Understanding how opioids affect breathing and airway function
Official title: Unraveling the Mechanisms of Opioid-Induced Airway Constriction: A Path towards Novel Therapeutics for Opioid Overdose
Funded at Seattle Children's Hospital · NIH-11061117 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how opioids like fentanyl can affect your breathing and cause problems, and it aims to find new ways to keep you safe while still managing pain effectively.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Seattle Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 15, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $120,269 |
| NIH project number | 5K99HL168211-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11061117 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include patients who are prescribed opioids and may be at risk for respiratory issues, particularly those using fentanyl.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not use opioids or have no history of respiratory complications may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how opioids, particularly fentanyl, can disrupt the body's natural control of airway function, potentially leading to dangerous respiratory issues. The project focuses on specific brain regions that regulate breathing and airway smooth muscle, aiming to uncover the mechanisms behind opioid-induced airway constriction. By exploring new treatment strategies that target these disruptions without interfering with opioid pain relief, the research seeks to improve safety for patients using opioids. The approach combines advanced techniques in physiology and neurobiology to provide insights that could lead to novel therapeutic options.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that prevent life-threatening respiratory complications in patients using opioids.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of this research is novel, previous studies have shown promise in understanding opioid effects on respiration, indicating potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Burgraff, Nicholas J — Seattle Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Burgraff, Nicholas J
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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.