Shawn M. Flynn is the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Highlighted Trainee Author for the March 2022 issue. He is a predoctoral trainee pursuing his PhD in physiology and pharmacology at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, under the direction of Dr. Charles P. France. The JPET article that earned his selection as a Highlighted Trainee Author is titled “Characterization of the Discriminative Stimulus Effects of Binary Mixtures of mu Opioid Receptor Agonists in Rats Discriminating Fentanyl” and is available at https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.121.000912.

Mr. Flynn’s primary areas of research include the effects of superpotent opioids, such as carfentanil, and evaluating drug interactions related to abuse liability and drug overdose. His current work focuses on determining the effects of superpotent opioids on ventilation and evaluating novel pharmacological treatments for opioid overdoses involving these drugs.

The anticipated impact of Mr. Flynn’s work is that characterization of the effects of highly potent synthetic opioids and evaluation of novel pharmacological treatments to reverse opioid overdose will contribute to the development of more effective treatments for opioid overdose in light of rapidly increasing numbers of overdose deaths involving these drugs. He hopes to expand this line of research to evaluate the effects of opioids in combination with other drugs of abuse, as many overdose deaths involve more than one class of drug.

When not in the lab, Shawn enjoys exercising and spending time with friends.