The Ying-Xian Pan Lab

Physician-scientist Ying-Xian Pan studies the mechanisms of opioid actions, providing the foundation of developing novel drugs for pain treatment. 

The mu opioid receptors mediate the actions of morphine and most clinical analgesics, as well as drugs of abuse such as heroin. The goal of our research is to understand the mechanisms and functions of mu opioid receptor gene, OPRM1, gain insights into the pharmacological and physiological significance of the mechanisms and functions, and provide potential targets for developing novel drugs in control of pain and drug of abuse.