Marilyn Huestis, AB, MS, PhD
Lecturer

Contact
Marilyn Huestis, AB, MS, PhD
Lecturer
Education
Doctor honoris causa Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland - 2010
PhD, Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD - 1992
MS, Clinical Chemistry, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM - 1979
BA, Biochemistry, Physiology, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA - 1970
Publications
- Evaluation of Field Sobriety Tests for Identifying Drivers Under the Influence of Cannabis: A Randomized Clinical Trial
- Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis: Impact of Combining Toxicology Testing with Field Sobriety Tests
- Prenatal tobacco and cannabis co-exposure and offspring obesity development from birth to mid-childhood
- New Psychoactive Substances Intoxications and Fatalities during the COVID-19 Epidemic
- Cannabis and sport: A World Anti-Doping perspective
Research Interest
Toxicology
Effects of in utero drug exposure
The neurobiology & pharmacokinetics of novel psychoactive substances
Awards
Distinguished Service to Safety Award, National Safety Council, AACC’s Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award - 2021
Alexander O. Gettler Award, Toxicology Section, American Academy of Forensic Sciences - 2021
Robert F. Borkenstein Award, Alcohol, Drugs & Impairment Division, National Safety Council. - 2018
Marian W. Fischman Lectureship Award, The College on Problems of Drug Dependence - 2016
Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences - 2015
Distinguished Visiting Scholar, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia - 2012
Clinical Chemistry “Inspiring Mind” - 2011
Alan Curry Award, The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT) Lifetime Achievement Award for Service to the Organization and Contributions to Forensic Toxicology - 2010
Award for Outstanding Contributions in a Selected Area of Research, American Association for Clinical Chemistry - 2008
Irving Sunshine Award, International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology - 2007
Women in Science at NIH - 2007
Rolla N. Harger Award, Toxicology Section, American Academy of Forensic Sciences - 2005
Biography
Dr. Marilyn Huestis was the former Chief of Chemistry and Drug Metabolism at the National Institute of Health’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Intramural Research Program (IRP) where she conducted controlled drug administration studies. She is a toxicologist studying the effects of illicit drugs and licit pharmacotherapies on cognition, physiology, motor control, and in utero. Her current research interests are on cannabinoid agonists and antagonists, mitragynine, psilocybin, the neurobiology of novel psychoactive substances, effects of drugs on human performance, in utero drug exposure, and the analysis of drugs and metabolites in a wide variety of biological fluids and tissues. Her doctoral research focused on cannabis (marijuana), and she went on to study a wide range of illicit drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, and heroin and methadone and buprenorphine. Dr. Huestis served on the National Commission on Forensic Sciences, was president of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists, Chair of the Toxicology Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and president of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists.
Teaching
Cannabinoid Pharmacology