Weed STEM Uses: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math in Cannabis Research

Whether you’re as nerdy as the author (who was researching valance electrons in cannabis just for fun) or simply like being cann-informed, here’s something unique to learn. 

Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields have been not only advancing but also enabling cannabis research for decades. Where laws get in the way of providing scientific data on cannabis’s applications in medicine and other areas, STEM approaches to analyzing cannabis forge a path. 

Here are some STEM ways that are proving – theoretically where not empirically – cannabis’s constructive functions. Perhaps the data they produce will one day pave the way for legalizing (unconditionally) clinical trials with human subjects. Then, the influx of quantitatively substantiated claims can declare, once and for all, what canna-philes already know: This plant can do damn near anything for damn near anyone.

Chemometrics

What This Is 

Plain English: Using math to explain something’s chemical makeup

STEM Explanation: Chemometrics is an area of chemistry that uses mathematical and statistical methods to process multivariate data obtained from chemical systems. This allows for extracting the maximum amount of information from these systems, enhancing scientists’ ability to exhaustively interpret the data. Multivariate analysis is the simultaneous observation of more than one characteristic for a set of data. This is done to interpret patterns in data and develop models to use with future data to predict the same parameters of interest.

How It’s Used in Cannabis Research

From an April 2025 study published in “Chemistry Europe”: “This study aimed to develop an electrochemical sensor for quantifying [cannabidiol] CBD in C. sativa extracts using a homemade polyester screen-printed electrode. … [O]ur study highlights the effectiveness of an electrochemical sensor for CBD quantification and demonstrates how multivariate analysis can address the challenges of cannabinoid detection, paving the way for more accurate and reliable methods for cannabis quality assessment.”

From a 2024 study published in “Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society”: “Applications of unsupervised methods for cannabinoid analysis include discrimination, according to cannabinoid content of hemp seed powder products, plant materials, hemp seed oil, hemp flours, cannabis cultivars, and even samples of seized marijuana. … [An experiment] confirmed the use of [cannabinol] CBN as a biological marker for estimating the age of the plant or medicinal product.”

From a 2023 study published in “Scientific Reports”: “Using chromatographic data on 12 therapeutically relevant cannabinoids…, predictive chemometric models were built for major and minor cannabinoids using dried, homogenised C. sativa inflorescences from a diverse panel of 84 accessions. … The results show that … chemometrics, is a promising method to quantify cannabinoids in raw materials with good predictive results.” 

What It’s Doing for Cannabis Research

• Ensuring quality control for cannabis plants and plant-derived products
• Authenticating cannabis cultivars (hemp vs. marijuana)
• Creating standards (names, genetic lineage, genome sequencing, terpene profiles, etc.) for targeted breeding programs
• Proving the cause-and-effect relationship between cannabis consumption and improved health

Chromatography

What This Is 

Plain English: Separating individual molecules to see exactly what’s in something

STEM Explanation: Chromatography separates a mixture into its individual components so that the amount of each component can be quantified. It is based on the principle that different components in a mixture have different affinities for a stationary phase and a mobile phase. By exploiting these differences, chromatography can separate compounds based on size, charge, polarity and interaction with specific chemical groups. This method is important because the complex nature of cannabinoid extracts poses challenges in their isolation, particularly given that these compounds have relatively small concentrations in cannabis plants and extracts.

How It’s Used in Cannabis Research

As reported by Scion Instruments: “[G]as chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC) … have proven to be instrumental in meeting the regulatory demands placed on cannabis and cannabis-infused products…, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and providing valuable insights into the composition and quality of cannabis products. [LC is] the preferred technique for analyzing cannabinoids, potency testing, mycotoxins, and pesticides in the cannabis industry. … [GC is] the industry standard for analyzing residual solvents and terpenes. These two techniques complement each other, providing comprehensive analytical capabilities to meet the diverse testing needs of the cannabis industry.”

From a December 2024 study published in “Green Analytical Chemistry”: “Typically, GC is more cost-effective, and the chromatograms have narrower peaks and higher peak capacity compared to LC. … The advantages of LC methods include reduced analysis time (no derivatization step is needed), ability to detect the precursor ion in qualitative studies, and possibility of analyzing thermo-unstable cannabinoids, for instance.”

