Researchers

The long-term goal of my lab is to investigate novel molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie chronic pain (including neuropathic pain and inflammatory pain) and Opioid-associated disorders (e.g., tolerance and hyperalgesia) and to apply these findings to the prevention and/or treatment of these disorders. Their considerable measurable progress includes five patents resulting from their studies. Ongoing projects include: (1) Identification of long noncoding RNAs and their involvements in chronic pain; (2) Translational regulation that underlies chronic opioid tolerance and hyperalgesia; (3) Gene transcriptional changes in chronic pain; and (4) Molecular mechanisms of sickle cell disease-associated pain. The analytical methodology includes molecular biology, morphology, biochemistry, electrophysiology, and behavioral tests.