Molecular Mechanisms of Opioid Analgesia in Inflammatory Pain (DFG-KFO 100) (Research Group)

The long-term goals and common interests of our KFO are the development of novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of inflammatory pain. We have focused on mechanisms of opioid analgesia outside the central nervous system, aiming to avoid side effects. Pain and inflammation are almost always associated with each other. Examples are intra- and postoperative pain, trauma, arthritis, vasculitis, meningitis, invading cancer, visceral and musculoskeletal disorders. Even in neuropathic pain (due to damage or dysfunction of the central or peripheral nervous system) inflammatory components have been recognized as important. Therefore the common goal of our group is to elucidate basic mechanisms of action of classic analgesics (opioids) in conjunction with the exploration of novel targets to treat pain and inflammation, in order to provide a foundation for the development of novel analgesic and/or anti-inflammatory compounds.