Seminar – Marco Pravetoni, Ph.D.

Dr. Pravetoni is an expert in the development of vaccines, antibody-based strategies, and small molecules to counteract opioid use disorders and overdose, approaches that can improve the lives of individuals living with substance use disorders or who are at risk of fatal overdoses.

Dr. Pravetoni directs a new Center for Medication Development for Substance Use Disorders which will be located in the Research and Training (R&T) Building at Harborview Medical Center. The Center will develop and seek to translate innovative strategies for the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders, with a particular focus on opioids that account for a large proportion of fatal drug overdoses in King County. This new research program will seek to augment and partner with the efforts of scientists, clinicians, advocates, clients, civic leaders and other shareholders to combat addiction and to serve the health needs of the community.

The Pravetoni group focuses on development and translation of medical interventions against substance use disorders (SUD) and other chemical and biological threats. Current efforts are: 1) vaccines, monoclonal antibodies (mAb), and small molecules to treat or prevent SUD, opioid use disorders (OUD) and overdose, 2) mechanisms and biomarkers underlying or predicting efficacy of immunotherapeutics and medications in pre-clinical models of SUD and OUD patients, 3) novel strategies to enhance vaccine or medication efficacy, including immunomodulators, small molecules, adjuvants, nanoparticles, polymers and other delivery platforms, 4) Vaccines, mAb, and clinical biomarkers against infectious diseases (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2), 5) biosensors for field detection or diagnosis.