Gene activity linked to pain in sickle cell disease
Transcriptomics of Pain in Sickle Cell Disease
Researchers are looking at gene activity in blood cells to find markers tied to pain crises and long-term pain in people with sickle cell disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11166558 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I take part, researchers will use blood samples taken at different times (steady state, during a painful vaso-occlusive crisis, and after it resolves) to study RNA from red cell precursors and white blood cells. They will compare gene activity patterns between people with and without chronic pain and link those patterns to each person’s whole genome data. The team will use large-scale sequencing data stored in TOPMed to build a transcriptional risk score and run analyses to find genetic changes that may drive pain. The work aims to turn those RNA and genetic signals into objective markers that could help predict or explain who develops chronic pain.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with sickle cell disease—particularly adults (21+) who have experienced vaso-occlusive crises or ongoing chronic pain—are the most relevant candidates for this work.
Not a fit: People without sickle cell disease or those outside the study’s eligible age range are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could yield blood-based markers or risk scores to help predict pain crises and guide personalized care for people with sickle cell disease.
How similar studies have performed: Transcriptome and TWAS approaches have identified risk genes in other conditions, but applying them specifically to sickle cell pain is relatively new and partly untested.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sheehan, Vivien Andrea — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Sheehan, Vivien Andrea
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 below.