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:
[email protected]
Phone:
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
      Structure–Function Analysis of the Benzyloxy Moiety of the Delta-Opioid Receptor Positive Modulator BMS-986187: Identification of a Derivative with High Selectivity for the Delta-Opioid Receptor over the Mu-Opioid Receptor In Vitro and In Vivo
      Li M, Zhang S, Powell AJ, Stewart HC, Ourlian LN, Vander Roest SR, Alt AJ, Rech JC, White AD, Traynor JR. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2026 Aug 26; DOI:10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6c00303
    • Journal Article
      PN6047 demonstrates preclinical efficacy in headache models as a novel delta-opioid receptor agonist
      Awad-Igbaria Y, Zhang Y, Aframian M, Faas GC, Charles A, Baca SM, Jutkiewicz E, von Mentzer B, Traynor J, Kendall D, Pradhan AA. The Journal of Headache and Pain, 2026 Aug 7; DOI:10.1186/s10194-026-02473-1
    • Journal Article
      Delta opioid receptors on parvalbumin cells are necessary for the convulsant and anxiolytic effects of the delta agonist SNC80
      Walicki MC, Mueller MR, Raigosa Garza N, Levitt ES, Traynor JR, Jutkiewicz EM, Birdsong WT. Behavioural Pharmacology, 2026 Aug 1; 37 (4): 139 - 149. DOI:10.1097/FBP.0000000000000882
      PMID: 42213967
    • Journal Article
      High Potency μ-Opioid Receptor Agonists Engage Sodium-Bound Receptor States
      Powell A, Griggs NW, Iniguez-Lluhi J, Mosberg H, Traynor JR. Molecular Pharmacology, 2026 Aug 26; 100152 DOI:10.1016/j.molpha.2026.100152
    • 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 Jul 1; 393 (7): DOI:10.1016/j.jpet.2026.104942
      PMID: 42250290
    • Preprint
      PN6047 Demonstrates Broad Preclinical Efficacy in Headache Models as a Novel Delta-Opioid Receptor Agonist.
      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; DOI:10.64898/2026.06.09.729278
      PMID: 42327222
    • Preprint
      Effects of the Mu Opioid Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulator BMS-986122 On Opioid Efficacy in Rat Neuropathic Pain States.
      Clements BM, Berberoglu I, Burke KL, Kemp SWP, Traynor JR. 2026 May 6; DOI:10.64898/2026.05.03.722511
      PMID: 42146645
    • 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

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    Congratulations to Dr. John Traynor

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