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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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 -
Jutkiewicz EM, Palleiko BA, Dripps IJ, Livingston KE, Roques BP, Clements BM, Traynor JR. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2026 May 15; 104942Journal 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 -
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 Chem Biol, 2026 Mar 29;Journal ArticleInvestigating Opioid Receptor Activity through Biocatalytic Halogenation and Oxidation of Mitragynine.
DOI:10.1021/acschembio.5c01008 PMID: PMC13060569 -
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;PreprintDiscovery and dynamic pharmacology of µ-opioid receptor positive allosteric modulators.
DOI:10.64898/2026.02.20.707058 PMID: 41757031 -
Kochan KE, Clements BM, Prince TD, Demery C, White AD, Levitt ES, Traynor JR. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2026 Feb 20; 104304Journal ArticleA Mu-Opioid Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulator Provides Opioid-Sparing Antinociception Without Enhancing Opioid Side-Effects
DOI:10.1016/j.jpet.2026.104304 -
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;PreprintFentanyl decreases blood oxygen more than furanylfentanyl despite similar effects on breathing.
DOI:10.21203/rs.3.rs-8398857/v1 PMID: 41646375 -
Ostovar M, Olsen K, Cami-Kobeci G, Traynor JR, Jeramaz L, Kirton SB, Husbands SM. Rsc Medicinal Chemistry, 2026 Jan 1;Journal ArticleSynthesis and evaluation of 14β-acyl substituted 17-cyclopropylmethyl-7,8-dihydromorphinone derivatives: mixed partial agonists at mu opioid and nociception/orphanin FQ peptide receptors
DOI:10.1039/d5md00685f
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