Alexandros Makriyannis

Alexandros Makriyannis is the George D. Behrakis Chair of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Northeastern University's Bouve College of Health Sciences and directs the Center for Drug Discovery. His research focuses on cannabinoid receptor signaling, drug design, and endocannabinoid system biology. He has pioneered pharmacological probes for endocannabinoid pathways, contributing to therapies for pain, addiction, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Key achievements include discovering critical endocannabinoid probes (e.g., AM6527/AM4113) and elucidating cannabinoid receptor mechanisms. His work bridges medicinal chemistry, molecular biology, and biophysics, with compounds advancing to preclinical trials for metabolic disorders and cancer.

• Awards: 2018 Nathan B. Eddy Award, Honorary Doctorate from University of Crete
• Labs/Teams: Center for Drug Discovery (Northeastern University)
• Grants/Research: Focus on cannabinoid-based therapeutics, drug design for addiction, and metabolic disease interventions

Publications emphasize cannabinoid receptor agonists/antagonists, endocannabinoid enzyme inhibition (NAAA/MAGL), and applications in pain, cancer, and neuroprotection. Research spans preclinical models to translational drug development.