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Published on: July 29, 2014
Understanding Opioid Actions, Pain and Analgesia: A Tribute to Dr. Gavril Pasternak
Kelly M Standifer1, Charles E Inturrisi2, Kathleen M Foley3
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA. Kelly-standifer@ouhsc.edu.
Abstract:
This special issue is a tribute to our mentor, colleague and friend, Gavril W. Pasternak, MD, PhD. Homage to the breadth and depth of his work (~ 450 publications) over a 40 career in pharmacology and medicine cannot be captured fully in one special issue, but the 22 papers collected herein represent seven of the topics near and dear to Gav's heart, and the colleagues, friends and mentees who held him near to theirs. The seven themes include: (1) sites and mechanisms of opioid actions in vivo; (2) development of novel analgesic agents; (3) opioid tolerance, withdrawal and addiction: mechanisms and treatment; (4) opioid receptor splice variants; (5) novel research tools and approaches; (6) receptor signaling and crosstalk in vitro; and (7) mentorship. This introduction to the issue summarizes contributions and includes formal and personal remembrances of Gav that illustrate his personality, warmth, and dedication to making a difference in patient care and people's lives.
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