From the aforementioned 2024 Brazilian study: “[F]or the first time, a two-dimensional liquid chromatography method [was used] for the simultaneous separation of terpenes and cannabinoids in cannabis plant material. The proposed method [made] it possible to identify 21 terpenes and 10 cannabinoids in cannabis samples, resolving between 40 and 54 peaks in just 65 min. This is due to the distinctive advantage of two-dimensional liquid chromatography, which lies in its superior ability to separate multiple compounds in complex samples.”

What It’s Doing for Cannabis Research

• Providing the most accurate possible quality control and quality assurance 
• Providing a preparative method for cannabinoid purification 

Chromatography, Greek for “color writing,” was first used to separate plant pigments into their separate colors, and now it’s used in cannabis research to separate molecules. /Photo by Artem Podrez/pexels.com

Molecular Dynamics 

What This Is 

Plain English: Testing and analyzing computer simulations of something’s atoms instead of the physical thing itself 

STEM Explanation: ScienceDirect defines molecular dynamics (MD) as “a computational simulation technique that tracks the time evolution of interacting atoms by integrating their equations of motion based on Newton’s laws, allowing for the calculation of trajectories in a multi-dimensional phase space to determine energy and behavior of systems with a large number of atoms.” MD calculations are essential to modeling the structural and dynamic properties of atomic systems, and they provide a way to study the changes in the physical properties of membranes in the presence of external agents. MD simulations use various statistical parameters to better understand a ligand’s stability inside a protein’s binding site – in nanoseconds. Overall, MD uses bioinformatics techniques, including molecular docking, that allow for quickly screening and predicting compounds’ biological activity. 

How It’s Used in Cannabis Research

From an August 2024 study published in “The Journal of Physical Chemistry B”: “Using microsecond-level all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we identified marked differences in the conformational ensembles of inactive and active [cannabis receptor No.] CB1 in apo. … By elucidating the intrinsic enhanced flexibility of inactive CB1, this study provides valuable insights into the conformational landscape enabling functional transitions. Our perspective advances understanding of CB1 activation mechanisms and offers opportunities for structure-based drug discovery targeting the state-specific conformational dynamics of this receptor. … A major finding from our study is that contrary to traditional models, inactive CB1 explores a much broader conformational landscape compared to the more confined and rigidified active state ensemble at least under apo conditions.”

From an August 2024 study published in the Mexican physics journal “Revista Mexicana de Física”: “We used equilibrium molecular dynamics to study the interactions of a … membrane with CBD and THC. … [and] compared their independent interactions with those of morphine and lidocaine.”

From a May 2024 study published in “Viruses” on cannabis’s effectiveness in treating COVID-19: “Structure-based molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations thoroughly assessed the binding affinities and interactions of potential cannabinoids with the target protein. The study has provided valuable insights into the potential of cannabinoid compounds as effective inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 [papain-like protease] PLpro activity. The results demonstrate high binding affinities of cannabinoids, particularly Cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) and Cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), for PLpro, comparable to existing drug candidates. These findings suggest promising avenues for the development of novel antiviral therapies against COVID-19.”

From a September 2023 study published in “Scientific African”: “In this study, the virtual screening was performed on a set of 49 compounds extracted from cannabis plants by using molecular docking simulation to examine their ability to create a stable complex with the alpha-amylase inhibitor which reduces blood glucose levels in the human body. … Further, the selected compounds which showed good binding affinity were subjected to the ADMET screening to predict the pharmacokinetics properties. Additionally, molecular dynamics testing was done to confirm the outcomes.”

From a February 2021 study published in “ACS Chemical Neuroscience”: “In this experiment], before the setting up of MD simulations, the model for the CBD molecule was derived using the same approach as for the general Amber force field (GAFF). … Well-tempered metadynamics simulations were carried out for 6 systems.”

What It’s Doing for Cannabis Research

• Enabling studying THC in far more ways than are allowed with physical THC
• Providing reliable predictions of how cannabis-derived medicines can be expected to work in the human body
• Validating findings obtained from other studies

Nanotechnology

What This Is 

Plain English: Making large particles microscopic in size 

STEM Explanation: With nanotechnology, technology dimensions and tolerances of 1 to 100 nanometers are employed to design, construct and manipulate individual atoms and molecules. At this size, materials exhibit unique properties and behaviors that differ from their bulk counterparts.

