Dr. Md Mahmudul Hasan's lab focuses on addressing opioid use disorder (OUD) through innovative technology. They are developing a machine learning-based tool to predict relapse in patients undergoing treatment. By analyzing electronic health records, the lab aims to create a support system for primary care providers, helping to identify patients at risk for relapse and improve their treatment outcomes. The research combines advanced algorithms with practical clinical applications to enhance patient care in the face of the opioid crisis.

Dr. Yetrib Hathout's lab focuses on developing blood-based biomarkers to improve the monitoring and treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a severe muscle disease. The lab aims to create reliable methods for discovering and measuring proteins in the blood that can indicate disease progression and response to treatment. This research could lead to better clinical trial designs and help doctors assess patient health more effectively.

Dr. Ester Villalonga Olives leads research focused on understanding and measuring barriers to healthcare access for various populations, particularly English and Spanish speakers. The lab is dedicated to developing a comprehensive tool that incorporates economic indicators, ensuring that health measures are valid across different racial groups. Through innovative methodologies, the aim is to uncover the root causes of health disparities and provide actionable insights for policymakers and public health initiatives.

Dr. Elizabeth Heller's lab studies the effects of epigenetic modifications on behavior, particularly in the context of substance use disorders, such as cocaine addiction. By using innovative techniques like CRISPR for locus-specific epigenetic editing, the lab aims to understand how changes at the molecular level can influence gene expression and behavior, especially in response to stress and drug exposure. The ultimate goal is to uncover potential therapeutic targets to address addiction-related issues.

Dr. Rodney Ho's lab at the University of Washington focuses on developing new antiviral treatments for hepatitis B virus (HBV) that can last longer and reduce the need for daily medication. They aim to create innovative injection-based therapies that will help patients manage their condition more effectively and avoid complications like liver cancer. The lab collaborates with other experts to translate these ideas into real-world solutions that can significantly improve patient care.

Dr. Ryan D. Hernandez's lab focuses on human genetics and evolution, particularly how genetic ancestry affects complex traits across diverse populations. The lab utilizes an extensive dataset from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine project to investigate genetic variations and their implications for human health. Their research integrates evolutionary theory with modern computational methods to address pressing questions related to health disparities and precision medicine.

Dr. Cecilia J. Hillard's lab at the Medical College of Wisconsin focuses on developing new medications to treat anxiety disorders. The lab is particularly interested in a protein called sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP-2), which is involved in the regulation of brain chemicals that influence anxiety. By creating small-molecule inhibitors of SCP-2, the team aims to enhance certain receptor signals in the brain, offering the potential for safer and more effective anxiety treatments.

Dr. Jacqueline M Barker's lab focuses on understanding how drug use, specifically cocaine exposure, interacts with HIV treatments and hormonal regulation. They explore the behavioral and hormonal impacts of antiretroviral therapy and its effects on the neuroimmune system, aiming to develop strategies to reduce drug cravings and improve treatment outcomes for individuals living with HIV. The research has potential implications for preventing HIV transmission and aiding those struggling with substance use disorders.

Dr. Wei Jiang's lab at the Medical University of South Carolina focuses on understanding how drug use affects the immune response in HIV-infected individuals. They study the role of specific antibodies in the immune system and how chronic drug abuse influences the recovery of immune cells after HIV treatment. Their aim is to uncover the mechanisms by which inflammation from drugs like cocaine and cannabis impact the immune system, particularly in relation to a type of antibody that can harm CD4+ T cells, which are crucial for fighting infections.

Dr. Karen S. Anderson's lab at Yale University focuses on developing new treatments for HIV, particularly in designing and optimizing drugs that target HIV reverse transcriptase, an essential enzyme in the HIV life cycle. The lab combines computational methods with experimental studies to develop novel anti-HIV medications that are effective against drug-resistant strains and reduce the HIV reservoirs in patients. By creating long-acting and combination therapies, they aim to improve patient compliance and overall treatment outcomes for those living with HIV.

Dr. Vivian Y. H. Hook's lab at UC San Diego focuses on understanding the complex neuropeptide systems in the human brain, particularly how they are altered in Alzheimer’s disease. The research aims to identify specific neuropeptides and the enzymes that produce them, which can help explain synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer’s. Insights from this work could lead to new biomarkers for Alzheimer's and potential therapeutic targets for treatment.

Jed Noah Lampe's lab focuses on understanding the interactions between drugs and hormones, particularly in vulnerable populations like pregnant individuals. The lab conducts research to improve the safety of antiviral medications and to explore how pathogens, specifically the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, affect drug metabolism in patients with cystic fibrosis. By studying these interactions, the lab aims to prevent harmful side effects and develop better treatment strategies for infections and drug therapies.

Dr. Ming Hu's lab at the University of Houston focuses on understanding how buprenorphine, a medication for opioid use disorder, affects dental health. They study why high levels of buprenorphine appear in oral fluids and how this contributes to dental caries. The goal is to find ways to reduce the drug's concentration in the mouth without affecting its overall effectiveness, improving the treatment experience for patients.

Dr. Shuiying Hu's lab at Ohio State University focuses on understanding how the chemotherapy drug vincristine causes damage to peripheral neurons and finding ways to prevent this neurotoxicity. The lab studies how vincristine is taken up by neurons through specific transporters and aims to develop drugs that can protect these neurons while still allowing vincristine to effectively target cancer cells. Their research could lead to safer cancer treatments with fewer side effects for patients.

Dr. Shengyu Mu's lab studies how immune cells, particularly T cells, contribute to high blood pressure, or hypertension. They focus on understanding the mechanisms of T cell activation in the kidneys and how these cells become long-lasting memory cells that can affect salt retention and blood pressure regulation. The goal of the research is to uncover new strategies for treating hypertension by targeting specific immune processes that contribute to the disease.

Dr. Steven Michael Smith's research lab at the University of Florida focuses on understanding the mechanisms behind hypertension, particularly resistant hypertension that does not respond to traditional treatments. The lab is investigating the role of gut microbiota and inflammation in blood pressure regulation, as well as how new technologies such as telehealth can improve hypertension management. They aim to discover novel ways to improve blood pressure control in patients through a combined approach of clinical trials and health technology analysis.

Dr. Siddappa N Byrareddy's lab at the University of Nebraska Medical Center focuses on understanding how substances like cocaine and cannabinoids influence the immune response and disease progression in HIV and related infections. They study the gut-brain connection and how factors like sex differences affect viral reservoirs and inflammation in the brain and intestines. The goal is to find better therapies for managing HIV/SIV and other chronic inflammatory conditions.

Dr. Kenneth E. Palmer's lab at the University of Louisville focuses on developing strategies and tools to respond to public health emergencies, particularly for infectious diseases. The lab operates a specialized facility for biocontainment research, working on vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. They emphasize training a skilled workforce to support research in high-level containment settings, particularly in the wake of pandemics like COVID-19.

Dr. Barbara Nikolajczyk's lab at the University of Kentucky focuses on understanding how inflammation affects aging and overall health. They study the drug everolimus, which targets specific pathways involved in inflammation, to see if it can improve health as we age. The lab's research combines clinical trials and laboratory techniques to explore how reducing inflammation can enhance the quality of life in older adults.

Dr. Yuguang Shi's lab at the University of Texas Health Science Center focuses on understanding how obesity leads to chronic inflammation, which is linked to metabolic diseases like insulin resistance. They specifically investigate a protein called ALCAT1 and its role in activating inflammation in fat tissue when faced with dietary challenges. This research could reveal new ways to treat obesity and related metabolic conditions by targeting ALCAT1.