Working across disciplines to minimize pain and reduce the impact of addictive opioid drugs
![gettyimages-1322490166](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/jumbo_16_9/public/2023-09/gettyimages-1322490166_0.jpg?h=2d867287&itok=GdA6fPuf)
One of the basic tenets of medicine is the lessening of pain, and unfortunately for many, has led to an epidemic in the use of powerful and addicting analgesics known as opioids.
Michigan Medicine researchers are leading the field in researching evidence-based ways to more responsibly prescribe these drugs and to help patients living with opioid use disorders. Our scientists are also actively exploring effective alternative pain relievers that can help people live lives with less suffering.
Michigan Medicine is home to several initiatives dedicated to researching opioids and pain:
![portrait of Vinay Aakalu, MD, MPH](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-07/Research_Vinay%20Aakalu.jpg?itok=_kHsIxu8)
Professor of Visual Sciences
![portrait of Ahmed Abdel-Latif](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-07/Research_Ahmed%20Abdel-Latif.png?itok=30ENV5LD)
Program Director, Internal Medicine
![portrait of James L. Abelson](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-07/research-james_abelson.jpeg?itok=QSoJy9pm)
Academic Director Ambulatory Psychiatry
Psychiatry
![Lindsay Admon headshot](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-02/Admon-Lindsay.jpeg?itok=XHCyRuMi)
![portrait of Prachi Agarwal](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-07/research-prachi_agarwal.png?itok=TxhmEcF2)
Section Head, Cardiothoracic Radiology
![Jaimo Ahn](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2023-12/Jaimo-Ahn-2023.jpg?itok=3ofJLq7s)
Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Associate Chair, Orthopaedic Surgery
Section Head and Service Chief
Faculty Affairs
Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery
![portrait of William R. Aibinder](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-07/Research-WILLIAM%20R%20AIBINDER.png?itok=O62a0gio)
Medical Student Clerkship Director, Orthopaedic Surgery
![ailawadi-gorav.jpg](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-03/ailawadi_gorav_4x5_1.jpg?itok=1KZvQzJc)
Chair, Department of Cardiac Surgery
Professor of Cardiac Surgery
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
![portrait of Huda Akil](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-07/research-huda_akil.jpeg?itok=f5BTtWRH)
Gardner C Quarton Collegiate Professor of Neurosciences in the Molecular and Behavioral Neurosciences Institute
Professor of Psychiatry and Research Professor
Michigan Neuroscience Institute
![Ilyas S. Aleem MD](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2023-09/ilyas_syed_aleem_md.jpg?itok=pa5ynKUp)
Clinical Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
Medical Director, MPLAN
Medical Director, UMMG
Program Assistant, Resident Research, Orthopaedic Surgery
![neil alexander](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-03/NEIL_B._ALEXANDER.jpg?itok=XkOFGCOj)
Collegiate Professor of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine
Professor of Internal Medicine and Research Professor
Institute of Gerontology
![portrait of BARA ALSALAHEEN](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/2024-07/research_bara_alsalaheen.png?itok=uqeGMI6s)
Neurology
Department of Biological Chemistry
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics
Department of Learning Health Sciences
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Department of Emergency Medicine
Department of Internal Medicine
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
![stethoscope](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/card/public/2023-08/stethoscope.jpg?h=ae21e8e5&itok=Dw_9oHVa)
![doctor talking and parent standing by child in hospital bed](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/card/public/2023-02/doctor-green-cast-child-parent.jpg?h=6de5717d&itok=JkQhJyqT)
![pills doctor prescription patient](https://medresearch.umich.edu/sites/default/files/styles/card/public/2023-03/opiod-pills-doctor-hands-hospital.jpg?h=f0fb51a5&itok=gfB8c6SL)