New hospital-university research chair in pain treatment

If you were one of the 8 million people in Canada who have experienced chronic pain in their lifetime, you would want a medication that has a powerful pain-relieving effect but does not cause overwhelming side effects or addiction. This molecule does not yet exist, but the new Research Chair on Pain Treatment and Opioid Pharmacology, led by Louis Gendron, intends to make significant progress in this field.

Opioids such as morphine are still among the most effective medications for treating moderate to severe pain, but they involve inconveniences and even health risks: nausea, constipation, respiratory depression, and psychological dependence. Also, in about 35% of people, opioid pain relievers simply don't work.

For researchers like Louis Gendron, there is no question of leaving patients to their fate. Over the next five years, he will use his expertise to improve their quality of life by developing new strategies and therapies for the treatment of pain using opioid receptors as pharmacological targets.

The work is divided into two areas: the treatment of chronic pain, i.e. to develop new drugs that cause fewer side effects but have a good painkiller effect; and to offer alternatives that will not contribute to the opioid crisis.

Prof. Louis Gendron, holder of the chair

Her multidisciplinary research program will focus on the delta opioid receptor, which has significant analgesic potential with minimal adverse effects. As an added bonus, delta antagonists have a lower risk of abuse and dependence.

The chair is created thanks to philanthropic contributions from the CHUS Foundation, the CHUS Research Center and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. The value of these contributions now totals $1 million.

It is important for us to offer our patients the best treatments, here in the regions. Research is eventually transmitted into care, that's why we invest.

Martin Clermont, Executive Director, CHUS Foundation

Training top-level scientists in the fields of pain, opioids and molecular pharmacology is an important part of this research chair. “We are going to offer scholarships to graduate students so that they can continue their studies in my laboratory,” says Professor Gendron.