Henry Lester performs research at the intersection of neuroscience, biophysics, molecular biology, and pharmacology. He seeks to understand the changes that occur within a brain that is exposed chronically to nicotine. Since 2007, Lester’s contributions reveal how the basic biology of nicotine addiction generates translational insights for PD therapeutics. He has served on the Caltech faculty since 1973. He also served as president of the Biophysical Society, chair of the Caltech Faculty, director of an NIMH Conte Center for Neuroscience Research, and NINDS Javits investigator. He currently directs a NIDA national cooperative group in drug discovery. He received a BA from Harvard and a PhD from the Rockefeller University. He received the Fuller Award in neuropharmacology from the American Society for Experimental Therapeutics and the Cole Award in membrane biophysics from the Biophysical Society. He holds seven patents and participates in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.