Charles France, Ph.D.
Robert A. Welch Distinguished University Chair in Chemistry
Professor of Pharmacology
Professor of Psychiatry
Ph.D., University of Michigan
Office: 210-567-6969
Email: france@uthscsa.edu
Research Interests
| • drug abuse | • opioids |
| • benzodiazepines | • neuropharmacology |
| • drug discrimination | • self administration |
| • dependence | • withdrawal |
Research Activities
Research in the France laboratory focuses on interactions between behavior and pharmacology and how those interactions impact the abuse liability of drugs. One major goal is to understand how the subjective and other abuse-related effects of drugs change as a consequence of particular behavioral and pharmacologic histories. Behavioral procedures developed in this laboratory permit systemic investigation of drug dependence and withdrawal and ongoing studies examine how these phenomena can be modified by behavioral and pharmacologic interventions.
A unifying theme of research in the France laboratory is the application of receptor theory to the planning, execution, and interpretation of behavioral pharmacological studies. Thus, many of our studies examine differences in efficacy and selectivity among potential drugs of abuse and potential treatment compounds, thereby identifying the pharmacologic characteristics of drugs that are most important for specific behavioral effects (e.g., reinforcing effects).
Current areas of research include the following: the role of different monoamine systems in modifying the abuse and therapeutic effects of opioids; the impact of different diets on the abuse and therapeutic effects of drug acting on serotonin or dopamine systems; interactions between GHB and other “club drugs”; the role of insulin receptor pathways in regulating dopamine transporter activity and sensitivity to stimulants; GABA receptor heterogeneity and the dependence liability of sedative/hypnotics; and the influence of physical dependence on the reinforcing effects of opioids.
Selected Publications
- Collins GT, Gerak LR, France CP (2017) The behavioral pharmacology and therapeutic potential of lorcaserin for substance use disorders. Neuropharmacology. PMID29246856
- Weed PF, France CP, Gerak LR (2017) Preference for an opioid/benzodiazepine mixture over an opioid alone using a concurrent choice procedure in rhesus monkeys. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 362, 59-66. PMID28438777, PMC5461725
- Minervini V, Dahal S, France CP (2017) Behavioral characterization of κ opioid receptor agonist spiradoline/cannabinoid receptor agonist CP55940 mixtures in rats. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 360, 280-287. PMID27903642, PMC5267513
- Gerak LR, France CP (2016) Combined treatment with morphine and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in rhesus monkeys: antinociceptive tolerance and withdrawal. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 357, 357-366. PMID26937020, PMC4851324
- Maguire DR, France CP (2017) Antinociceptive effects of mixtures of mu opioid receptor agonists and cannabinoid receptor agonists in rats: impact of drug and fixed-dose ratio. European Journal of Pharmacology, 819, 217-224. PMID29183835
Appointments, Boards, Committees and Memberships
Secretary/Treasurer-Elect – American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) Governing Board – July 2015
Councilor – American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) Governing Board – July 2012
•Research Group
David Maguire, Ph.D., Instructor/Research
Vanessa Minervini, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
Cindal Dominguez, Research Coordinator
Eli Desarno, Research Assistant
Steven Garza, Research Assistant
Sarah Howard, Research Assistant
Jade Jaurez, Research Assistant