Unlocking the secrets of fentanyl: exploring the anomalous pharmacology of fentanyl at the μ-opioid receptor

Project Code

MRCNMH26Br Corey

Project Type

The project will be chiefly a dry project, but with the opportunity to work in the labs of the co-supervisors. It will be partly down to the student how much they do, however they will be strongly encouraged to spend at least a few weeks in the wet lab environment per year to gain crucial understaanding and appreciation of different techniques and to undertand the importance of verifying in silico findings using in vitro experimentation.

Research Theme

Neuroscience and Mental Health

Project Summary Download

Summary

Fentanyl is a dangerous synthetic opioid that is responsible for more US overdoses than any other drug, yet much remains to be understood about its pharmacology. This project will explore fentanyl’s pharmacology using computational molecular modelling techniques along with wet lab data gathered in the co-supervisors’ labs. The research will investigate fentanyl’s binding mechanisms at the μ-opioid and other receptors, uncovering the molecular basis for its high overdose risk. The findings will contribute to our understanding of synthetic opioids’ impact on public health.

Lead Supervisor

Dr Robin Corey

Lead Supervisor Email

robin.corey@bristol.ac.uk

University Affiliation

Bristol