Drug Lab

Multidisciplinary team focused on understanding substance use disorders

Research in the Drug Lab focuses on mechanism-based determinants and modification of addictive behaviors. Our lab uses rigorous human experimental approaches, medications and pharmacological probes, multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging, neuromodulation, and behavioral, subjective and physiological endpoints to investigate hypothesized relationships.

There are several ongoing projects in the lab. Students at various levels of training (e.g. postdoctoral, graduate, medical, undergraduate) are routinely involved in our research and obtain mentored scientific experiences. Beyond these studies, we are actively engaged in several other collaborative projects with other labs at Wayne State University and across the country.

 Active Grants

Mark Greenwald, PI (or Co-PI)

Development of Cebranopadol (TRN-228), a dual potent NOP/µOP Agonist for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder

Purpose: Determine whether the mixed nociceptin/mu-opioid receptor agonist cebranopadol suppresses opioid withdrawal symptoms, blocks fentanyl-induced liking and respiratory depression, and promotes outpatient opioid abstinence in persons with OUD.

Funding period: 08/15/23–07/31/28

Source: NIH/NIDA UG3/UH3 DA059285

MI CARES 3 (Michigan Collaborative Addiction Resources and Education System)

Purpose: Expand our online educational training curriculum (https://micaresed.org) currently for board-certified physicians only) to other healthcare professionals interested in pursuing addiction medicine specialization. 

Funding period: 10/01/22 – 9/30/24

Source: MDHHS State Opioid Response Grant, subcontract through Michigan State University (PI: Cara Poland; Site PI: Greenwald)

Dual Orexin Antagonism as a Mechanism for Improving Sleep and Drug Abstinence in Opioid Use Disorder

Purpose: Determine whether daily treatment with the dual OX-1/2 receptor antagonist suvorexant, relative to placebo, can improve post-detoxification opioid abstinence (Aim 1), improve sleep efficiency (Aim 2), and whether improved sleep efficiency predicts increased opioid abstinence (Aim 3) among patients with opioid use disorder.

Funding period: 09/23/19 – 08/31/24

Source: NIH/NHLBI U01 HL150551

Opioid/Benzodiazepine Polydrug Abuse: Integrating Research on Mechanisms, Treatment and Policies

Purpose: (1) Determine from behavioral health treatment records the prevalence of patients’ presenting BZD/opioid polysubstance use vs. BZD or opioid use alone, and relationships between drug use and psychiatric (primarily affective) and physical comorbidities, medications, demographics, and treatment outcomes; (2) Among newly admitted patients, characterize substance use pattern and assess deficits across domains (affective, neurocognitive, behavioral, health); (3) Determine in BZD/opioid polysubstance users not in treatment whether: (a) at screening, simultaneous vs. sequential BZD/opioid users exhibit different profiles on affective, neurocognitive, and behavioral measures; (b) experimental drug administration of alprazolam/morphine (simultaneous and sequential) vs. either drug alone or placebo, differentially alters affective/hedonic phenotypes in three informative behavioral choice procedures. 

Funding period: 09/30/18 – 08/31/24

Source: NIH/NIDA R21/R33 DA044946 

NET Device as a Non-Pharmacological Alternative to Medication for Promoting Opioid Abstinence

Purpose: This prospective, randomized, sham-controlled, quadruple-blind, superiority study will evaluate the effectiveness of NeuroElectric Therapy (NET) in treating patients with opioid use disorder.

Funding period: 10/01/21 – 06/30/24

Source: NET Recovery Corp. (contract)

Planning a Multi-Level Intervention to Reduce Substance Use Stigma in HIV Prevention and Care (Contact PI: Erin Fanning Madden; Co-PI: Greenwald)

Purpose:

(1) Create a substance use educational curriculum for HIV care and prevention contexts that pilot testing demonstrates will significantly improve knowledge, attitudes and planned actions related to professional stigma toward people who use drugs;

(2) Use qualitative interviews with facility administrators and personnel to identify organizational policies related to clinical interactions and referrals to substance use services that may enhance the effects of professional education on stigma reduction;

(3) Develop, optimize, and finalize a trial design and protocol that will test how the multi-level stigma intervention influences intermediate professional and patient stigma outcomes (provider attitudes and actions, and patient attitudes and experiences) and principal HIV outcomes related to prevention (PrEP adherence and syringe services program use) and care (HCV screening and linkage to care, ARV adherence).

