1938-

American biologist whose research centered on the investigation of neurotransmitters found in different regions of the brain. His most important research focused on a special enzyme that may regulate RNA synthesis. This is linked to his work on the effects of opiates and similar substances on the brain. In 1963 he was successful in demonstrating that there are specialized targets (receptors) on the cell membranes of nervous tissues. Snyder earned his medical degree at Georgetown University. Trained in both psychiatry and pharmacology, he served his internship at Kaiser Foundation Hospital in San Francisco. During his brilliant career, he eventually held a number of professorships at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.