John R Traynor
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About
I have studied opioids and opioid receptors for 30 years and have been continuously funded by NIDA since
1996. My work has been in the areas of structure-activity relationships, signaling and behavior. The long term
aim of these studies is to identify novel targets and medications to treat drug dependence and pain. My
training, both as a medicinal chemist and as a pharmacologist has been especially helpful and allowed me to
form a number of fruitful collaborations and have a general overview of the biology drug abuse. I completed a
4-year appointment as Director of the Substance Abuse Research Center and a 4 year term as President of
the International Narcotics Research Conference (INRC). I recently stepped down as Chair of the
Neuropharmacology Division of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
(ASPET) and I am currently a member of the ASPET Council
Links
Edward F. Domino Research Center Traynor Lab
Qualifications
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Senior Research FellowUniversity of Leicester, Cell Physiology and Pharmacology, Leicester, United Kingdom
1993 - 1994
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Visiting Research FellowPfizer Neuroscience Research Center, Cambridge, United Kingdom
1987 - 1987
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Visiting ScientistZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Alderley Park, Cheshire, United Kingdom
1984 - 1985
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Visiting Research FellowUniversity of Aberdeen, Unit for Research on Addictive Drugs, United Kingdom
1985 - 1985
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Postdoctoral FellowMax Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Biochemical Pharmacology, Göttingen, Germany
1974 - 1976
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Pharmacy ResidentKing's Mill Hospital, Pharmacy, Mansfield, UK, United Kingdom
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PhDUniversity of Aston, Birmingham, UK, United Kingdom
1970 - 1973
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B.Sc. PharmacyUniversity of Aston, Birmingham, UK, United Kingdom
1967 - 1970
Center Memberships
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Center MemberOpioid Research Institute
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Center MemberEisenberg Family Depression Center
Recent Publications
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Walicki MC, Mueller MR, Raigosa Garza N, Levitt ES, Traynor JR, Jutkiewicz EM, Birdsong WT. Behavioural Pharmacology, 2026 Aug 1; 37 (4): 139 - 149.Journal ArticleDelta opioid receptors on parvalbumin cells are necessary for the convulsant and anxiolytic effects of the delta agonist SNC80
DOI:10.1097/FBP.0000000000000882 PMID: 42213967 -
Jutkiewicz EM, Palleiko BA, Dripps IJ, Livingston KE, Roques BP, Clements BM, Traynor JR. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2026 Jul 1; 393 (7):Journal ArticlePositive allosteric modulation of the delta opioid receptor attenuates depression-like and pain-like behaviors but does not promote convulsions
DOI:10.1016/j.jpet.2026.104942 PMID: 42250290 -
Awad-Igbaria Y, Zhang Y, Aframian M, Faas GC, Charles A, Baca SM, Jutkiewicz E, von Mentzer B, Traynor J, Kendall D, Pradhan AA. 2026 Jun 12;PreprintPN6047 Demonstrates Broad Preclinical Efficacy in Headache Models as a Novel Delta-Opioid Receptor Agonist.
DOI:10.64898/2026.06.09.729278 PMID: 42327222 -
Clements BM, Berberoglu I, Burke KL, Kemp SWP, Traynor JR. 2026 May 6;PreprintEffects of the Mu Opioid Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulator BMS-986122 On Opioid Efficacy in Rat Neuropathic Pain States.
DOI:10.64898/2026.05.03.722511 PMID: 42146645 -
Clements B, Calloway AC, Kochan KE, Traynor J. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2026 May 13; 393 (5): 104033Journal ArticleEnhancement of the Antinociceptive Effects of Non-Opioid Analgesics by the Opioid Receptor Modulator BMS-986122 (Abstract ID: 230565)
DOI:10.1016/j.jpet.2026.104033 -
Demery C, Mueller M, Anand J, Levitt E, Traynor J. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2026 May 13; 393 (5): 104030Journal ArticleThe Role of Gαo and Gαz in Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression (Abstract ID: 233287)
DOI:10.1016/j.jpet.2026.104030 -
Harris NR, Powell AJ, Snodgrass HM, Amin S, Newmister SA, Curtis BJ, Li D, Husaini ZA, Verhey-Henke L, Smith JL, Pereira F, Lewis JC, Traynor J, Sherman DH. ACS Chemical Biology, 2026 Apr 17; 21 (4): 733 - 743.Journal ArticleInvestigating Opioid Receptor Activity through Biocatalytic Halogenation and Oxidation of Mitragynine
DOI:10.1021/acschembio.5c01008 PMID: 41906286 -
Clements B, Kerrigan KE, Hsuing-Lee C, Berberoglu I, Kemp SWP, Traynor JR. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, 2026 May 9; 10 (s1): 118 - 118.Journal Article364 The positive allosteric modulator BMS-122 increases the efficacy of opioid and non-opioid analgesics neuropathic pain
DOI:10.1017/cts.2026.10533 PMID: PMC13172840
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