Norman G. Bowery: A Founding Father of the GABAB Receptor Research Field: Reflections on His Contribution

This chapter is dedicated to the history of Norman George Bowery and his groundbreaking discovery of GABAB receptor. This chapter focuses on Norman’s brilliant career from the beginning, toward his retirement, and to the legacy that he left in the scientific community: that is why Norman is called the “Father of GABAB receptor.” Reported here are the first evidence of GABAB receptor existence spanning to the pharmacological characterization, the following development of Norman’s own group on GABAB receptor, and the huge innovation that he brought to the scientific community because the GABAB receptor is a major factor in the central nervous system inhibition; therefore, when not working properly, it is involved in many diseases. The chapter also reports about the collaboration between Norman Bowery and Alessandra Princivalle, who was so honored and fortunate to have the opportunity to work with such an inspirational and worldwide recognized scientist and is now the author of this work. This chapter consider a brief overview of the latest Noman’s work, before moving to GlaxoSmithKline, Verona, Italy. This chapter concludes with the greatest recognition to Norman Bowery for being Norman and discovering the GABAB receptor.