Targeted gene therapy for chronic, hard-to-treat pain
Next Generation Gene Therapy for Refractory Pain
Developing gene-based tools to silence pain-sensing nerve cells for adults living with chronic, treatment-resistant pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11295438 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are building detailed maps of the genes active in pain-sensing neurons from mouse and human samples to find DNA switches unique to those cells. They will engineer libraries of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) tagged with barcodes to test many candidate regulatory elements at once in lab models and animals. The goal is to create viral tools that deliver genes to selectively reduce nociceptor activity without affecting other kinds of sensation or the brain. Promising tools could later be adapted toward human therapies or used to design clinical trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with chronic pain that has not responded to standard treatments and who are open to experimental gene-based approaches would be most relevant.
Not a fit: People with acute pain, pain driven mainly by central (brain) causes, or those already well-controlled on existing therapies may not benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to precise, long-lasting treatments that reduce chronic pain without opioid-like side effects or loss of other sensations.
How similar studies have performed: Gene therapies have been approved for other diseases and preclinical viral approaches have reduced pain in animals, but creating nociceptor-specific viral tools is a novel and largely untested strategy.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Renthal, William Russell — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Renthal, William Russell
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 below.