New molecular targets for chronic C1–C2 (atlanto‑axial) neck pain
Official title: Identifying novel therapeutic targets for chronic neck pain: RNA-sequencing in human painful atlanto-axial arthropathy
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11173593 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using tissue removed during neck surgery to look for molecular signals that could lead to better treatments for people with chronic neck pain from the atlanto‑axial joint.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $551,310 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR078192-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11173593 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults scheduled for surgery on the atlanto‑axial joint for chronic neck pain, and patients undergoing similar surgery for acute fracture who can serve as comparison participants, are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People whose neck pain is not due to atlanto‑axial arthritis or who are not undergoing surgery on that joint are unlikely to be eligible or directly helped by this study.
What this research studies
If you have chronic neck pain from arthritis of the atlanto‑axial joint and are having surgery, researchers will collect joint and nerve (dorsal root ganglion) tissue that is already being removed during the operation. They will compare those samples with tissues from people having surgery for acute fractures and with an existing database of dorsal root ganglia from people without pain. The team will run RNA sequencing to measure which genes are switched on or off and use computational methods plus detailed patient symptom information to identify molecular drivers of pain. The goal is to pinpoint biological targets that could be used to develop more specific treatments for chronic neck pain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could reveal new biological targets for therapies that relieve chronic neck pain and reduce reliance on opioids.
How similar studies have gone: Gene expression (RNA‑sequencing) studies have revealed pain‑related signals in other tissues, but applying RNA‑seq to human atlanto‑axial joint and associated dorsal root ganglia is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Curatolo, Michele — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Curatolo, Michele
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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.