Omics center to find why acute pain becomes chronic

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

NIH-funded research University of California, San Diego · NIH-11322288

This project uses blood and other samples from adults who had recent surgery or injury to find biological signs that predict who will develop long-term pain.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California, San Diego NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (La Jolla, United States)
Project IDNIH-11322288 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be part of a large effort where clinical sites enroll adults after a specific surgery or musculoskeletal injury and collect samples and symptom information over time. Blood and other biofluids are collected at the time of the acute event, then again at about 3 and 6 months, and sent to a central lab for multi-omics testing. The lab will look at many kinds of molecular data to validate 40 proposed biomarkers and to discover new markers linked to developing chronic pain. Results aim to show patterns that separate people who recover from those who go on to long-term pain, which could guide future prevention.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults (21+) who recently experienced a qualifying surgical procedure or a specific musculoskeletal trauma and can attend baseline and follow-up visits for sample collection are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without a recent acute pain event, anyone under 21, or those unable or unwilling to provide samples and follow-up visits would not be eligible and would not directly benefit from participating.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce tests that identify people at high risk for chronic pain so they can get targeted prevention earlier.

How similar studies have performed: Smaller studies have suggested molecular markers may link to chronic pain risk, but large-scale multi-omics validation like this is relatively 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.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.