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Education & Training

University of Strasbourg, France, PhD, Cellular and Molecular Biology
UCSF, Postdoctoral Training, Neurobiology of Pain and its Control
Columbia University, Postdoctoral Training, Neurophysiology of Opioids

Areas of Interest

Pain is a complex and multidimensional experience with sensory, emotional, and cognitive components. The members of the Scherrer Lab aim to elucidate the mechanisms by which our nervous system generates the different dimensions of pain experience, at the genetic, molecular, cellular, neural circuit, and behavioral levels. We also seek to resolve the mechanisms of action of opioids and understand how these drugs alter activity in neural circuits to produce pain relief, but also harmful side effects such as tolerance, addiction and respiratory depression. To this aim, we investigate the functional organization of our endogenous opioid system and the localization, trafficking and signaling properties of opioid receptors in neurons. Collectively, these studies deepen our comprehension of pain neurobiology and of the mechanisms of action of opioids to develop more effective and safer treatments against pain and opioid addiction.

Awards & Honors

2023 NIH HEAL Initiative Director’s Award for Excellence in Research in the Pain and Addiction Fields

2021 Brain Research Foundation Scientific Innovations Award

2020 McKnight Foundation Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Award

2017 New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Robertson Neuroscience Investigator Award

2015 International Narcotics Research Conference (INRC) Young Investigator Award

2014 Rita Allen Foundation / American Pain Society (APS) Scholar Award

2011 NIH/NIDA K99R00 Pathway to Independence Award

2009 International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) Fellowship