Jillian M. Hagel, BSc. MSc. PhD. Scientist & Artist Calgary, Alberta Canada
Personal Statement
I am a biochemist and artist with over 25 years of experience combining scientific research in the plant natural products domain with visual expression on canvas. I am equally at ease in the laboratory as in my art studio, which both serve as venues for learning, discovery, and observation. My entrepreneurial spirit has underpinned several ventures, including the co-founding of two biotechnology companies (Epimeron Inc., now Willow Biosciences Inc., WLLW.TO; MagicMed Industries Inc., now Enveric Biosciences, Inc., NASDAQ:ENVB) and my concomitant foray into an art career.
My scientific background has informed my interests as an artist. My paintings explore humanity’s relationship with plants, including a more than 6000-year history with opium poppy, our political and personal connections with cannabis, our use of henbane and nightshade in magic and seduction, and the hallucinogenic ointments used by witches to fly on their broomsticks. While I have experience in several media, I largely deploy oil or watercolours using traditional techniques.
Education & Coursework
Institution
DEGREE/DOMAIN
Completion Date
FIELD OF STUDY
University of Calgary
BSc.
06/00
Biochemistry
University of Calgary
MSc.
12/04
Biochemistry
University of Calgary
PhD.
12/10
Biochemistry
University of Calgary
CVD.
In progress
Visual Design
University of Calgary
Continuing Ed. (Course, ART109)
09/04
Acrylics (I)
University of Calgary
Continuing Ed. (Course, ART116)
10/04
Acrylics (II)
University of Calgary
Continuing Ed. (Course, ART108)
09/12
Watercolour
Experience
Dates
Position
2010 – 2020
Active member, Green Palette Arts, Calgary (Oils, Watercolour, Acrylics)
2010 – 2015
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Calgary
2014 – 2019
Chief Operational Officer, Epimeron Inc. (Co-founder)
2015 – 2019
Research Associate, University of Calgary
2016 – 2019
Chief Operational Officer, Sertürner, Inc. (Co-founder)
2019 – 2020
Vice President, Willow Biosciences
2019 – present
Visiting Scientist, University of Calgary
2020 – 2021
Chief Operational Officer, MagicMed Industries Inc. (Co-founder)
2021 – 2022
Chief Technology Officer, Enveric Biosciences Inc.
2022 – present
Vice President, Enveric Biosciences Inc.
Awards
Year
Award
1999
Alberta Heritage Foundation Undergraduate Student Research Award
1999
NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award
2002 – 2003
Alberta Graduate Student Scholarship
2005 – 2009
Alberta Ingenuity Fund Graduate Student Scholarship
2008
Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship
2010
Gene R. Huber Doctoral Thesis Award, Department of Biological Sciences
2012
Genome Canada Young Investigator Award
Funded Grants (Co-Investigator)
Dates
Grant
2019 – 2021
Genome Alberta Applied Agriculture Genomics Program, $250,000
Publications (Artwork Featured in Scientific Papers)
Li, G., Facchini, P.J. (2024) New Frontiers in the biosynthesis of psychoactive specialized metabolites. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 82:102626. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102626
Hagel, J.M., Facchini, P.J. (2013) Benzylisoquinoline alkaloid metabolism: a century of discovery and a brave new world. Plant Cell Physiology 54, 647. https://doi.org/10.1093/pcp/pct020
Facchini, P.J., Bohlmann, J., Ro, D.K., Page, J.E., Covello, P.S., De Luca, V., Mahadevan, K., Sensen, C.W., Storms, R., Martin, V.J.J. (2012) Synthetic biosystems for the production of high-value plant metabolites. Trends in Biotechnology 30, 127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2011.10.001
Hagel, J.M., Krizevski, R., Marsolais, F., Lewinsohn, E., Facchini, P.J. (2012) Biosynthesis of amphetamine analogues in plants. Trends in Plant Science 17, 404. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2012.03.004
Hagel, J.M., Yeung, E.C., Facchini, P.J. (2008) Got milk? – The secret life of laticifers. Trends in Plant Sciences 13, 631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2008.09.005
Publications (Peer-Reviewed Scientific Papers)
Hagel JM, Chang L, Li J, Chen X, Yu L, Gallant JA, Facchini PJ (2025) Bioproduction of a large-scale library of tryptamine derivatives for neuropsychiatric drug screening. ACS Chemical Biology 20, 1212
Carr SC, Rehman F, Hagel JM, Chen X, Ng KKS, Facchini PJ (2024) Two ubiquitous aldo-keto reductases in the genus Papaver support a patchwork model for morphine pathway evolution. Communications Biology 7, 1410
Raithatha SA, Hagel JM, Matinkhoo K, Yu L, Press DJ, Cook SG, Sharma G, Dhananjaya D, Jensen G, Lee JB, Cai C, Gallant JA, Bains J, Tucker JE, Facchini PJ (2024) Novel psilocin prodrugs with altered pharmacological properties as candidate therapies for treatment-resistant anxiety disorders. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 67, 1024
Chen X, Li J, Yu L, Maule F, Chang L, Gallant JA, Press DJ, Raithatha SA, Hagel JM, Facchini PJ (2023) A cane toad (Rhinella marina) N-methyltransferase converts primary indolethylamines to tertiary psychedelic amines. Journal of Biological Chemistry 299:105231
Ozber N, Yu L, Hagel JM, Facchini PJ (2023) Strong feedback inhibition of key enzymes in the morphine biosynthetic pathway from opium poppy detectable in engineered yeast. ACS Chemical Biology 18, 419
Ozber N, Carr SC, Morris JS, Liang S, Watkins JL, Caldo KM, Hagel JM, Ng KKS, Facchini PJ (2022) Alkaloid binding to opium poppy major latex proteins triggers structural modification and functional aggregation. Nature Communications 13, 6768
Menéndez-Perdomo IM, Hagel JM, Facchini PJ (2021) Benzylisoquinoline alkaloid analysis using high-resolution Orbitrap LC-MSn. Journal of Mass Spectrometry 56, e4683
Chen R, Chen X, Hagel JM, Facchini PJ (2020) Virus-Induced Gene Silencing to investigate alkaloid biosynthesis in opium poppy. Methods in Molecular Biology 2172, 75
Selected Patents
Hagel, J.M., Facchini, P.J., Ling, C.C. Carboxylated psilocybin derivatives and methods of using. US Patent No. 11,752,130 B2. Enveric Biosciences Canada Inc. Issued Sept. 12, 2023
Hagel, J.M., Matinkhoo, K., Facchini, P.J. C4-Carbonothiolate-substituted tryptamine derivatives and methods of using. US Patent No. 11,707,447 B1. Enveric Biosciences Canada Inc. Issued July 25, 2023
Hagel, J.M., Facchini, P.J., Ling, C.C. Aldehyde and Ketone Derivatives of Psilocybin and Methods of Using. US Patent Application No. 17/951,594. Enveric Biosciences Canada Inc. Notice of Allowance October 2, 2023
Hagel JM, Facchini PJ (2020) Halogenated Psilocybin Derivatives and Methods of Using (#1) (USPTO No. 63/047,662)
Hagel JM, Facchini PJ (2020) Hydroxylated Psilocybin Derivatives and Methods of Using (#1) (USPTO No. 63/063,748)
Facchini PJ, Hagel JM (2016) Methods and compositions for making ephedrine and related alkaloid compounds (PCT/CA2016/050730)