Professor Dr. Dr. (h.c.) Marilyn A. Huestis retired as a tenured senior investigator and Chief, Chemistry and Drug Metabolism Section, IRP, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health in 2016 after 23 years of conducting controlled drug administration studies. She was an Adjunct Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD from 1999-2017. Currently, she is a Senior Fellow at the Institute on Emerging Health Professions, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, Adjunct Professor, University of New Mexico, College of Pharmacy, Honorary Professor, Barts & London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, England on the Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) Science Advisory Board, and President of Huestis & Smith Toxicology, LLC. Her research program focuses on the neurobiology and pharmacokinetics of cannabinoid agonists, kratom/mitragynine, oral fluid drug testing, and driving under the influence of drugs. She published 585 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters and hundreds of invited lectures and abstracts were presented at national and international meetings. Professor Huestis has an AB in biochemistry from Mount Holyoke College, a MS in clinical chemistry from the University of New Mexico, and a PhD in toxicology from the University of Maryland. Professor Huestis received a Doctor Honoris Causa from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki in Finland. Other important awards include the 2025 Widmark Award from ICADTS, 2023 CMCR Pioneer in Medicinal Cannabis Research Award, 2023 Mechoulam Award from ICRS, 2021 AACC Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award, 2021 NSC Distinguished Service to Safety Award, 2021 AAFS Alexander O. Gettler Award, 2018 NSC Borkenstein Award, 2016 Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Orator, Melbourne, Australia, 2016 Marian W. Fischman Lectureship Award from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, 2015 Distinguished Fellow from AAFS, 2010 TIAFT Alan Curry Award, 2007 IATDMCT Irving Sunshine Award, 2005 AAFS Rolla N. Harger Award, and 1992 Irving Sunshine Award for Outstanding Research in Forensic Toxicology. The journal Clinical Chemistry featured her as an “Inspiring Mind”. She currently serves on the World Anti-doping Agency’s Prohibited List Committee, and the National Safety Council’s Alcohol, Drugs and Impairment Division Executive Board. She is a SOFT past president, past Toxicology Chair and Board of Directors, AAFS, and TIAFT past president.
