Exploring how music therapy can help manage pain
Official title: Effective Network to advance Scientific Evidence related to Mechanisms of music-Based interventions (ENSEMBLE)
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11143461 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring how music therapy can help manage pain and improve your quality of life, so you can better understand how music might work for you in a clinical setting.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | July 24, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $556,654 |
| NIH project number | 7U24AT012603-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11143461 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include adults experiencing chronic pain or those seeking alternative pain management options.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not experience pain or are not interested in music-based therapies may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the ways in which music-based interventions, such as music therapy, can effectively manage pain. It aims to understand the underlying mechanisms—cognitive, genomic, metabolomic, and neurologic—that contribute to the effectiveness of these interventions. By establishing a collaborative network, the project seeks to enhance research efforts and improve the application of music therapy in clinical settings. Patients may benefit from a more comprehensive understanding of how music can alleviate pain and improve their quality of life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective pain management strategies using music therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results for music therapy in pain management, indicating that this approach has potential for further exploration.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dusek, Jeffery a — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Dusek, Jeffery a
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.