Michigan Pharmacology

11/18/2025

A new paper (co-authored by Dr. Michelle Hastings and more) was recently published in Nucleic Acids Research. The paper, “Modulating NLRP3 splicing with antisense oligonucleotides to control pathological inflammation” can be found here:

Inflammation has an essential role in healing. However, over-active inflammation disrupts normal cellular functions and can be life-threatening when not resolved. The NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, a component of the innate immune system, is an intracellular multiprotein....

11/18/2025

A new paper (co-authored by Dr. Lauren Rysztak, Dr. Emily Jutkiewicz, and more) was recently published in The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. The paper, “Delta opioid receptor activation influences responding to earn cocaine-associated cues in the New Response Acquisition procedure” can be found here:

Environmental cues that have been associated with drug-taking can evoke drug-craving and drug-seeking and drive relapse. Using the New Response Acquisition procedure, we evaluated the extent to which activation of delta opioid receptors (DORs) changes responding for cocaine-associated stimuli. We hy...

11/18/2025

A new paper (co-authored by Dr. Lauren Rysztak, Dr. Emily Jutkiewicz, and more) was recently published in The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. The paper, “Factors that influence the conditioned reinforcing effects of a cocaine-associated stimulus” can be found here:

Cocaine-associated stimuli acquire conditioned reinforcing effects and can precipitate relapse. We used the New Response Acquisition procedure to examine factors that influenced the conditioned reinforcing effects of cocaine-associated stimuli in rats. According to this procedure, rats first experie...

11/17/2025

Kyle Palmer (Alumni Steering Committee member and 1995 alumnus) representing Michigan Pharmacology in Seoul, South Korea!

11/13/2025

Underground Printing is hosting our Online Store for Pharmacology swag until Sunday November 30, 2025 midnight EST.
Options (in different colors):
• Tshirts – LS, SS, and Student Designed Fun TShirt!
• ¼ zip sweatshirts (embroidered)
• Crew neck sweatshirt

Sizing measurements open when the image is clicked on the site.
Men and Women options are available and noted on the site.

You can choose to pick up your swag from Sondra Auerbach's office (1150 W. Medical Center Drive, MSRB3, Room 1301) or pay to have it shipped to you.

[This is not a fund-raiser!]
Enjoy Shopping!

11/12/2025

Please welcome our newest postdoc, Dr. Michaela Everly. She will be receiving postdoctoral training in the Nucleic Acid Therapeutics (NATx) Core under Dr. Hastings.

Michaela E. Everly, PhD, is an oligonucleotide chemist who earned her BS Chemistry (2019), BS Biochemistry (2019), and PhD Chemistry (2025) from the University of Idaho. She completed her doctoral research in the lab of Dr. Patrick J. Hrdlicka which focused on designing, synthesizing, and characterizing oligonucleotide-based probe duplexes for specific and efficient recognition of mixed-sequence double-stranded DNA targets. Michaela has now joined the Department of Pharmacology as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to assist with the development and operations of the new Nucleic Acid Therapeutics (NATx) Core under the direction of Dr. Michelle Hastings.

11/11/2025

We have launched the Campaign for Michigan Pharmacology! Please share with your colleagues and consider joining us in this important mission.

Research in the Department of Pharmacology is pioneering medical breakthroughs and accelerating world-class innovation and discovery. Our vision is to transform health care for all.

10/01/2025

It’s Discovery Research Week! Every day, the bold work of our U-M researchers and scientists points the way to life-changing treatments and cures patients and families need. Visit

From September 29 to October 5, 2025, we invite you to join us for Discovery Research Week to celebrate and support our scientists and learners who lay the groundwork for the medical breakthroughs of tomorrow.

09/29/2025

Three pharmacology students worked on the fourth edition of the student-run science and art magazine, EquilibriUM. Claire Shudde was an editor-in-chief, Krista Goerger wrote a short story from the perspective of a platelet traveling around the body, and Oanh Luc wrote and illustrated a comic on science and art sparking curiosity.
You can read the magazine online in the below link, or look for physical copies in the media room in a few weeks.

In this piece, I explored the neural network concept by connecting it to artistic and emotional aspects of the human experience: music, group dance, and a sense of community and interconnectedness…

09/24/2025

Pharmacology representing at Swim to the Moon (featuring Rich Auchus and Laurie Svoboda)

09/23/2025

Pharmacology Retreat 2025 - Fox Hills Golf and Banquet Center