Identifying markers that show how pain medications work in the brain
Official title: Discovery and/or Validation of Pharmacodynamic Markers
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-10974398 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how well new pain medications work in the brain, using special techniques to see how they interact with pain receptors, which could help improve pain management for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $807,274 |
| NIH project number | 1U19NS138975-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10974398 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals suffering from chronic pain conditions who may benefit from new analgesic therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with acute pain or those who do not respond to analgesic treatments may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing pharmacodynamic markers that can indicate how effectively new pain medications engage their molecular targets in the brain. By using advanced techniques such as mouse models and innovative imaging methods, the study aims to create assays that measure the interaction of these medications with specific receptors involved in pain perception. Patients may benefit from a better understanding of how these new treatments work, potentially leading to more effective pain management strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective pain treatments by providing insights into how medications interact with brain receptors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in developing pharmacodynamic markers for other pain medications, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Aube, Jeffrey — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Aube, Jeffrey
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.