World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
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Best Female Scientists
2025
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Neuroscience
USA
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Best Female Scientists

D-Index
156
Citations
92228
World Ranking
120
National Ranking
69

Neuroscience

D-Index
158
Citations
91448
World Ranking
122
National Ranking
83

Medicine

D-Index
158
Citations
92645
World Ranking
858
National Ranking
489

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Neuroscience in United States Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Best Female Scientists Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Neuroscience in United States Leader Award
  • 2009 - NAS Award in Chemical Sciences, National Academy of Sciences (US) For exceptional accomplishments in the synthesis of positron-emitting chemical probes, and for their implementation in biomedical imaging and studies of in vivo biochemistry, which have had a major impact on human health worldwide.
  • 2008 - US President's National Medal of Science "For her pioneering work in chemistry involving the synthesis of medical imaging compounds and her innovative applications of these compounds to human neuroscience, which have significantly advanced our understanding of the human brain and brain diseases including drug addiction.", Presented by President Barack H. Obama in the East Room of the White House on October 7, 2009.
  • 2003 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences
  • 1998 - Garvan–Olin Medal, American Chemical Society (ACS)

Overview

Joanna S. Fowler is affiliated with Brookhaven National Laboratory in the United States. Their research spans multiple disciplines within medicine, biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and neuroscience. The scientist has contributed notably to subfields including radiology, nuclear medicine and imaging, cellular and molecular neuroscience, genetics, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism, as well as behavioral neuroscience.

Their research covers several main topics, which include:

  • Estrogen and related hormone effects
  • Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments
  • Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Medical Imaging Techniques and Applications
  • Cancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism
  • Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

Some of the recent papers published by this scientist are:

  • "Naloxone's dose-dependent displacement of [11C]carfentanil and duration of receptor occupancy in the rat brain", 2022, Scientific Reports
  • "Relationship of estrogen synthesis capacity in the brain with obesity and self-control in men and women", 2020, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
  • "Human Cognitive Ability Is Modulated by Aromatase Availability in the Brain in a Sex-Specific Manner", 2020, Frontiers in Neuroscience
  • "18F-FDG Radiosynthesis: A Landmark in the History of PET (perspective on 'Efficient Stereospecific Synthesis of No-Carrier-Added 2-[18F]fluoro-2-Deoxy-D-Glucose Using Aminopolyether Supported Nucleophilic Substitution' J Nucl Med. 1986;27:235-238)", 2020, Journal of Nuclear Medicine
  • "Discovery of Highly Potent Adenosine A1 Receptor Agonists: Targeting Positron Emission Tomography Probes", 2021, ACS Chemical Neuroscience

The scientist frequently collaborates with other researchers, including:

  • Sung Won Kim
  • Yeona Kang
  • Kelly A. O'Conor
  • Seth M. Eisenberg
  • Nora D. Volkow

Their publications appear regularly in prominent venues such as:

  • Scientific Reports
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
  • Frontiers in Neuroscience
  • Journal of Nuclear Medicine
  • ACS Chemical Neuroscience

Over the course of their career, the scientist has received several awards, including:

  • NAS Award in Chemical Sciences, National Academy of Sciences (US), 2009: For exceptional accomplishments in the synthesis of positron-emitting chemical probes and their implementation in biomedical imaging and studies of in vivo biochemistry.
  • US President's National Medal of Science, 2008: For pioneering work in chemistry involving the synthesis of medical imaging compounds and their innovative applications to human neuroscience, advancing understanding of the brain and brain diseases including drug addiction. Presented by President Barack H. Obama in 2009.
  • Member of the National Academy of Sciences, 2003
  • Garvan-Olin Medal, American Chemical Society (ACS), 1998

Best Publications

  • Brain dopamine and obesity.

