Understanding brain signals for pain after surgery
Official title: Central glutamate signaling in postoperative pain regulation - Renewal 2
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11144431 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research aims to uncover how the brain processes pain after surgery to help develop new, non-opioid ways to manage it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2015 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $483,075 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM115384-11 |
| Project ID | NIH-11144431 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research is not directly recruiting patients but aims to benefit individuals experiencing acute or chronic pain after surgery, especially those seeking alternatives to opioid medications.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose pain is not related to central brain mechanisms or postoperative conditions may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
Many people experience significant pain after surgery, and there's a need for better pain relief options that don't rely on opioids. This project focuses on specific areas in the brain, like the prelimbic cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, which are important for how we feel and react to pain. By studying how these brain circuits are disrupted in chronic pain, researchers hope to find new targets for treatments. The goal is to understand the brain's natural pain regulation system better, paving the way for innovative non-opioid pain medications.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to the development of new, non-addictive medications that effectively relieve chronic pain after surgery by targeting specific brain pathways.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has shown that these brain regions play a role in pain processing, supporting the hypothesis that targeting these circuits could be a promising approach.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Jing — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Wang, Jing
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Postoperative Pain Guidelines for Pregnancy: Safer, Patient-Centered Opioid Use
We’re creating patient-friendly guidelines to help doctors manage pain after delivery and surgery in pregnant people, aiming to reduce opioid overuse and improve safety.
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Using smart devices to better understand and treat pain after surgery
A Dartmouth-led project uses smartphones and wearables with smart AI to predict and manage persistent pain that can follow surgery.
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Contemporary Human Models of Postoperative Pain in General Surgery
A study in general surgery patients using biopsychosocial approaches to understand why some people have long-lasting pain after surgery.
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Better Predicting and Personalizing Postoperative Pain Care
Aimed at using advanced data tools to better predict and manage a patient’s pain after surgery and reduce opioid-related risks.
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Central glutamate signaling in postoperative pain regulation
This grant studies how brain circuits control pain after surgery to help develop non-opioid pain medicines for patients.
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Extended-release gel for opioid-free postoperative pain relief
A new injectable gel formulation of bupivacaine is being tested to provide pain relief for several days after surgery without using opioids.
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.