Sex hormone changes and post-surgery pain in people
Official title: Examination of sex hormone alteration on post-operative pain developmentand treatment
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11396518 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how changes in sex hormone levels might influence the development of chronic pain after surgery, using animal models informed by human biology.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $382,514 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM150979-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11396518 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals known to have altered sex hormone states or conditions affecting hormone levels, who are undergoing or have undergone surgery.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without altered hormone levels or those not at risk for chronic post-surgical pain may see limited direct benefits.
What this research studies
The research team will create and study hormone-altered animal models to mimic conditions in patients with different sex hormone profiles. They will look for genetic and tissue-level changes that occur around the time of surgery and how these relate to pain behavior. The goal is to identify potential targets that could improve recovery and reduce long-term post-surgical pain in people with altered hormone levels.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new strategies to prevent or lessen chronic post-surgical pain in patients with altered sex hormone levels.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests sex hormones influence pain, but this project aims to translate findings into hormone-altered models specifically for post-surgical pain.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilkerson, Jenny — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Wilkerson, Jenny
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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.