Exploring Life & Business with Brandie Cross of The Pot Lab / Apothecary Organique

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandie Cross.

Brandie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Dr. Brandie Makeba Cross, Ph.D.

My journey began in science, but it’s always been rooted in culture, curiosity, and liberation. I earned my Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology from The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where I studied intracellular calcium signaling in models of lactation and breast cancer. My early work focused on the fine-tuned chemistry of life — how cells communicate, regulate, and respond to their environments.

But even as I worked in some of the most advanced research labs, I knew I wanted to build something different — something that connected rigorous science to the world outside the lab, to people and plants and lived experience. I’ve always believed that science should serve the community, not just the academy.

That belief led me back home to Los Angeles, where I founded The Pot Lab — a research and education initiative dedicated to decolonizing cannabis science. Our work explores how cannabinoids like THCA and CBDA shape the developing brain using stem cell models, with the goal of understanding their potential in treating cognitive disorders such as epilepsy, autism, and ADHD. But The Pot Lab isn’t just about discovery; it’s about who gets to do science and how knowledge can be used to heal rather than harm.

My academic background also flows into my teaching — as an Adjunct Professor at Cal State LA I taught a course called Psychotropic Substances in Science and Society, which encourages students to think critically about drugs, biology, and history — and to see that pharmacology can be a language of freedom when taught through a decolonial lens.

At the same time, I wanted to make the science tangible — to let people touch, smell, and taste the chemistry of healing. That’s where Apothecary Organique was born. It’s my botanical wellness company that merges traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) with modern biochemistry. Every product — from rose and aloe hydrosols to guava leaf and holy basil glycerites — is crafted with care, using ethically sourced, organic, homegrown botanicals. Apothecary Organique is the hands-on expression of everything I believe in: plant-based healing, sustainability, and community empowerment.

My two worlds — The Pot Lab and Apothecary Organique — are reflections of the same mission: to reclaim plant science through a decolonial, community-centered lens. I see pharmacology not just as the study of drugs, but as a study of liberation — of how chemistry, culture, and consciousness intertwine.

Today, my work continues to evolve — in the classroom, the lab, and the community. I’ have published a peer reviewed critical analysis of Cannabis education callled Pharmacology of the Oppressed, which explores the intersection of plant medicine, education, and social justice. It’s both a research framework and a living exhibit — an ongoing effort to transform how we teach and talk about drugs, healing, and power.

At the end of the day, I’m guided by the same belief that started all of this: plants are the first scientists, and if we listen to them — and to each other — we can create new pathways to wellness, understanding, and freedom.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road — but I’ve never been drawn to easy paths. My journey has been about creating space in places that weren’t built for me, and that means learning how to thrive while defying expectation.

I was born with mild cerebral palsy and I’m autistic, so navigating the world — especially academia — has always required a mix of adaptation, stubbornness, and strategy. The same neurodivergence that made me “different” in traditional classrooms is also what made me a better scientist. My brain is wired for pattern recognition, detail, and deep focus — I see connections most people overlook.

Still, it hasn’t been easy. Academia can be rigid and ableist, built around hierarchies and systems that reward conformity. Add to that being a Black and Indigenous, queer woman researching cannabis — a federally restricted plant still stigmatized in science — and it sometimes felt like every part of my identity was “too much” for the spaces I was in. Too political, too logical, too outspoken, too unconventional.

Securing funding for cannabis research has been one of the biggest challenges. Because the plant remains classified as Schedule I, traditional grants and institutional support are off-limits. I had to build The Pot Lab from the ground up, fueled by persistence, collaboration, and creativity — proving that community-based, decolonial science can be just as rigorous as anything happening in a federally funded lab.

Running Apothecary Organique comes with its own lessons, too. As a disabled scientist and small business owner, I’ve had to structure my work around my body’s rhythms — learning that rest, routine, and accessibility are not luxuries but essential parts of the creative process.

There’s a unique kind of power in moving through systems that weren’t built for you — because you learn how to rebuild them. My challenges aren’t just obstacles; they’re catalysts. They taught me resilience, compassion, and how to see structure where others see chaos.

So no, it hasn’t been smooth. But it’s been mine — and every step, every misstep, every barrier has led me closer to my purpose: to prove that science, healing, and liberation all thrive when we honor every kind of mind and body.

As you know, we’re big fans of The Pot Lab / Apothecary Organique. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I’m the founder of The Pot Lab and Apothecary Organique — two sister spaces built around one mission: to decolonize wellness and reconnect people to the healing intelligence of plants.

The Pot Lab focuses on how non-psychotropic cannabinoids can support and empower disabled and neurodivergent people — shifting the narrative from stigma to science, and from survival to thriving. It’s where biology meets justice and care. We are known for our patient-centered approach to medical Cannabis.

Apothecary Organique is the everyday expression of that same vision — a botanical brand offering hydrosols, tinctures, herbal blends, and skin elixirs made with integrity, sustainability, and ancestral knowledge. Every product is crafted to honor the plant, the planet, and the people.

What sets my work apart is the fusion — I’m a scientist, educator, and healer bringing lived experience, research, and cultural wisdom together in one place. Both brands are Black-owned, woman-led, queer-powered, and unapologetically built from the ground up in Los Angeles.

At The Pot Lab and Apothecary Organique, we don’t chase trends — we cultivate truth, access, and liberation through plants.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was a kind, silly, and gifted child who grew up in Lake View Terrace, one of the more rural corners of Los Angeles. Horses, open space, and foothills shaped my childhood and taught me to notice the details others overlooked. I went to public school, and while I was shy and curious — always asking questions and exploring how things worked — I had a small circle of close friends, but somehow people were drawn to my confidence and curiosity.

Being a Black, autistic girl with mild cerebral palsy came with its challenges, but it also gave me empathy, independence, and a unique perspective on the world. I learned to move through spaces that didn’t always understand me — and to trust my instincts.

Looking back, that mix of curiosity, confidence, and connection to nature set the foundation for everything I do now. The Pot Lab and Apothecary Organique are just grown-up versions of that same spirit: a kid from Lake View Terrace who never stopped exploring, experimenting, and believing in the power of plants to teach us about balance, resilience, and growth.

Contact Info:

• Website: thepotlab.com apothecaryorganique.com
• Instagram: @thepotlabla @apothecaryorganique
• Facebook: @thepotlab @apothecaryorganique