Funding period: 09/30/21 – 07/31/24

Source: NIH/NIDA R34 DA053758

 

Leslie Lundahl, PI

Wayne State Warriors Marijuana Clinical Research Program: Investigating the Impact of Cannabinoids on Veteran’s Behavioral Health

Purpose: Examine the use of cannabinoids (THC and CBD) for reducing PTSD symptoms and suicidality in military veterans using clinical trial and laboratory-based approaches.

Funding period: 09/01/21 – 08/31/26

Source: Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) - Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA)

Wayne State Warriors Marijuana Clinical Research Program: Cannabinoid Adjunct to Prolonged Exposure and Recovery (CAPER), Co-PIs Lundahl and Rabinak

Purpose: Establish whether cannabis combined with an empirically-based behavioral treatment for PTSD called Prolonged Exposure Therapy, can improve therapeutic outcomes for U.S. military veterans with PTSD.

Funding period: 09/01/22 – 08/31/27

Source: Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) - Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA)

Human Laboratory Model to Screen Drugs with Opioid Analgesic-Sparing Effects: Cannabidiol/Morphine Combinations

Purpose: Develop a human experimental model to assess drugs that may enhance the analgesic effects of opioids, so that lower doses of opioids may be used for pain relief.

Funding period: 02/01/19 – 01/31/23

Source:  NIH/NIDA R21 DA047662 

Effects of Stress- and Drug Cue-Exposure on Marijuana Seeking Behavior in Regular Cannabis Users

Purpose: Determine in marijuana users whether yohimbine pretreatment and drug-related cues increase marijuana-seeking behavior.

Funding period: 03/23/17 – 03/22/21 (NCE)

Source: NIH/NIDA R21 DA040150

 

David Ledgerwood, PI

Behavioral Incentives to Increase Caregiver Engagement in Juvenile Drug Court 

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of adolescent and caregiver contingency management treatments for enhancing adherence to Juvenile Drug Court and substance abuse treatment.

Funding period: 8/2016 – 9/2021

Source: NIH/NIDA R01 DA039218-01

Contingency Management for Recovery Oriented Activities at Recovery Houses

Purpose: We will train staff members in rural recovery houses to provide contingency management (CM) to their residents who are in recovery for substance use disorders, and we will examine the effectiveness of CM for improving retention among these residents.

Funding period: 9/1/21 – 8/31/22

Source: The Fletcher Group and HRSA

 

Eric Woodcock, PI

Multimodal Investigation of the Neuroimmune System in Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)

Purpose: The goal of this project is to apply PET [11C]AMT imaging and 1H MRS to investigate the role of the neuroimmune system in opioid use disorder..

Funding period: 05/01/21 – 04/30/24

Source: NIH/NIDA R00 DA048125


Investigating the Therapeutic Impact of Cannabinoids on Neuroinflammation and Neurobiological Underpinnings of Suicide Ideation in Veterans with PTSD

Purpose: The goal of this project is to apply PET [11C]AMT imaging and fMRI to investigate the role of the neuroimmune system in suicide ideation and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Funding period: 08/01/2022 – 07/31/2027

Source: Veteran Marijuana Research Grant, State of Michigan (Co-PIs: Woodcock and Marusak)

Tabitha Moses, PI (Mentor: Mark Greenwald)

Neuromodulation of Stress-Induced Dysfunction and Drug-Seeking in Opioid Use Disorder: Comparison of Frontocortical Targets

Purpose: Aim 1: Compare effects of facilitating left dlPFC (via 10Hz rTMS) vs. inhibiting mPFC activity (via 1Hz rTMS) on stress-induced executive dysfunction as measured by: cognitive flexibility (Wisconsin Card Sorting), cognitive inhibition (Addiction Stroop), and working memory (Digit Span); Aim 2: Compare effects of facilitating left dlPFC vs. inhibiting mPFC activity on stress-induced emotion dysregulation as measured by an emotional arousal task, STAI and PANAS (negative affect); Compare effects of facilitating left dlPFC vs. inhibiting mPFC activity on stress-induced opioid-seeking and craving.

Funding period: 04/05/21 – 04/04/25

Source: NIH/NIDA F30 DA052118