Aleksandra Dagunts
Current Program Year: Med3
M.D./Ph.D. Program Students, School of Medicine
Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences Students, School of Medicine
Biography
Research interests: Neuropharmacology, cell biology, opioids, substance use
Clinical interests: Emergency medicine, toxicology, addiction medicine, street medicine
Education and training
B.S., 2019, George Washington University
Ph.D., 2026, Oregon Health & Science University
Internship: NIH Post-baccalaureate IRTA program, 2019
Honors and awards
Ruth L. Kirschstein Individual Predoctoral NRSA Fellowship F30 (2025 - present)
OHSU School of Medicine Outstanding Journal Article of the Year Award, 2026
1st Place Poster Prize, ASPET 2025
International Narcotics Research Conference Travel Award (2025)
Coalition of Physician Education in Substance Use Disorder Medical Student Curriculum Challenge Award (2021)
OHSU Tartar Trust Award (2023, 2025)
OHSU Forging the Way FLAME Award Nominee (Bridges Collaborative Care Clinic, 2026)
OHSU Forging the Way FLAME Award Nominee (Addiction Informed Care Interest Group, 2022)
Publications
Selected publications
Dagunts A, Adoff H, Novy B, Ameur LB, De Maria M, Saunders A, Lobingier BT. Lysosomal down-regulation of the mu opioid receptor is opposed by the Retromer complex. Sci Adv. 2026 Mar 20;12(12):eadx8715. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adx8715. Epub 2026 Mar 20. PMID: 41861010; PMCID: PMC13004025.
Novy B, Dagunts A, Weishaar T, Holland EE, Adoff H, Hutchinson E, De Maria M, Kampmann M, Tsvetanova NG, Lobingier BT. An engineered trafficking biosensor reveals a role for DNAJC13 in DOR downregulation. Nat Chem Biol. 2024 Sep 2. doi:10.1038/s41589-024-01705-2. PMID: 39223388.
Passecker J, Chang CY, Dagunts A, Aloimonos CM, Leitner L, Petryk A, Wagner FF, Myroshnychenko MV, Kupferschmidt DA, Gogos JA, Gordon JA. Divergent transcriptomic pathways underlie sex-biased cognitive rescue by developmental GSK3B inhibition in a mouse model of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Transl Psychiatry. 2026 Jun 11. doi: 10.1038/s41398-026-04108-0. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42276980.
Passecker J, Aloimonos CM, Dagunts A, Wagner FF, Kupferschmidt DA, Gogos J, Gordon JA. Developmental Selective GSK3α Inhibition Rescues Working Memory Deficits in a Mouse Model of Schizophrenia Predisposition. Complex Psychiatry. 2025 Oct 10;11(1):131-141. doi: 10.1159/000547800. PMID: 41321713; PMCID: PMC12659633.
Perraud A, Rao D, Kosmacek E, Dagunts A, Oberley-Deegan R., & Gally F. (2018). The ion channel, TRPM2, contributes to the pathogenesis of radiodermatitis. Radiation and Environmental Biophysics. DOI: 10.1007/s00411-018-0769-y