Personalized treatments for bladder pain (interstitial cystitis)
Official title: Mechanistic-Based Treatment of Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11319012 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A treatment approach aiming at the underlying causes of bladder pain for people with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | May 5, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $743,093 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK133415-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11319012 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, including people with pelvic-predominant pain or more widespread/centralized pain symptoms, would be the main candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without IC/BPS or whose urinary symptoms are explained by a different diagnosed condition are unlikely to benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If you have interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), researchers will first group people by how and where they feel pain — some have pain mainly in the pelvis while others have widespread pain with sleep and mood problems. They will combine clinical questions, physical exams, and biological or neurobiological markers to understand those different patient groups. Treatments will be matched to these groups so the team can see whether targeting the likely cause reduces pain and other symptoms. The work is designed to move care away from trial-and-error and toward more personalized treatment plans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to clearer, more effective, and personalized treatments that reduce pain and cut down on costly trial-and-error care.
How similar studies have gone: Researchers have identified distinct IC/BPS pain subgroups before, which makes this targeted approach promising, but mechanism-based personalized treatments for IC/BPS are not yet widely proven.
Where this research is happening
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Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mckernan, Lindsey Colman — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Mckernan, Lindsey Colman
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding spinal cord cell roles in bladder pain and function
A study to map which spinal cord cells process bladder sensations and how they contribute to bladder pain and voiding problems in IC/BPS.
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How bladder support cells control the lining and bladder pain
Researchers are exploring whether special support cells in the bladder control nerve overgrowth and damage to the bladder lining in people with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS).
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Spinal cord cell types that drive bladder pain in interstitial cystitis (IC/BPS)
Researchers will use precise lab tools to find which spinal cord cells cause bladder pain and troublesome urination in people with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS).
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Understanding and treating bladder pain syndrome
This study is looking at interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) to find out more about different types of patients based on their symptoms, so we can create better, personalized treatments that really help with their pain and urinary issues.
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Understanding how spinal cord cells affect bladder pain and function
This study is looking at how different types of cells in the spinal cord help process bladder pain and function in people with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, with the hope of finding better treatments for those who suffer from this condition.
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Improving brain and muscle activity to reduce pain in women with bladder pain syndrome
This study is looking at how brain activity affects chronic pain in women with Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome and will use a special treatment called rTMS to see if it can help improve brain and pelvic muscle function to reduce pain.
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.