How early inflammation or stress may cause long-term pelvic and bladder pain
Official title: Preclinical phenotypic modeling of chronic urologic pelvic pain
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11349655 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how early-life inflammation or stress can change nerve signaling to the bladder and pelvis and lead to long-term pelvic pain in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $326,700 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK124792-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11349655 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) with chronic pelvic pain conditions such as interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome or chronic prostatitis would be the patients most likely to benefit from future therapies informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
People whose pelvic pain is solely due to structural problems, active infection, or non-neural causes may not benefit directly from these nerve-focused findings.
What this research studies
Researchers use animal models to mimic urologic chronic pelvic pain by giving neonatal bladder inflammation or separating newborns from their mothers, then adding adult triggers like bladder re-injury or stress. They measure how primary sensory nerves and spinal processing change after these early and later insults to the urogenital and pelvic regions. The work aims to link these nerve and spinal changes to increased sensitivity in the bladder, pelvis, and widespread pain. Findings are intended to point to nerve-based targets that could lead to new treatments for people with chronic pelvic pain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify nerve or spinal targets that lead to new treatments for interstitial cystitis, chronic prostatitis, and related pelvic pain syndromes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have shown that early-life inflammation or stress can alter nerve function and pain sensitivity, but translating those findings into effective human treatments remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Deberry, Jennifer J — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Deberry, Jennifer J
Related research
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A short, patient-friendly study will look at whether allergy-related antibodies can help predict and prevent flare-ups in people with urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
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A new oral medicine combining cromolyn sodium and cetirizine is being developed to help adults with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain by targeting immune and nerve-related pathways.
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Sacral nerve stimulation for chronic pelvic pain
A study to see if a minimally invasive nerve-stimulation therapy can help reduce chronic pelvic pain and improve quality of life in adult women.
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.