Allyn Howlett
Professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
Research: Besides her discovery of the CB1 receptor, Allyn has also worked to develop the radioligand binding assay for cannabinoid receptors that is now available to researchers worldwide. Her lab is currently looking to understand protein interactions that modulate the CB1 receptor, particularly targeting G protein isoforms, ß-arrestins, and CRIP1a (cannabinoid receptor interacting protein 1a). This work could have significant implications for the development of future cannabinoid medicines.
Nominator comment: “Allyn is a renowned scientist/neuropharmacologist who completed groundbreaking work on the endocannabinoid system, including the discovery of the CB1 receptor and understanding how THC works in the body.”
