Florida International University · Microbiology & ImmunologyEl-Hage Lab
Nazira El-Hage · Miami, Florida
Research Focus
Dr. Nazira El-Hage's research lab focuses on understanding how certain medications used for HIV prevention, like cabotegravir, interact with opioids, such as morphine and naltrexone, particularly in individuals with opioid use disorders. The lab investigates how these drug interactions may affect drug metabolism, toxicity, and effectiveness, especially using animal models. Their work aims to provide insights that could improve treatment strategies for patients who are dealing with both HIV and opioid dependence.
drug interactionsopioid use disordersHIV preventionpharmacokineticspharmacodynamicstoxicologyepigeneticsmouse modelsnon-human primates
Research Aims
3AIM 01Evaluate pharmacokinetic responses of cabotegravir, morphine, and naltrexone in a healthy mouse model.
AIM 02Investigate pharmacodynamic responses and toxicological interactions among the three drugs in HIV-infected humanized mice.
AIM 03Assess pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and toxicological interactions of these drugs in non-human primate models.
Skills the Lab Values
animal handlingpharmacokinetic studiespharmacodynamic modelingtoxicological assaysmolecular biology techniquesimmunohistochemistrydata analysis softwareepigenetic analysisanimal model experimentation
Output against the department
Publications112bottom 41% of dept.283rd of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations7.1ktop 50% of dept.242nd of 486
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.