#104 Genetics of Opioid Addiction

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The Camden Opioid Research Initiative has a three pronged approach as outlined below.

1) A biobank for blood and brain samples taken from people who have died from overdose as well as family members who are interested in donating.

2) A prospective clinical study of chronic pain patients to determine the interplay between genetic and biological risk factors for opioid addiction.

3) A clinical study of people currently being treated for opioid addiction to investigate what treatments work best for different genetic makeups.

Three scientists from the project join me:

Dr. Stefan Zajic, the scientific lead on the project.

Dr. Kaitlan Baston, the director of Addiction Medicine at Cooper University Health Care.

Dr. Russ Buono, a Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.

On This Episode We Discuss:

-Types of Genetic Testing for Opioid Susceptibility

-Non-Genetic Factors to Opioid Dependence

-Brain Biobank of Opioid User Tissues

-Brain Differences of Opioid Users

-Potential Uses of Opioid Genetic Research

Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today. New episodes are released on the first Friday of the month. With a few bonus episodes here and there. See what else I am up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and iTunes. Questions/inquiries can be sent to Kira Dineen at info@DNApodcast.com.