Making Opioid Pain Relievers Safer and More Effective
Official title: Targeting PEN-GPR83 as a as a strategy to reduce opioid abuse liability
Funded at Rowan University · NIH-11194481 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores a new way to make opioid pain medications work better while reducing the risk of addiction and other side effects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rowan University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Glassboro, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $465,179 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA059646-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11194481 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research is for anyone who currently uses or may need opioid medications for pain relief and is concerned about their side effects, including addiction.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not experience chronic pain or do not use opioid medications would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Opioid medications are very good at treating pain, but they often come with serious side effects like tolerance, dependence, and addiction. Our scientists are looking at a specific target in the brain, called GPR83, which seems to play a role in how opioids affect both pain and reward. We've found that blocking GPR83 might help opioids relieve pain more effectively while also reducing their addictive potential. This work aims to understand exactly how GPR83 interacts with opioid pathways in the brain to develop safer pain relief options.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new pain medications that are more effective at relieving pain and have a much lower risk of addiction and other negative side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data from this research team suggests that targeting GPR83 can block morphine reward while enhancing its pain-relieving effects, indicating a promising new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Rowan University
Glassboro, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fakira, Amanda Kathleen — Rowan University
- Study coordinator: Fakira, Amanda Kathleen
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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.