Professor Howl received his PhD in molecular pathology from the School of Biological Sciences, University of Birmingham, in 1998. Between 1988 and 1997, his post-doctoral research focused upon the study of peptides and their cognate receptors supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Wellcome Trust and the British Heart Foundation. During this time, Professor Howl developed a keen interest in the development of multi-functional chimeric peptides particularly ligands for receptors that bind neurohypophysial hormones and kinins.
 
In 1997, Professor Howl joined the University of Wolverhampton where he established the molecular pharmacology research group. The group’s research is centered upon the biomedical applications of bioactive cell penetrating peptides and has introduced the term bioportide to describe the novel class of biological agent. Professor Howl is the United Kingdom representative of the European Peptide Society Council, an elected panel member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a member of the American Peptide Society.