Knee Joint Nerve Mapping and Pain Pathways
Official title: RE-JOIN NEURONAL ANATOMY, CONNECTIVITY, AND PHENOTYPIC INNERVATION OF THE KNEE JOINT
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11541944 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to map and understand the nerve connections and how pain signals are carried from the knee in adults with osteoarthritis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 23, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $350,000 |
| NIH project number | 3UC2AR082200-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11541944 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with osteoarthritis or those undergoing research that involves knee joint tissue or related neural profiling.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals or patients without OA or knee involvement may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project seeks to identify the specific sensory neurons that innervate the knee and how they change in osteoarthritis, using advanced labeling and imaging methods in animals and people. Researchers will profile nerve cells from knee tissue and spinal ganglia to understand their roles in pain. The study combines cutting-edge lab techniques with patient involvement to map neural pathways linked to knee pain and to refine imaging approaches for better characterization. Findings could help develop targeted therapies that reduce pain and improve function for OA patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to more precise treatments that alleviate knee pain and disability for people with osteoarthritis.
How similar studies have gone: Previous neural mapping and transcriptomic profiling have shown progress in understanding pain pathways, with this project expanding to human OA contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Brendan — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Lee, Brendan
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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.