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 Science and Policy Advisor for PinneyAssociates,Professor 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, psilocybin, effects of in utero drug exposure, oral fluid drug testing, driving under the influence of drugs, and identification and quantification of drugs by mass spectrometry. She published 557 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters and hundreds of invited lectures and abstracts were presented at national and international meetings.

Professor Huestis received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Mount Holyoke College, a master’s degree in clinical chemistry from the University of New Mexico, and a doctoral degree 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 2023 Mechoulam Lifetime Achievement Award in cannabinoid research from the International Cannabinoid Research Society, 2021 American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award, 2021 National Safety Council Distinguished Service to Safety Award, 2021 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Alexander O. Gettler Award, 2018 National Safety Council’s Borkenstein Award, 2017 Sir Kenneth Standard Distinguished Lecturer for the University of the West Indies, 2016 Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Orator, Melbourne, Australia, 2016 Marian W. Fischman Lectureship Award from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, 2016 Saferstein Memorial Distinguished Lecturer at Northeastern University, 2015 Norman P. Kubasik AACC Lectureship Award, 2015 Distinguished Fellow from AAFS, 2010 The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT) Alan Curry Award, 2008 AACC Outstanding Contributions in a Selected Area of Research Award, 2007 International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology (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. Professor Huestis served on the National Commission on Forensic Sciences. She is past president of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists, past Chair of the Toxicology Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and past president of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists.