Peripherally acting opioids are desirable for producing analgesia while eliminating debilitating central side effects, such as tolerance, dependence and addiction. However, peripheral opioid efficacy is significantly reduced in the absence of tissue inflammation. The long-term goal of this research project is to understand how inflammation enhances peripheral opioid efficacy. For example, in the absence of inflammation the delta opioid receptor (DOR) is less responsive to agonist activation.

This project aims to explore the interaction of genetic and environmental factors in the development of psychotic symptoms. Cannabinoid exposure during adolescence is associated with an increased risk of developing schizophrenia, but this correlation is not causative. Thus, it is likely that people with a genetic predisposition to psychotic symptoms are more strongly affected by environmental risk factors.

Applied Research

Basic Research

Most of what we know about antifungal drug research is derived from studies of nonpathogenic model fungi, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which can easily be inserted into high throughput screening platforms, but are unsuitable as pan-fungal surrogates. Alternatively, species-specific antifungal development is unrealistic due to cost and lack of market return on research investment.

Basic Research

Basic Research

Applied Research

Basic Research

Depression is a major public health problem for which the majority of patients are not effectively treated. This problem is exacerbated further in children and adolescents for whom only two antidepressant drugs are currently approved. Both belong to the selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class of antidepressant, and act by blocking high-affinity uptake of 5-HT from extracellular fluid via the serotonin transporter(SERT).