How It’s Used in Cannabis Research

From a 2021 study in “Precision Nanomedicine”: “Nanotechnology delivery systems may be an innovative and effective approach to delivering cannabinoids … Nano-sized drug delivery strategies, the research team believes, can also set the foundation for well-designed clinical trials to determine the safety and efficacy of cannabinoids.”

From a February 2023 study in “Phytotherapy Research”: “Despite the enormous pharmacological benefits, the low aqueous solubility, high instability (susceptibility to extensive first pass metabolism) and poor systemic bioavailability restrict their utilization at clinical perspective. Therefore, drug delivery strategies based on nanotechnology are emerging to improve pharmacokinetic profile and bioavailability of cannabinoids as well as enhance their targeted delivery. Here, we critically review the nano-formulation systems engineered for overcoming the delivery limitations of native phytocannabinoids including polymeric and lipid-based nanoparticles (lipid nano capsules (LNCs), nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), nanoemulsions (NE) and self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS), ethosomes and cyclodextrins as well as their therapeutic applications.”

As Nano Hemp Tech Labs explains: “Nano weed incorporates nanotechnology, where scientists manipulate substances at the molecular level to create nanoparticles of THC and CBD—the active compounds in cannabis. These nanoparticles are so small that they can pass through biological membranes more easily than traditional forms of cannabis. This not only accelerates the absorption into the bloodstream but also increases the efficiency of the dosage, reducing waste and enhancing the user’s experience.”

As Casia Lanier explains for Cannabis Tech: “[T]he most relevant and applicable form of this technology is hydrosoluble nanoemulsion, which is when microscopic molecules of cannabinoids are encapsulated in a bound-together mixture of water and oil. … When cannabinoids are broken down into smaller particles, they are reassembled with an additional layer of fat to form a lipid nanoformulation (LNP). The combination of water and oil-packaged molecules allows the cannabinoid to remain protected from degradation while traveling through the digestive system. … [T]he nanoparticles produced through the emulsification process can deliver the same or better quantity of CBD and THC and improve effects for a smaller initial quantity of raw product.”

As Mashable explains: “Cannabinoids in nanotech products are made smaller through a process called emulsification, which involves mixing two liquids that typically can’t be mixed, like oil and water, into a stable compound. If you whisk oil and water very quickly, they’ll appear to dissolve into each other, but after a certain amount of time, the two substances will separate. A third ingredient called a surfactant can bind to the two otherwise immiscible liquids, and make it appear as if the oil and water are perfectly mixed. … By wrapping the cannabinoid in a layer of molecules that can dissolve in both water and in fat, it easier for the body to absorb said substance, whether it’s a medication, a nutrient, or a cannabinoid, and protects the inner substance from being degraded by digestion.”

As BATCH explains: “Nano CBD is a type of cannabidiol that has been reduced to over one-millionth its size using nanotechnology. Nanotechnology works by breaking down large CBD molecules into tiny nano-sized particles that are more readily absorbed into the body, providing faster and more efficient delivery of CBD to its target areas. This makes nano CBD more bioavailable than regular CBD, which means it is more quickly and effectively absorbed into the bloodstream. … Like regular CBD, nano CBD is derived from the hemp plant and contains cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. … which means it is not synthetic. However, always check your product label to ensure your CBD product is made from 100% organic and all-natural ingredients.”

As Brelixi explains: “Cannabinoids, when broken into nano-size, penetrate the bloodstream faster than traditional forms. Instead of waiting hours, effects can manifest in minutes. … Additionally, nano cannabis emphasizes bioavailability, which means a higher percentage of cannabinoids are effectively used by the body.”

As Jessica McKeil explains for Cannabis Tech: “Naturally, cannabinoids are hydrophobic, which means the human body doesn’t efficiently absorb them. … Nanoemulsion reduces the particle size to circumvent these issues, improving absorption and water solubility. … When cannabinoids are broken down into particles a mere fraction of the width of a human hair, their essence changes, and what we thought we know about their therapeutic applications is suddenly very different from reality.”

