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Nesta is an innovation foundation. For us, innovation means turning bold ideas into reality and changing lives for the better. We use our expertise, skills and funding in areas where there are big challenges facing society.

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Science, psychedelics and society: Imran Khan in conversation with Ravi Gurumurthy

3 Jul 2025 18:00 – 19:15
Online and in person, EC4Y 0DS
Free

This event took place on Thursday 3 July. You can watch the recording below.

Event recording

The opinions expressed in this event recording are those of the speaker. For more information, view our full statement on external contributors.

Psychedelic drugs like LSD, 'magic mushrooms', MDMA, and ketamine are experiencing a resurgence of scientific, business, political, and popular interest. Recently stigmatised as part of the global 'war on drugs', they're now being touted as breakthrough treatments for mental health conditions, tools for human flourishing, and keys for understanding the human mind. So what happened? What’s behind this psychedelic renaissance? And what could it mean for the future of mental health care, public health policy, and societal wellbeing?

On Thursday 3 July 2025 we heard from Ravi Gurumurthy, Group CEO at Nesta and BIT, and Imran Khan, former Executive Director of the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics and author of The Essential Knowledge on Psychedelics. They explored the latest science, the social and political momentum behind the movement, and the opportunities and challenges of integrating psychedelics into mainstream health systems.

This event was for anyone interested in drug policy, public health and the intersection of politics, culture and social policy. The event was followed by a networking drinks reception.

Speakers

Ravi

Ravi Gurumurthy

He/him

Ravi Gurumurthy is Group Chief Executive Officer, joining Nesta as Chief Executive in December 2019. Ravi was previously responsible for the International Rescue Committee’s work in designing, testing and scaling products and services for people affected by crisis in over 40 countries - from reducing acute malnutrition and intimate partner violence, to expanding employment for Syrian refugees. Prior to joining the International Rescue Committee in 2013, Ravi held a number of roles in the UK Government, including Director of Strategy at the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change and as a strategic advisor to the Foreign Secretary. Across many departments, Ravi led a number of major social and environmental reforms including the development of the world’s first legally-binding carbon emissions targets and the integration of children’s services. Ravi has also worked as a researcher at the think-tank Demos and in local government in London. Ravi writes a fortnightly substack on policy innovation.

imrankhan

Imran Khan

He/him

Imran is a professional nerd who specialises in connecting science with society. He’s led institutions from the British Science Association to the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics, worked as a science journalist and a political adviser, and is currently writing The Essential Knowledge on Psychedelics (MIT Press, 2026). He studied biology at the University of Oxford, and science communication at Imperial College London. He also holds an MBA from Bayes Business School, and is an Honorary Research Associate in Science & Technology Studies at UCL. Imran is always down to discuss sci-fi, dogs, and how to make the perfect daal. Born and raised in the north of England in a working-class immigrant family, he now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, and is still trying to figure it all out.

Event information

3 Jul 2025 18:00 – 19:15
Free