Presenting Author
NIDA Intramural Research Program
Michael H. Baumann received his PhD from Rutgers University 1991 and joined the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program (IRP), as a Staff Fellow in the laboratory of Richard B. Rothman, MD, PhD. Over the years at NIDA IRP, Dr. Baumann held positions as Senior Staff Fellow, Research Biologist, and Staff Scientist. In 2012, he established the Designer Drug Research Unit (DDRU) and was promoted to Unit Chief. The main goals of the DDRU are to collect, analyze, and disseminate the most up-to-date information about the pharmacology and toxicology of newly-emerging synthetic drugs of abuse, now known as new psychoactive substances (NPS). Working with partner organizations such as the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE), Dr. Baumann is kept informed about recent trends in NPS availability, and his laboratory has characterized the biological effects of many synthetic cathinones, cannabinoids, hallucinogens, and opioids. The DDRU has enabled the NIDA IRP to remain at the forefront of research aimed at addressing the global epidemic of NPS misuse.