Program
July 8, 2025
Palazzo Re Enzo | Piazza del Nettuno 1/C - 40125, Bologna
Professional development session
4.30 pm - 6 pm
Historical perspective on "INRC and Opiod Reasearch"
6 pm - 7 pm | Prof. Brian Cox
Opening Ceremony
7 pm - 9 pm
July 9, 2025
Belmeloro District
Plenary
8.30 am - 9.30 am
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Neuroimmune mechanisms in chronic pain
Prof. Marzia Malcangio (NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), King’s College London)
Morning parallel sessions
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9.30 - 11.00
Symposium 1 - Cortical opioid signaling regulates adaptive and maladaptive behaviors
Chair: Max E Joffe , Speakers: Hugo Tejeda, Jacob Reeves, Rebecca Cole, Bruno MunozRoom 1 -
9.30 - 11.00
Symposium 2 - AI-enabled drug discovery targeting opioid receptors
Chair: Tao Che , Speakers: Tao Che, Marta Filizola, Michael Robertson, Christian Gruber WRoom 2 -
11.00 - 11.15
Coffee break
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11.15 - 12.30
Symposium 3 - From Neural Pathways to Molecular Insights: Advancing Treatments for Opioid Use Disorders
Chair: Esi Domi , Speakers: Stephen Husbands, Leandro Vendruscolo, Roberto CiccocioppoRoom 1 -
11.15 - 12.30
Symposium 4 - Uncovering GPR-Family G Protein Coupled Receptors as Novel Pain Regulators
Chair: John Streicher , Speakers: Amanda Fakira, Erin Bobeck, John StreicherRoom 2
Lunch & Learn 1
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12.30 - 1.30
The clinical use of opioid and non opioid analgesics (e.g.: paracetamol) in Italy and Europe
-
1.30 - 2.30
Lunch break
Afternoon session
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2.30 - 4.00
Symposium 5 - Exploring Roles of Habenula in Opioid Signaling and Behaviors
Chair: Emmanuel Darcq , Speakers: Paul Kenny, Elyssa Margolis, Tom Hnasko, Dersu OdzemirRoom 1 -
2.30 - 4.00
Symposium 6 - Chemistry and Pharmacology of opioid receptor modulators
Chairs: Meritxell Canals and Susruta Majumdar , Speakers: Amynah Pradhan, Rob Lane, Cornelius Gati, Marthe VandeputteRoom 2 -
4.00 - 4.30
Datablitz 1
Poster 1
4.30 pm - 6.30 pm
July 10, 2025
Belmeloro District
Founder's Lecture
8.30 am - 9.30 am
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My journey through the opioid field: Opioid research as a destiny?
Prof. Lee-Yuan Liu-Chen (Center for Substance Abuse Research & Department of Neural Sciences Temple University)
Morning parallel sessions
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9.30 - 11.00
Symposium 7 - Dynorphin-expressing accumbal neurons promote maladaptive behaviors and reduce reward
Chairs: Ethan Anderson and Nicolas Massaly , Speakers: Catherine Marcinkiewicz, Ethan Anderson, Ream Al-Hasani, Nicolas MassalyRoom 1 -
9.30 - 11.00
Symposium 8 - N/OFQ receptor signaling at different scales: from molecular pathways to pain and stress-related behavior via brain networks
Chairs: Lionel Mouledous and Chiara Ruzza , Speakers: Davide Malfaccini, Lionel Mouledous, Chiara Ruzza, Elaine GavioliRoom 2 -
11.00 - 11.30
Coffee break
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11.30 - 1.00
Symposium 9 - From Pain to Addiction and Back: Unraveling Psychological and Neural Connections in OUD and AUD
Chair: Jesùs Lorente , Speakers: Jesùs Lorente, Jessica Cucinello-Ragland, Anushree Karkhanis, Hannah HarderRoom 1 -
11.30 - 1.00
Symposium 10 - The Opioid-Nociceptin Framework: Revealing Mechanisms of Neurotrauma
Chairs: Kelly Standifer and Georgy Bakalkin , Speakers: Kelly Standifer, Wendy Yue, Fereshteh Nugent, Georgy BakalkinRoom 2
Lunch break
1.00 - 2.30 pm
Afternoon session
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2.30 - 4.00
Symposium 11 - Circuits, cell types, and neural dynamics underlying opioidergic neuromodulation
Chairs: Gregory Scherrer and Michael Bruchas , Speakers: Catalina Zamorano, Hector Yarur, Gregory ScherrerRoom 1 -
2.30 - 4.00
Symposium 12 - Opioids Beyond Pain- Roles in Mood and Motivation
Chairs: Kathryn Braden and Anne Z Murphy , Speakers: Anne Z Murphy, Kathryn Braden, Gregory Corder, Marie EikemoyRoom 2 -
4.00 - 4.30
Datablitz 2
Poster 2
4.30 - 6.30 pm
July 11, 2025
Belmeloro District
Young Investigator Award Lecture
8.30 am - 9.30 am
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Exploring the kappa opioid receptor signaling for safer analgesics
Prof. Tao Che (Center for Clinical Pharmacology Department of Anesthesiology Washington University in St. Louis)
Morning parallel sessions
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9.30 - 11.00
Symposium 13 - The Endogenous Opioid System and Chronic Pain: Recent Advances and Therapeutic Potential of Opioid Peptides
Chair: Bruehl Stephen , Speakers: Stephen Bruehl, Lin Tian, Jose Moron Concepcion, Azzurra StefanucciRoom 1 -
9.30 - 11.00
Symposium 14 - Prenatal opioid exposure and its molecular, cellular, and behavioral outcomes
Chairs: Julia Ferrante and Brady Atwood , Speakers: Julia Ferrante, Devian West, Anne Z Murphy, Teresa ReyesRoom 2 -
11.00 - 11.30
Coffee break
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11.30 - 1.00
Symposium 15 - Novel insights into fentanyl’s diverse effects across central and peripheral systems
Chairs: Kasey Griven and Daniel Castro , Speakers: Krystal Flores-Felix, Megan Fox, Kasey Griven, Daniel CastroRoom 1 -
11.30 - 1.00
Symposium 16 - Sex-specific mechanisms underlying opioid reward, motivation, and pain-related outcomes
Chair: Jessica Higginbotham , Speakers: Emilia Lefebre, Yanaira Alonso-Caraballo, Tiffany Wills, Jessica HigginbothamRoom 2
Lunch break
1.00 - 2.30 pm
Afternoon session
-
2.30 - 4.00
Symposium 17 - Novel Optical and Pharmacological Strategies to Probe the Opioid System In-vivo
Chair: Luca Posa , Speakers: Luca Posa, Raaj Gowrishankar, Miriam Stoeber, Joshua LevitzRoom 1 -
2.30 - 4.00
Symposium 18 - Exploring the Interplay of Opioids, Cannabinoids, and Neuroimmune Mechanisms in Pain
Chair: John K Neubert , Speakers: Robert M Caudle, Michael J Iadarola, Jay McLaughlin, Niall P MurphyRoom 2
Hot topic session
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4.00 - 4.30
Hot topic 1
Room 1 -
4.00 - 4.30
Hot topic 2
Room 2
Business meeting
4.30 - 5.15 | Room 1
End of the meeting
5.15 - 5.30 | Room 1
Gala dinner
8.00 pm | Banquet | Palazzo de' Toschi - Piazza Minghetti 4/D - 40124, Bologna