Research Interests

My research program aims to help understand the cellular and neurochemical mechanisms regulating states of consciousness and state-dependent changes in physiology.

Research statement

The goals of Lydic’s research are elucidating the mechanisms by which sleep, opioids, and volatile anesthetics modulate pain and depress breathing and arousal.  The evolutionary perspective and current data support the view that neurons generating sleep and wakefulness preferentially modulate the ability of opioids, hypnotics, and anesthetics to alter pain, behavioral affect, and states of waking consciousness.

• Past President, North American Sleep Research Society
• Julien F. Biebuyck Endowed Professor of Anesthesia, The Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine
• Bert La Du Endowed Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan
• Distinguished Alumni Award, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech Univ.
• Excellence in Research Award, American Society of Anesthesiologists
• Past Chairman, Advisory Council, National Space Biomedical Research Inst., Houston, TX
• Past Chairman, Advisory Panel, Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health, Canadian Institute of Health
• 2015- Scientific Advisory Committee, Canadian Sleep & Circadian Network
• 2016 Collaborative Scholarship and Research Award, University of Tennessee
• 2016-2019 Visiting Professor, Peoples Liberation Army Hospital, Beijing, China
• 2020 University of Tennessee, Department of Psychology, Undergraduate Student Mentoring Award
• 2020 Chair, NASA Postdoctoral Review Committee Translational Research Institute for Space Health

Grant Applications

• Sponsor:  National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA)
  Title:  Novel Approach to Substance Use Disorders
  Mechanism:  U18
  Status:  Submitted for February 13, 2020 deadline
  Role:  Co-Investigator (10% effort)
• Sponsor: National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA)
  Title: Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression
  Mechanism: R01
  Status: Submitted for September 5, 2019; Score: 10th percentile
  Awaiting funding decision
  Role: Co-Investigator
• Sponsor: National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
  Title: Mechanisms of Normal and impaired Wound Healing
  Mechanism: RM1
  Status: Submitted January 2019. Not funded. Application in revision.
  Role: Lead investigator on team of six.
• Sponsor: National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA)
  Title: Novel Antagonist for Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression
  Mechanism: R33
  Status: Submitted September 5, 2019 deadline; not funded
  Role: Co-Investigator
• Sponsor: Defense Applied Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
  Title: Epistatic Genetic Architecture and Therapeutic Candidates for Opioid Response and Toxicity in Drosophila and Humans – the computational search for an antidote to highly potent, synthetic opioids.
  Mechanism: Application invited by DARPA
  Status: Fall 2019 Submission
  Role: Co-investigator
• Sponsor: National Human Genome Research Institute
  Title: Identification of Structural Variation with Novel Methods and Integration of other Genomic Features to Explain the Genetic Basis of Human Diseases
  Mechanism: HG-18-006 R35
  Status: Fall 2019 Submission
  Role: Sub-Contract for years 4 and 5
• Sponsor: NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse
  Title: Identification of Structural Variation with Novel Methods and Integration of other Genomic Features to Explain the Genetic Basis of Human Diseases
  Mechanism: PAR-19-223 Avenir Award to NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse
  Status: Fall 2019 Submission
  Role: Sub-Contract for years 4 and 5

Previous Grants

• Hettich, R. (P.I.) Co-Investigators Blakely-Ruiz, Lydic R., Carley, Baghdoyan, Simpson.  An Integrated Systems Biology Approach to Identify Opioid-Induced Shifts in Function of the Gut Microbiome among Lean and Obese Mice Undergoing Systemic Opioid Treatment.  Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Funded July 30 2018. $197,000.
• Lydic, R. (P.I.), Baghdoyan, H.A., Campagna, S., Jacobson, D.A. Opiate alteration in brain chemistry of normal and obese mice: A pilot study. Kavli Foundation. Funded through December 2017. Funded $10,000.
• Lydic, R. (P.I.) Does leptin contribute to alterations in breathing caused by buprenorphine. NeuroNET Pilot Program, October 2014 through September 2015, University of Tennessee, $10,000.
• Lydic, R. (P.I.) Cholinergic phenotype in murine models of sleep. Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes of N.I.H. (R01 HL-065272). Competing Renewal Application funded 01 July 2010 through 30 June 2017.  Award total $1,389,268.