# Multi-organ-on-chip device for modeling opioid reinforcement and withdrawal, and the negative affective component of pain: a therapeutic screening tool.

> **NIH NIH UG3** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2021 · $531,057

## Abstract

SUMMARY
This supplemental application is to facilitate fulfillment of previously modified milestones prior to transition to
the UH3 phase. This request for supplemental funds is a result of significant impediments to progress resulting
from restriction of operational capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic. While significant progress has been
made, the additional time required to complete the milestones will result in us incurring additional personnel
and supply costs.
The overall significance and scope of the project remains the same as the original proposal. There is a
desperate need to develop therapeutics for treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD), and also to develop pain
treatments that are non-addictive. Both of these goals will be served by high-throughput models amenable to
drug screening, based on human cells, that recapitulate features of the neurobiology underlying the addictive
process. The model we are developing focuses on a key component of addictive circuitry – the dopaminergic
and GABAergic neurons of the midbrain, long recognized as responsible for mediating the reinforcing
properties of many classes of abused drugs, including opioids. We are developing a multi-organ
microphysiological system (MPS) based on human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived midbrain
dopamine (DA)/Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid (GABA) neurons on a 3-dimensional platform that ultimately will
incorporate microglia, blood-brain-barrier and liver metabolism components. RNA sequencing (RNAseq) and
metabolomics analyses will complement the primary DA release measure to identify novel mechanisms
contributing to chronic opioid-induced plasticity in DA responsiveness thought to underlie 1) the anhedonia
characteristic of opioid withdrawal; 2) the negative affective component of chronic pain states; 3) craving and
relapse. The chronic pain-relevant aspect of the model will be realized by examination of aversive kappa-
mediated opioid effects on DA transmission in addition to the commonly abused mu opioid receptor agonists,
and by incorporation of inflammatory-mediating microglia into the model. Throughput will be increased by the
integration of online sensors into the MPS for online detection of DA.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10435316
- **Project number:** 3UG3TR003148-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Nureddin Ashammakhi
- **Activity code:** UG3 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $531,057
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-09-26 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10435316

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10435316, Multi-organ-on-chip device for modeling opioid reinforcement and withdrawal, and the negative affective component of pain: a therapeutic screening tool. (3UG3TR003148-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10435316. Licensed CC0.

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