Graeme Henderson (born 1949) is a British neuroscientist whose research focuses on opioid addiction. He is professor of pharmacology in the School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience,

University of Bristol , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...

Education and career

Graeme Henderson grew up in Glasgow,

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, and attended

Shawlands Academy Shawlands Academy is a state secondary school in the Shawlands area of Glasgow, Scotland. Admissions Shawlands Academy was Glasgow's designated International School and one of Scotland's most multicultural schools. It was situated in Shawland ...

. He received his

BSc A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

in pharmacology from the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

in 1971 and then studied for a

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in the laboratory of John Hughes and

Hans Kosterlitz Hans Walter Kosterlitz FRS (27 April 1903 – 26 October 1996) was a German-born British biochemist. Biography Hans Walter Kosterlitz was born on 27 April 1903 in Berlin. He was the elder son of Bernhard Kosterlitz, a physician, and Selma ...

at the

University of Aberdeen The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...

, working on the effects of opiates on release of neurotransmitters. Following the award of his PhD in 1974 he worked with Richard Alan North in Aberdeen and at

Loyola University of Chicago Loyola University Chicago (Loyola or LUC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola is one of the largest Catholic universities in the United States. Its namesake is Saint Ign ...

studying opioid activation of potassium channels in brain neurons. He was appointed to a lectureship at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

and to a fellowship of

Sidney Sussex College Sidney Sussex College (referred to informally as "Sidney") is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England. The College was founded in 1596 under the terms of the will of Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex (1531–1589), wife ...

in 1980. Along with Elizabeth Seward he demonstrated that opioid receptor activation inhibited the opening of voltage-gated calcium channels. In 1991 he was appointed to a chair of pharmacology and became head of the Department of Pharmacology at the

Research

Henderson's current research focuses on the mechanisms by which opioid drugs affect the central nervous system. In particular, his research group has studied the cellular mechanisms by which tolerance is developed to opioid drugs and how that tolerance may be reduced by other drugs such as ethanol and

pregabalin Pregabalin, sold under the brand name Lyrica among others, is an anticonvulsant, analgesic and anxiolytic medication used to treat epilepsy, neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, restless leg syndrome, opioid withdrawal and generalized anxiety disord ...

enhancing the likelihood of opioid overdose.

Academic leadership

He served as president of the

British Pharmacological Society The British Pharmacological Society is the primary UK learned society for pharmacologists concerned with research into drugs and the way they work. Members work in academia, industry, regulatory agencies and the health services, and many are medi ...

from 2006 to 2007 and as first vice president of the

International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology The International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) is a voluntary, non-profit association representing the interests of scientists in pharmacology-related fields to facilitate ''Better Medicines through Global Education and Resear ...

(IUPHAR) from 2010 to 2018. He is currently a member of the UK Government's

Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is a British statutory advisory non-departmental public body, which was established under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Mandate Its terms of reference, according to the Act, are as follows: '' ...

, and of the scientific committee of

Drug Science DrugScience or ''Drug Science'' (originally called the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD)) is a UK-based drugs advisory committee proposed and initially funded by hedge fund manager Toby Jackson. It is chaired by Professor David N ...

since 2010.

Honours and awards

* Wellcome Gold Medal, British Pharmacological Society 2019 * Honorary Fellow, British Pharmacological Society 2014 * Vane Medal, British Pharmacological Society 2013 * Founders’ Lecturer, International Narcotics Research Conference 2013 * Fellow, Royal Society of Biology 2011 * Sandoz Prize, British Pharmacological Society 1984

Notable publications

*Johnson EA, Oldfield S... Henderson G (2006). Agonist-selective mechanisms of the μ-opioid receptor desensitization in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. ''Molecular Pharmacology''. 70(2): pgs. 676-685 * Khakh BS, Henderson G (1998). ATP receptor-mediated enhancement of fast excitatory neurotransmitter release in the brain. ''Molecular Pharmacology''. 54(2): pgs. 372-378 *Connor M, Yeo A, Henderson G (1996). The effect of nociceptin on Ca²⁺ channel current and intracellular Ca²⁺ in the SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line. ''British Journal of Pharmacology''. 118(2): pgs. 205-207 *Waterfield AA, Smockcum RWJ... Henderson G (1977). In vitro pharmacology of the opioid peptides, enkephalins, and endorphins. ''European Journal of Pharmacology''. 43(2): pgs. 107-116 *Henderson G, Hughes J, Kosterlitz HW (1972). A new example of a morphine-sensitive neuro-effector junction: adrenergic transmission in the mouse vans deferens. ''British Journal of Pharmacology''. 46(4): pgs. 764-766

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Henderson, Graeme Alumni of the University of Glasgow Alumni of the University of Aberdeen British pharmacologists Living people 1949 births