How delta opioid receptors move and signal in the body
Regulated trafficking and compartmentalized signaling of opioid receptors
Researchers are learning how delta opioid receptors work in cells and animals to help guide safer pain and addiction treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11146331 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as someone affected by pain or addiction, this project looks at the delta opioid receptor — a protein that could relieve pain without causing addiction. The team will study how these receptors are trafficked and signal inside cells using laboratory cell experiments and animal models. They will look for the biological reasons why drugs that activate these receptors work well in isolated systems but often fail or cause side effects in living animals. Findings may point to ways to make DOR-targeting medicines safer and more effective before testing them in people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with chronic pain or opioid use disorder could be the eventual beneficiaries and future candidates for therapies developed from this research.
Not a fit: This is laboratory and animal-focused research, so it does not offer direct treatment or immediate benefits to patients right now.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new pain treatments that relieve pain with lower risk of addiction or dangerous side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal and lab studies show DOR drugs can reduce pain but often have limited effectiveness or problematic side effects, so this work builds on partially successful but incomplete evidence.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Puthenveedu, Manojkumar a — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Puthenveedu, Manojkumar a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.