Brian Barral

Student NameBrian Barral

Faculty Mentor NameJenny Wilkerson, Ph.D.

CollegeCollege of Pharmacy

MajorBiology

MinorN/A

Research InterestsChronic Pain, Allodynia, Opioid Abuse

Academic AwardsValedictorian, Clark Advanced Learning Center class of 2018, All Florida Academic Team 2018, President’s List Fall 2019, University Scholar’s Program 2020

OrganizationsAMSA, University of Florida Club Swim and Dive

Hobbies and InterestsKitesurfing, windsurfing, paddleboarding, and virtually anything else involving the water.

Research Project

Analgesic Effects Of Mitragynine In Relation To Mechanical Allodynia And Thermal Hyperalgesia?

In my work, I will be studying mitragynine as a possible treatment for both mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. In Sprague Dawley rats, the sciatic nerve will be tied off, simulating a sciatic nerve injury in humans via the chronic constriction model, or CCI. Matched controls will undergo a sham surgery where the nerve is left untouched. Prior to the surgery all rats will be baselined via the von Frey assay for mechanical allodynia, as well as a hot plate test. Mitragynine will be given at differing doses, and the rats will be subjected to both the von Frey assay as well as the hot plate at different pre-treatment times. After the rats have been behaviorally verified in both the von Frey and hot plate test, tissues will be collected and analyzed via immunohistochemistry in order to see if any morphological or anti-inflammatory differences presented as a result of the mitragynine.