Session: Current Topics in Biological Chemistry:

My research focuses on developing novel treatments for asthma and neuropathic pain by targeting gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABA(A)Rs) expressed in peripheral tissue. Asthma is a major healthcare challenge, effecting an estimated 300 million people globally. Beta 2-adrenergic agonists and inhaled corticosteroids are the most often prescribed treatments for acute and chronic management of asthma. Both agents present efficacy, compliance, and adverse side effect concerns. Hence, there is an unmet need for asthma therapies with novel mechanisms of action to better control diseases with decreased adverse effects. My asthma research is focused on the development of clinical candidate MIDD0301 and related compounds using in vivo studies to determine pharmacological effects using asthmatic mice, in addition to evaluating safety following FDA guidelines. Further research work is done with primary cells to investigate protein regulation and inflammatory effects. My contribution to our asthma drug development project will help enable clinical trials and hopefully establish MIDD0301 as a novel oral drug for asthma.

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a difficult to treat type of chronic pain occurring in about 7% of the US population. This chronic pain can arise without overt stimulation of associated peripheral sensory endings, and is commonly associated with diabetic neuropathy, HIV infection, post-herpetic neuralgia, and chemotherapy treatment for cancer. Opioids are currently one of the leading NP therapeutic choices, but their use is controversial. My research focuses on the discovery of new compounds that reduce the inflammatory response by microglia expressed in the peripheral nervous system. Follow-up studies involve in vivo pain studies paired with determination of inflammatory responses. My research will contribute to the national effort by the National Institute of Drug Abuse to reduce the opioid use by introducing new pain medications with no addiction potential.

Nick Zahn

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