Turning natural alkaloids into precise chemicals that act on nerve-cell receptors
Synthesis and Evaluation of Alkaloids to Probe Membrane Receptors
Researchers are creating and testing natural-product-based chemicals to find ones that precisely affect nerve-cell receptors involved in pain, addiction, and brain signaling.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11394933 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will synthesize families of alkaloids and build libraries of related compounds using streamlined chemistry and semi-synthetic methods. They will test these molecules in lab receptor assays focused on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and the kappa opioid receptor to see how the compounds change receptor activity. Promising molecules will be optimized for potency and subtype selectivity and used as tools to study receptor function or as starting points for new medications. This work is laboratory-based chemistry and receptor testing rather than a clinical trial.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with chronic pain, opioid-use disorder, nicotine dependence, or other conditions linked to acetylcholine or opioid receptors might benefit from therapies developed later from this work.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment should not expect direct clinical benefit from this lab-focused project at this time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could yield new precision chemicals that lead to better treatments for pain, addiction, or neurological disorders and give researchers safer, more targeted drug leads.
How similar studies have performed: Turning natural products into chemical probes and drug leads is an established approach that has produced useful tools and drugs, though these specific alkaloids and receptor targets are a newer direction.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, UNITED STATES
- University of Illinois at Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Riley, Andrew — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Riley, Andrew
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.