Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder driven by molecular changes that occur in the brain in response to habitual drug use, and currently available pharmacotherapies have shown only limited efficacy reducing drug use and relapse in addicts. There exists a critical need to identify novel treatments from a more chemically diverse target pool in order to develop effective therapeutics.
The fundamental research goal of the Buczynski-Gregus Lab is to identify novel molecular changes caused by chronic drug exposure that drive the subsequent neurological and behavioral dysfunctions. This research integrates advanced mass spectrometry platforms with a wide range of techniques including chemical biology, in vivo microdialysis, and behavioral pharmacology. Ultimately, we aim to discover novel therapeutics to facilitate new treatments for addiction and other neurological disorders.
Molecular Pharmacology
Behavioral
Pharmacology
Target Discovery and Identification
