John R Traynor

portrait of John R Traynor
Edward F Domino Research Professor of Pharmacology
Professor of Pharmacology
Medical School
Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
College of Pharmacy
[email protected]
Available to mentor
John R Traynor
portrait of John R Traynor
Professor
  • About
  • Links
  • Qualifications
  • Center Memberships
  • Recent Publications
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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

    • Senior Research Fellow
      University of Leicester, Cell Physiology and Pharmacology, Leicester, United Kingdom
      1993 - 1994
    • Visiting Research Fellow
      Pfizer Neuroscience Research Center, Cambridge, United Kingdom
      1987 - 1987
    • Visiting Scientist
      Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, Alderley Park, Cheshire, United Kingdom
      1984 - 1985
    • Visiting Research Fellow
      University of Aberdeen, Unit for Research on Addictive Drugs, United Kingdom
      1985 - 1985
    • Postdoctoral Fellow
      Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Biochemical Pharmacology, Göttingen, Germany
      1974 - 1976
    • Pharmacy Resident
      King's Mill Hospital, Pharmacy, Mansfield, UK, United Kingdom
    • PhD
      University of Aston, Birmingham, UK, United Kingdom
      1970 - 1973
    • B.Sc. Pharmacy
      University of Aston, Birmingham, UK, United Kingdom
      1967 - 1970

    Center Memberships

    • Center Member
      Opioid Research Institute
    • Center Member
      Eisenberg Family Depression Center

    Recent Publications

    See All Publications
    • Journal Article
      Enhancement of the Antinociceptive Effects of Non-Opioid Analgesics by the Opioid Receptor Modulator BMS-986122 (Abstract ID: 230565)
      Clements B, Calloway AC, Kochan KE, Traynor J. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2026 May 13; 393 (5): 104033 DOI:10.1016/j.jpet.2026.104033
    • Journal Article
      Positive Allosteric Modulation of the Delta Opioid Receptor Attenuates Depression-Like and Pain-Like Behaviors but Does Not Promote Convulsions
      Jutkiewicz EM, Palleiko BA, Dripps IJ, Livingston KE, Roques BP, Clements BM, Traynor JR. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2026 May 15; 104942 DOI:10.1016/j.jpet.2026.104942
    • Journal Article
      The Role of Gαo and Gαz in Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression (Abstract ID: 233287)
      Demery C, Mueller M, Anand J, Levitt E, Traynor J. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2026 May 13; 393 (5): 104030 DOI:10.1016/j.jpet.2026.104030
    • Journal Article
      Investigating Opioid Receptor Activity through Biocatalytic Halogenation and Oxidation of Mitragynine.
      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 Chem Biol, 2026 Mar 29; DOI:10.1021/acschembio.5c01008
      PMID: PMC13060569
    • Preprint
      Discovery and dynamic pharmacology of µ-opioid receptor positive allosteric modulators.
      O'Brien ES, Wang J, Tanguturi P, Li M, White E, Shiimura Y, Paul B, Appourchaux K, Krishna Kumar K, Huang W, Majumdar S, Traynor JR, Streicher JM, Chen C, Kobilka BK. 2026 Feb 21; DOI:10.64898/2026.02.20.707058
      PMID: 41757031
    • Journal Article
      A Mu-Opioid Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulator Provides Opioid-Sparing Antinociception Without Enhancing Opioid Side-Effects
      Kochan KE, Clements BM, Prince TD, Demery C, White AD, Levitt ES, Traynor JR. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2026 Feb 20; 104304 DOI:10.1016/j.jpet.2026.104304
    • Preprint
      Fentanyl decreases blood oxygen more than furanylfentanyl despite similar effects on breathing.
      Demery C, Moore SC, Kochan KE, Li M, Prince TD, Clements BM, Chen Z, Whitaker-Fornek JR, Levitt ES, Anand JP, Traynor JR. 2026 Jan 12; DOI:10.21203/rs.3.rs-8398857/v1
      PMID: 41646375
    • Journal Article
      Synthesis and evaluation of 14β-acyl substituted 17-cyclopropylmethyl-7,8-dihydromorphinone derivatives: mixed partial agonists at mu opioid and nociception/orphanin FQ peptide receptors
      Ostovar M, Olsen K, Cami-Kobeci G, Traynor JR, Jeramaz L, Kirton SB, Husbands SM. Rsc Medicinal Chemistry, 2026 Jan 1; DOI:10.1039/d5md00685f

    Featured News & Stories

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    Health Lab

    Study reveals how a popular fentanyl additive affects breathing and heart rate

    Study reveals how a popular fentanyl additive, xylazine, affects breathing and heart rate.
    Emily Jutkiewicz, Ph.D.
    Philanthropy News

    Fellowship in pharmacology to continue the legacy of outstanding scientist and educator

    Emily Jutkiewicz, Ph.D., pioneering pharmacologist and beloved educator, to be honored through graduate fellowship supporting groundbreaking research.
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    Health Lab

    The solution to death from a fentanyl overdose could lie in its chemical structure

    University of Michigan researchers may have found that the solution to prevent people from dying from a fentanyl overdose may be found within fentanyl's own chemistry.
    Department News

    Congratulations to Dr. John Traynor

    Dr. John Traynor is one of 17 University of Michigan faculty members named 2022 AAAS Fellows.