Mike Michaelides, Ph.D.

Senior Investigator

Neuroimaging Research Branch, Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit

NIDA

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Triad Technology Center
333 Cassell Drive
Room 3444
Baltimore, MD 21224

667-312-5380

mike.michaelides@nih.gov

Research Topics

Our laboratory implements state-of-the-art biobehavioral molecular imaging approaches integrated alongside cutting-edge neuromodulatory, molecular, pharmacological, transgenic, and bioinformatic methods for identifying behaviorally-relevant neurobiological mechanisms critical for substance abuse and addiction. Special emphasis is placed on reverse-translating findings from clinical research to animals. In addition, clinical relevance of mechanisms studied in animals is determined in humans via imaging, bioinformatics, genetics and postmortem tissue examinations.

Selected Publications

  1. Gomez JL, Magnus CJ, Bonaventura J, Solis O, Curry FP, Levinstein MR, Budinich RC, Carlton ML, Ventriglia EN, Lam S, Wang L, Schoenborn I, Dunne W, Michaelides M, Sternson SM. Cocaine chemogenetics blunts drug-seeking by synthetic physiology. Nature. 2025.
  2. Gomez JL, Bonaventura J, Lesniak W, Mathews WB, Sysa-Shah P, Rodriguez LA, Ellis RJ, Richie CT, Harvey BK, Dannals RF, Pomper MG, Bonci A, Michaelides M. Chemogenetics revealed: DREADD occupancy and activation via converted clozapine. Science. 2017;357(6350):503-507.
  3. Magnus CJ, Lee PH, Bonaventura J, Zemla R, Gomez JL, Ramirez MH, Hu X, Galvan A, Basu J, Michaelides M, Sternson SM. Ultrapotent chemogenetics for research and potential clinical applications. Science. 2019;364(6436).
  4. Bonaventura J, Lam S, Carlton M, Boehm MA, Gomez JL, Solís O, Sánchez-Soto M, Morris PJ, Fredriksson I, Thomas CJ, Sibley DR, Shaham Y, Zarate CA Jr, Michaelides M. Pharmacological and behavioral divergence of ketamine enantiomers: implications for abuse liability. Mol Psychiatry. 2021;26(11):6704-6722.
  5. Levinstein MR, De Oliveira PA, Casajuana-Martin N, Quiroz C, Budinich RC, Rais R, Rea W, Ventriglia EN, Llopart N, Casadó-Anguera V, Moreno E, Walther D, Glatfelter GC, Weinshenker D, Zarate CA Jr, Casadó V, Baumann MH, Pardo L, Ferré S, Michaelides M. Unique pharmacodynamic properties and low abuse liability of the µ-opioid receptor ligand (S)-methadone. Mol Psychiatry. 2024;29(3):624-632.

Related Scientific Focus Areas

This page was last updated on Thursday, September 4, 2025