As FloraFlex explains: “Nanotechnology enables scientists to engineer cannabis formulations with improved characteristics, such as enhanced solubility, stability, and targeted delivery. … One of the challenges with traditional cannabis consumption methods is the limited bioavailability of cannabinoids, such as THC and CBD. Nanoparticles offer a solution by significantly improving the bioavailability of cannabinoids, allowing for more efficient absorption and utilization by the body. Nanoemulsions and nanoencapsulation techniques are commonly employed to create cannabis nanoparticles, which can then be incorporated into various products. … [Nanotechnology] …  holds tremendous potential in unlocking the full therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids and transforming the way we consume and experience cannabis.”

What It’s Doing for Cannabis Research

• Extracting far more out of each plant (critical when supplies are limited by law)
• Setting a foundation for well-designed clinical trials with cannabis
• Prolonging the shelf life of CBD samples
• Enabling rapid-onset effects for cannabinoids undergoing testing
• Facilitating the precise dosing of cannabinoids
• Making the effects of cannabinoids more consistent and predictable

Spectrometry

What This Is 

Plain English: Measuring the contents in an item by scanning the item and studying it in a high-tech imaging system

STEM Explanation: Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction of light with matter, the objective being to measure a spectrum, which can be a plot of the amount of light absorbed by a sample versus some property of light (e.g., wavelengths). Spectroscopic methods involve establishing a relationship between the spectral data obtained from measurements (infrared, etc.) and the concentration of the target analyte or property of interest. Mass spectral data provides molecular weights, molecular formulas, molecular structures and functional group information, and the results can be used to predict phytochemicals.

How It’s Used in Cannabis Research

From an April 2024 study published in “Frontiers in Plant Science”: “Our study analyzed the dynamic factors affecting cannabis quality during the drying process and introduced a nondestructive quality assessment approach using hyperspectral imaging and machine learning. … We examined the dynamic changes in cannabinoid compositions under diverse drying conditions and developed a non-destructive method to appraise the quality of cannabis flowers using [hyperspectral imaging] HSI and machine learning. … The results of this study indicate that the hyperspectral imaging model can be used as a valuable tool for monitoring the quality of cannabis in industrial products. This tool not only facilitates the evaluation of the uniformity of cannabis quality but also aids in the identification of the optimal drying endpoint, even in the context of large-scale and non-uniform conditions.”

From a February 2024 study published in “Computers and Electronics in Agriculture”: “[T]he objective of this work was to develop a non-invasive methodology for cannabis chemotype classification in different cultivars during the plant cultivation process … [H]yerspectral imaging … enabled the non-invasive in-situ analysis of the plants. … [T]wo … models were trained with the plant spectral data for three chemotypes, based on the cannabinoid content of the plant inflorescences … Based on these results, the proof of concept for comprehensive agricultural control of cannabis crops through a non-invasive analytical technique was demonstrated, a previously unproven fact. … This work concluded that, through [near-infrared] NIR-hyperspectral image analysis of Cannabis sativa L., different cultivars belonging to chemotypes I, II and III could be representatively classified, avoiding invasive analytical techniques.”

From a November 2023 study published in “Applied Chemistry”: “[H]igh-quality reference data are essential to ensure the accuracy, precision, and reliability of the calibration model and subsequent predictions. In order to achieve this goal, a set of representative samples with known reference values is initially introduced in the [near-infrared spectroscopy] NIRS equipment to obtain their corresponding spectra. … [T]he integration of NIRS-hyperspectral imaging systems facilitates the simultaneous acquisition of spatial and spectral information. Near-infrared hyperspectral imaging … can capture up to several hundred images of different wavelength, offering a detailed spectral response of target features. This technique is particularly adept at discerning even the most subtle variations in ground covers, as well as tracking changes over time.”

From a July 2022 study published in “Analytical Chemistry Journal”: “In this study, 42 different samples were analyzed using Raman spectroscopy with 1064 nm excitation wavelength. The use of an IR wavelength laser showed the possibility to clearly identify THC and CBD in fresh samples, without any further processing, knocking out the contribution of the fluorescence generated by visible and near-IR sources. … The multivariate analysis underlines the high reproducibility of the spectra and the possibility to distinguish immediately the Raman spectra of the two cannabinoid species.”

