Author: Patrick

A research team, led by scientists at the Center for Clinical Pharmacology at Washington University School of Medicine and the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy in St. Louis, have altered the chemical properties of fentanyl and the way that it binds to opioid receptors on nerve cells. The goal is to improve the drug’s safety profile without eliminating its ability to alleviate pain.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received a five-year, $11.7 million grant to study human genes and nerve cells to better understand how cells transmit pain and to identify new ways to treat it.

Funded by a $33 million grant from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), a new study led by Michael Avidan, MBBCh, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Sachin Kheterpal, MD, of the University of Michigan, will compare intravenous propofol to inhaled anesthetic drugs to determine which of the common anesthetic drugs offers better patient recovery experiences and improved clinical outcomes.

New research suggests that the immune systems of COVID-19 patients can’t do enough to protect them from the virus. Researchers are proposing that boosting the immune system could be a potential treatment strategy.