Michigan Pharmacology

10/12/2026

A new paper (written by the Collins lab) was recently published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence. The paper, “Behavioral economic analysis of the reinforcing effects of fentanyl, co***ne, and mixtures of fentanyl and co***ne in rats” can be found here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42832850/

10/12/2026

U-M remains the No. 3 public university in the country for undergraduate education in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list. See more about the rankings below.

10/09/2026

https://www.michiganmedicine.org/news-release/39-million-nih-grant-fuel-u-m-effort-develop-first-targeted-therapy-fatal-childhood-brain-disorder

A team led by Dr. Michelle Hastings will advance a new RNA-based medicine for the most common form of CLN3 Batten disease toward clinical trials

10/07/2026

Lorberbaum Lab!

This is "Lorberbaum Lab" by Michigan Medicine on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

10/07/2026

A new paper (written by the Ferrario lab) was recently published in Alcohol. The paper, “Differences in ethanol drinking and nucleus accumbens opioid expression in male and female obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rats” can be found here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42710747/

10/06/2026

A new paper (written by the Satin lab) was recently published in Endocrinology. The paper, “miR-483 deficiency promotes loss of pancreatic beta-cell identity and aberrant glucagon production under metabolic stress” can be found here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42800052/

10/05/2026

A new paper (written by the Svoboda lab) was recently published in Toxicological Sciences. The paper, “Acute exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid during cardiomyogenesis disrupts transcriptional and electrophysiological profiles in differentiated myocytes” can be found here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42631691/

10/05/2026

Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, Georg Nagel were awarded the prize for their work on light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.

10/05/2026

BREAKING NEWS
The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has decided to award the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel “for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.”

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2026 is awarded for optogenetics – a method that makes it possible to show how nerve cells shape memories, feelings and behaviours in the living brain. Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel discovered a remarkable protein, channelrhodopsin, in a single-celled alga. Karl Deisseroth transformed the protein into a light-controlled switch for nerve cells. The laureates have laid the foundation of a new era in neuroscience.

Using optogenetics, researchers have been able to reveal neural circuits governing specific memories, feelings, and behaviours relevant for neurological and psychiatric disorders. In clinical medicine, researchers are using the method in attempts to restore sight in people with visual impairment.

Optogenetics has fundamentally altered our understanding of the brain. Every day brings new discoveries, helping to solve one of humanity’s great mysteries: how our incredible brain works.

Learn more
Press release: https://bit.ly/4j2j3sD
Popular information: https://bit.ly/3T6a8f7
Advanced information: https://bit.ly/4AutkEv

10/05/2026

Sharing sad news about our faculty colleague, Dr. James Woods.

Celebrate the life of James Woods Jr. (1937-2026) from Grand Rapids, MI. Read their obituary, share memories, and express condolences.