On the second episode in this series we talk with Carolina Vasquez-Mitchell from Ciencia Labs.
Carolina Vazquez Mitchell is Chief Scientific Officer for Ciencia Labs and the creator of dreamt, LUCHADOR and QUELL. Prior to founding Ciencia Labs, Carolina was the Lab Director for a cannabis testing facility, the Chief Scientific Officer for KushyPunch, and the Head of Research for Power Brands, America’s leading beverage consultancy firm. She led several projects for companies like Taco Bell, Pepsi, Quaker, and Gatorade during her tenure.
In 2017 Carolina founded the consultancy firm KitChem to support companies in the formulation and process development of cannabis edibles, cosmetics, supplements, foods, and beverages. Carolina assisted various cannabis companies with product formulation, quality control, testing, and manufacturing processes. In 2019, KitChem became part of Ciencia Labs, a Los Angeles-based powerhouse of innovative cannabis brands and products. She is also a founding chair of the Legalization of Cannabis & Hemp Edibles division of the Institute of Food Technologists.
To date, she has developed more than 200 cannabis products with special emphasis on medicated and supplemented snacks and confectionery. A gifted academic with deep experience in developing regulatory standards of the cannabis industry, Carolina’s areas of specialty include organic chemistry and biochemistry research, laboratory testing and operations, good manufacturing practices, good laboratory practices, quality assurance, and R&D for cannabis products, pharmaceuticals, foods, emulsions, and beverages. She has over 20 years of experience with organic synthesis and product development of pharmacologically active molecules.
Originally from Guadalajara, Carolina received her BS in Chemistry Pharmaco-biology and a degree in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Guadalajara. After completing the Chemistry Ph.D. classwork at the University of Southern California, Carolina decided to start her consulting firm. She left the Ph.D. program early with a Masters degree in Chemistry. While researching at USC, Carolina published for three consecutive years. She managed projects funded by the National Science Foundation, obtained awards for over $1,000,000, trained laboratory instructors, and taught organic chemistry, biochemistry, and neurosciences.
Carolina has been featured in Rolling Stone, ABC News, Mitu, and Dope Magazine, where she was named one of the “Outstanding Women in Cannabis”. Carolina is the Science Editor of mg magazine, where she has contributed several stories which debunk widely held myths about cannabinoids.
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