Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Drexel University received a $416,066 Project Grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) under the Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs (CFDA 93.279) effective March 1, 2026 through February 29, 2028. The award supports research investigating a novel circuit mechanism by which opioids elevate dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens, extending beyond the canonical midbrain dopamine neuron activity pathway. Specifically, the research examines how oxycodone enhances dopamine signals through local circuit mechanisms involving mu-opioid receptors on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and cholinergic interneurons within the nucleus accumbens, rather than exclusively through the traditionally understood inhibitory mechanisms in the ventral tegmental area and rostromedial tegmental nucleus.

This basic research initiative directly addresses the opioid use disorder public health crisis by clarifying the neurobiological mechanisms underlying opioid-induced dopamine elevation, which has implications for understanding opioid seeking behavior and developing targeted therapeutic interventions. The research will be conducted at Drexel University's Philadelphia campus and aligns with NIDA's priority to develop new knowledge and approaches for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of drug use, misuse, and addiction through translational and mechanistic research.