Molecular fingerprints to predict who develops long-term pain

Omics Data Generation Center (ODGC) for the Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures (A2CPS) Program

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · NIH-11168927

This project will look at blood and other samples from adults after surgery or injury to find molecular signs that predict who will go on to have chronic pain.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO (nih funded)
Locations1 site (LA JOLLA, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11168927 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If you join, researchers will follow adults after a defined surgery or musculoskeletal injury and collect clinical data and biofluid samples soon after the event and again at 3 and 6 months. Labs will generate multiple types of molecular (multi-omics) data from those samples to test 40 pre-selected markers and to discover new candidate markers. The goal is to find patterns that distinguish people who recover from those who develop chronic pain. Results could guide earlier, targeted prevention or monitoring for people at higher risk.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults (21 years and older) who have a specific acute painful surgery or musculoskeletal trauma and can attend sample collection at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People under 21, those without a recent qualifying acute injury/surgery, or people who already have chronic pain before the event are unlikely to benefit from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help identify people at high risk for chronic pain so they can get earlier, personalized prevention or treatment.

How similar studies have performed: Smaller studies have suggested candidate molecular markers for chronic pain risk, but large multi-site multi-omics validation like this is new.

Where this research is happening

LA JOLLA, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.