Targeted muscle reinnervation to reduce pain after amputation
Official title: Targeted muscle reinnervation: Evaluation of changes in spontaneous activity and neuroinflammation
Funded at Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center · NIH-11348781 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) changes nerve signals and inflammation to help reduce phantom and residual limb pain for amputees.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2026 |
| Project end | September 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 1I21RD000485-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11348781 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with limb amputation who may undergo TMR or have chronic post-amputation pain.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without pain or those not considering TMR may not directly benefit from this preclinical study.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on understanding why TMR reduces pain by studying how nerve activity and inflammatory signals change after amputation and TMR in a rat model. Researchers will examine electrophysiologic, cellular, and biomolecular changes when TMR is performed at different times after amputation and how these changes relate to pain outcomes. The findings could guide improvements in surgical technique or adjunct therapies to improve long-term pain relief for people living with amputations. The study builds on prior work in rodents to create a detailed model of TMR-related analgesia that could translate to human patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better pain relief for amputees through optimized TMR procedures or additional treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies in rats suggest TMR can reduce pain, but mechanistic data are limited and this project aims to expand that knowledge.
Where this research is happening
-
Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: M Hoben, Gwendolyn Maria Bethenis — Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: M Hoben, Gwendolyn Maria Bethenis
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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.