From a February 2022 study published in “Frontiers in Plant Science”: “[We used] hyperspectral imaging technology for non-destructive quantification of major cannabinoids, including CBD, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBG (cannabigerol) and their acid forms in fresh floral and leaf materials of industrial hemp on a dry weight basis. Hyperspectral images in the wavelength range of 400–1000 nm were acquired from floral and leaf tissues immediately after harvest from a total of 100 industrial hemp plants of five cultivars at varied growth stages. … This study shows that hyperspectral imaging can be used for non-destructive and accurate differentiation between hemp cultivars, growth stages and plant organs, and it is a potentially valuable tool for phenotyping, cultivar selection and optimization of harvest timing in CBD hemp production.”

What It’s Doing for Cannabis Research

• Enabling quality control
• Assessing potency 
• Determining chemical compositions without destroying the sample
• Quantifying cannabinoids in both hemp and marijuana cultivars

Voltammetry

What This Is 

Plain English: Finding the contents in an item by analyzing the microscopic amounts of electricity that are naturally present in the item

STEM Explanation: This method examines the chemical processes that cause electrons to move (i.e., electrochemistry). It is based on applying a varying potential to a working electrode in an electrochemical system and measuring the corresponding result.   

How It’s Used in Cannabis Research

From a January 2025 study published in the “Talantra” special issue “Electroanalysis”: “In this work, we investigated the ability of an electrochemical sensor to recognize Cannabis sativa L. samples with different total content of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), determined by the levels of the psychoactive cannabinoid and of its biosynthetic precursor Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (Δ9-THCA), using a multivariate approach. The voltammetric responses recorded with screen-printed electrodes modified with carbon black reflected the compositional differences from the different samples, in terms of cannabinoids of the vegetal material.”

From a June 2024 study published in “RSC Applied Interfaces”: “The study demonstrates the voltammetric detection of … tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), highlighting its potential for roadside testing of cannabis in drivers. Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) [were used] for various biosensing applications … [M]odified electrodes stored under optimal conditions were interrogated with different THC samples, delivering improved calibration curves after an aging period of one week. Although further studies must be conducted to apply this lab-scale discovery to real-life roadside testing applications, the optimal storage conditions identified in this study can help regulation authorities detect the toxicity of THC rapidly, accurately, and effortlessly via the use of stable biosensors.”

From a February 2024 study published in “International Journal of Forensic Sciences”: “[A] voltammetric method was developed using [cyclic voltammetry] CV and [linear sweep voltammetry] LSV techniques. The method used a 3D-printed electrodic platform that was chemically modified with carbon paste and silver ink. The developed electrode was successful in detecting and measuring the amounts of Δ9-THC and CBD. … Detection of Δ9- THC and CBD was achieved by cyclic voltammetry using the developed 3D-printed electrodic platform modified with carbon paste (CP-SPE). Quantification of these substances in marijuana extracts was also achievable using the developed electrode. … the developed electrodic platform proved to be promising for the detection and quantification of Δ9-THC and CBD at µmol L-1 levels.”

From a March 2022 study published in “Journal of Cannabis Research”: “Electrochemical sensor technologies are sensitive enough and have the potential for fast, easy, and low-cost detection of THC for roadside testing, THC trending in growing cannabis plants, THC product development and formulation for medical purposes, etc., and they can provide an alternative for costly chromatography and mass spectrometry-based methods.”

From a November 2013 study published in “Electroanalysis” (not the “Talantra” special issue): “A new electrochemical method for the detection of cannabinoids … is based on the voltammetry of microparticles at a paraffin-impregnated graphite electrode. In square-wave voltammetry, in 0.1 M KNO3 at pH 7, the responses of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabinol and cannabidiol consist of a single peak with the maximum at 0.55 V±0.01 V. This peak is ascribed to the electrooxidation of the phenol group to phenoxy radical. In microparticles of hemp and marijuana cannabinoids can be detected in pure drug as well as in the mixture with foreign insoluble powders.”

What It’s Doing for Cannabis Research

• Enabling fast, cheap THC detection and measurement

Conclusion

Cannabis research that uses a blend of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) is getting around laws that obstruct the truth about this miracle plant from surfacing. Through weed STEM, faulty preconceived notions (largely the intended outcome of sociopolitical programming) can be debunked and replaced with documented, proven facts. That’s a win for everyone – nerds and cool guys alike!

Kathleen Hearons is a writer, editor, linguist and voice over actor from Los Angeles. She specializes in creative writing and research-intensive analysis and reporting.

 

 

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