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BIDDEFORD, Maine

UNE research to fight addiction featured on 'WCSH 6'

UNE research to combat the epidemic of heroin and opioid addiction was featured in an August 17, 2015 news story on WCSH 6 and WLBZ 2. The story highlighted a recent $4.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop opioid drugs for the treatment of chronic pain with fewer side effects, including addiction.

Edward Bilsky, Ph.D., vice-president for Research and Scholarship, explained how addiction to prescription drugs has led to a rise in heroin use and overdoses. "Heroin has come down in price and heroin has become more available," said Bilsky.

The grant was awarded to UNE and Southern Research in Birmingham, Alabama, with Bilsky, Karen Houseknecht, Ph.D., professor of Pharmacology, and John Streicher, Ph.D., assistant professor of biomedical sciences named as investigators. The award will build on years of research by UNE faculty and students to understand what causes addiction and how to stop it. "Addiction is a very complex problem,” said Bilsky. “It involves genetics, and your environment and susceptibility to the disease, so the solutions are going to be complex too."

Watch the story.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.