Mushroom for Discussion: From Ritual to Research

ABOUT THE LECTURE

At the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Dr. Vidita Vaidya's Lab is interested in understanding the neurocircuitry of emotion and its modulation by life experience and mood modulatory substances (serotonergic psychedelics and pharmacological antidepressants). The researchers at the lab are also interested in studying the alterations in emotional neurocircuitry that underlie complex psychiatric disorders like anxiety, and depression. In this lecture we will learn about some of Dr. Vaidya's research and findings on these topics.

Psychedelics are substances that profoundly alter the ‘psyche’ of an individual, producing changes in mood, perception, cognition, the experience of time and space, and the sense of self. Although they have gained renewed attention in recent years, their use is deeply rooted in human history as evidenced by archaeological and historical findings. Plant-derived psychedelics such as psilocybin and mescaline have been used for thousands of years in ritual, spiritual, as well as medicinal contexts under the guidance of shamans or community leaders, and have thus been an influential part of shaping certain cultures and belief systems. Scientific study of these substances began in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries but was halted due to uncontrolled recreational misuse, legal bans, and restricted research.

Today, however, a growing body of evidence highlighting the therapeutic potential of psychedelics has led to a resurgence of scientific interest and renewed discussions around their clinical and societal relevance. They are highly potent compounds capable of producing changes across multiple levels, from cellular and molecular processes to physiology, behaviour, and subjective experience, often with long-lasting effects. Compounds such as LSD and psilocybin are currently in clinical trials for psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety, administered under controlled ‘set’ and ‘setting’ conditions.

Nevertheless, many of their positive and negative effects, as well as the underlying mechanisms, remain largely unexplored, emphasizing the need for careful medical supervision and active ongoing research. We will learn more about Dr Vaidya’s studies and the Hutment Lab's findings in this area or research in this lecture over drinks.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr. Vidita Vaidya is a Senior Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Biological Sciences at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. She received her undergraduate training in Life Science and Biochemistry at St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai. She obtained her doctoral degree in Neuroscience at Yale University with the late Professor Ronald Duman, and other postdoctoral fellowships at the Karolinska Institute and Oxford University. She returned to a faculty position at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in 2000. She is a fellow of all three Indian Science academies. She received the National Bioscientist Award in 2012, the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Medical Sciences in 2015, and the Infosys Prize for Life-Sciences in 2022. She was awarded the Nature Award for Excellence in Mentorship in India in 2019. She currently heads research at the Hutment Lab within TIFR.

WHAT TO EXPECT

🧠 👩‍🔬60 minute lecture about the neurocircuitry of emotion and its modulation by life experience and mood modulatory substances (serotonergic psychedelics and pharmacological antidepressants)

🎤 30 minutes of interactive Q&A with the speaker

👋 30 minute mixer with the speaker and other participants

🍺 One complimentary alcoholic beverage or non alcoholic beverage is included with your ticket

Pint of View Mumbai is inspired by the Lectures on Tap and Pint of Science communities, and we're taking this format across 10+ major cities in India and counting! It’s where big ideas meet bar tables.

EVENT DETAILS

Title: Mushroom for Discussion From Ritual to Research

Speaker: Dr. Vidita Vaidya

Day: Sunday

Date: February 8th 2026

Time: 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Venue: The Irish House Andheri (How to get here?)

Disclaimer: Ticket holders must be of legal drinking age (21 and above).

At Pint of View Mumbai, curious minds gather over drinks to explore cutting-edge ideas and to unravel the threads of human culture. It’s the perfect way to spend your weekend - stimulating your mind, meeting people who think like you (or challenge how you think), and learning something you’ll definitely talk about all week.

See you at the lecture!

Warmly,

Diya and Abhishek

Curators, Pint of View Mumbai

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