Identification of a novel population of neuromedin S expressing neurons in the ventral tegmental area that promote morphine-elicited behavior.

Opioid use disorder constitutes a major health and economic burden, but our limited understanding of the underlying neurobiology impedes better interventions. Alteration in the activity and output of dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) contributes to drug effects, but the mechanisms underlying these changes remain relatively unexplored. We used translating ribosome affinity purification and RNA sequencing to identify gene expression changes in mouse VTA DA neurons following chronic morphine exposure.

Inducing Long Lasting B Cell and T Cell Immunity Against Multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2 Through Mutant Bacteriophage Qβ-Receptor Binding Domain Conjugate.

More than 3 years into the global pandemic, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains a significant threat to public health. Immunities acquired from infection or current vaccines fail to provide long term protection against subsequent infections, mainly due to their fast-waning nature and the emergence of variants of concerns (VOCs) such as Omicron. To overcome these limitations, SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD)-based epitopes are investigated as conjugates with a powerful carrier, the mutant bacteriophage Qβ (mQβ).

Enhancing Protective Antibodies against Opioids through Antigen Display on Virus-like Particles.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) has become a public health crisis, with recent significant increases in the number of deaths due to overdose. Vaccination can provide an attractive complementary strategy to combat OUD. A key for high vaccine efficacy is the induction of high levels of antibodies specific to the drug of abuse.