Characterisation of the pharmacology of leelamine, and isolation and characterisation of related endogenous ligands

William's postdoctoral experience began with Professor Raphael Mechoulam at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, where he discovered the endocannabinoid anandamide. Later, as a research fellow with the Nobel Laureate Julius Axelrod, at the NIH, Bethesda, he studied the physiological and biochemical actions of anandamide. He subsequently became assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin and then the Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, where he discovered a novel diterpene, leelamine, which demonstrates cannabinoid-like activity in CB1 receptor knockout mice. William took a few years off from science, living in Alaska and India, and is now based at the National University of Ireland, Galway.