All drugs produce side effects because they act on more than one type of receptor in the body.
By understanding the characteristics of the site of action of drugs we can design compound which are more selective in their site of action and thus produce fewer side effects. Alpha-2 adrenergic receptors are involved in central and peripheral control of blood pressure, platelet function, behavior and sleep. In collaboration with Dr. Bylund, I have been involved in determining the characteristics of the the different alpha-2 subtypes and in determining how these receptors are downregulated. The ultimate goal is to design drugs which are more specific for one subtype and thus produce fewer side effects.