Spinal targets for long-lasting bladder pain relief
Official title: Spinal targets to treat persistent bladder pain
Funded at VA Medical Center - Lexington, Ky · NIH-11206896 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at whether blocking specific proteins in the lower spinal cord can reduce chronic bladder pain for people with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Medical Center - Lexington, Ky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2024 |
| Project end | September 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006646-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11206896 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with chronic interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, particularly non‑Hunner type, would be the most relevant candidates for future therapies from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose pain is caused by active bladder infection or clear structural bladder damage may not benefit from spinal-targeted approaches.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying chronic bladder pain by examining protein changes in the lumbosacral spinal cord that may keep pain going even when the bladder appears normal. They use a rodent model that mimics non‑Hunner IC/BPS to produce long‑lasting bladder hyperalgesia without obvious bladder injury. The team is focusing on signaling through MIF and HMGB1 receptors and plans to identify and validate specific spinal proteins linked to persistent pain. The goal is to find spinal targets that could be turned into new treatments acting on the nervous system rather than the bladder itself.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify new spinal drug targets that relieve long-term bladder pain.
How similar studies have gone: Related preclinical studies support roles for MIF and HMGB1 in pain signaling, but spinal-targeted treatments for IC/BPS remain at an early, largely untested stage in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Medical Center - Lexington, Ky
Lexington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vera, Pedro L — VA Medical Center - Lexington, Ky
- Study coordinator: Vera, Pedro L
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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.