    Gene-Jack Wang;Gene-Jack Wang;Nora D Volkow;Nora D Volkow;Jean Logan;Naoml R Pappas

  • Graphical analysis of reversible radioligand binding from time-activity measurements applied to [N-11C-methyl]-(-)-cocaine PET studies in human subjects

    Jean Logan;Joanna S. Fowler;Nora D. Volkow;Alfred P. Wolf

  • Addiction, a Disease of Compulsion and Drive: Involvement of the Orbitofrontal Cortex

    Nora D. Volkow;Joanna S. Fowler

  • Distribution Volume Ratios without Blood Sampling from Graphical Analysis of PET Data

    Jean Logan;Joanna S. Fowler;Nora D. Volkow;Nora D. Volkow;Gene Jack Wang

  • The [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose method for the measurement of local cerebral glucose utilization in man.

    M Reivich;D Kuhl;A Wolf;J Greenberg

  • Cocaine cues and dopamine in dorsal striatum: mechanism of craving in cocaine addiction.

    Nora D Volkow;Gene-Jack Wang;Frank Telang;Joanna S Fowler

  • The addicted human brain: insights from imaging studies

    Nora D. Volkow;Joanna S. Fowler;Gene-Jack Wang

  • Dopamine in drug abuse and addiction: results from imaging studies and treatment implications

    Volkow Nd;Fowler Js;Wang Gj;Swanson Jm

  • Decreased dopamine D2 receptor availability is associated with reduced frontal metabolism in cocaine abusers

    Nora D. Volkow;Joanna S. Fowler;Gene‐Jack ‐J Wang;Robert Hitzemann;Robert Hitzemann

  • Association of Dopamine Transporter Reduction With Psychomotor Impairment in Methamphetamine Abusers

    Nora D. Volkow;Linda Chang;Gene-Jack Wang;Joanna S. Fowler

  • Addiction: Beyond dopamine reward circuitry

    Nora D. Volkow;Gene-Jack Wang;Joanna S. Fowler;Dardo Tomasi

  • Imaging dopamine's role in drug abuse and addiction.

    N.D. Volkow;J.S. Fowler;G.J. Wang;R. Baler

  • Low Level of Brain Dopamine D2 Receptors in Methamphetamine Abusers: Association With Metabolism in the Orbitofrontal Cortex

    Nora D. Volkow;Linda Chang;Gene-Jack Wang;Joanna S. Fowler

  • Association between decline in brain dopamine activity with age and cognitive and motor impairment in healthy individuals

    Nora D. Volkow;Ruben C. Gur;Gene Jack Wang;Joanna S. Fowler

  • Decreased striatal dopaminergic responsiveness in detoxified cocaine-dependent subjects.

    N. D. Volkow;N. D. Volkow;G.-J. Wang;J. S. Fowler;J. Logan

  • Therapeutic doses of oral methylphenidate significantly increase extracellular dopamine in the human brain.

    Nora D. Volkow;Gene-Jack Wang;Joanna S. Fowler;Jean Logan

  • Overlapping neuronal circuits in addiction and obesity: evidence of systems pathology

    Nora D Volkow;Gene-Jack Wang;Joanna S Fowler;Frank Telang

  • Inhibition of monoamine oxidase B in the brains of smokers

    J. S. Fowler;N. D. Volkow;N. D. Volkow;G.-J. Wang;N. Pappas

  • Evaluating Dopamine Reward Pathway in ADHD: Clinical Implications

    Nora D. Volkow;Gene-Jack Wang;Scott H. Kollins;Tim L. Wigal

  • Dopamine Transporter Occupancies in the Human Brain Induced by Therapeutic Doses of Oral Methylphenidate

    Nora D. Volkow;Gene Jack Wang;Joanna S. Fowler;Samuel J. Gatley

Frequent Co-Authors

Nora D. Volkow
Nora D. Volkow National Institutes of Health
Gene-Jack Wang
Gene-Jack Wang National Institutes of Health
Jean Logan
Jean Logan New York University
Alfred P. Wolf
Alfred P. Wolf Brookhaven National Laboratory
Frank Telang
Frank Telang National Institutes of Health
Yu-Shin Ding
Yu-Shin Ding New York University
Dardo Tomasi
Dardo Tomasi National Institutes of Health
Anat Biegon
Anat Biegon Stony Brook University
Rita Z. Goldstein
Rita Z. Goldstein Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
James M. Swanson
James M. Swanson University of California, Irvine

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