of cannabinoid tolerance.
The goal of this project was to provide Bridge funding for the re-submission of 1R01 DA044999.
Role: PI
Total Direct Costs: $100,000
K01 DA037355, Morgan (PI) 02/01/15-01/31/18 NIH/NIDA
Desensitization and downregulation of CB1 during cannabinoid tolerance. The goal of this study was to determine whether desensitization of downregulation of CB1 is responsible for JNK-mediated ∆9-THC tolerance. Role: PI
Total Direct Costs: $450,000
R21 DA036385, Morgan (PI) 07/15/13-06/30/16 NIH/NIDA
Characterization of a novel JNK-mediated mechanism of cannabinoid tolerance. The goal of this study is to determine the form of JNK responsible for mediating tolerance to ∆9-THC and to identify transcriptional targets of JNK responsible for this process.
Role: PI
Total Direct Costs: $250,000
SAP #4100057673, Morgan (PI) 07/15/13-12/31/15 PA State Dept. of Health CURE Tobacco Settlement Funds
Does enhanced cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) signaling increase the risk of drug abuse?
The goal of this study is to determine whether reward and dependence for
alcohol and morphine are increased in mice with enhanced cannabinoid signaling.
Role: PI
Total Direct Costs: $200,000
No Grant Number, Morgan (PI) 07/01/14-06/30/15
Junior Faculty Development Program Research Support Grant
Desensitization and downregulation of CB1 during cannabinoid tolerance The purpose of this grant was to purchase equipment needed for assessing CB1R neuroadaptations involved in cannabinoid tolerance.
Role: PI
Total Direct Costs: $5000
No Grant Number, Morgan (PI) 07/01/14-06/30/15
Penn State Department of Anesthesiology Research Pilot grant
Does a “humanized” A118G potentiate alcohol consumption and reward in mice? The goal of this study was to assess alcohol drinking behavior and reward in mutant mice expressing the A118G mu opioid receptor (MOR) polymorphism. Role: PI
Total Direct Costs: $10,975