Understanding how nerve and immune interactions in the skin contribute to nerve damage from chemotherapy.
Official title: Contribution of cutaneous neuro-immune interactions to chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11030961 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking into how chemotherapy, especially the drug oxaliplatin, can cause painful nerve damage in cancer patients, and it aims to understand how nerve and immune cells in the skin work together to create this problem, with hopes of finding better ways to help manage the pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $213,480 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA297068-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11030961 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are cancer patients who have received oxaliplatin and are experiencing symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not undergone chemotherapy or those who do not experience peripheral neuropathy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the mechanisms behind chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), a painful condition affecting many cancer patients after treatment. Specifically, it focuses on how interactions between nerve cells and immune cells in the skin contribute to nerve damage caused by the chemotherapy drug oxaliplatin. By studying these interactions, the research aims to uncover new insights that could lead to better management of CIPN symptoms. The approach includes examining the sensory nerve fibers and their immune interactions in the skin, particularly in areas most affected by CIPN.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments or preventive strategies for patients suffering from painful nerve damage after chemotherapy.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been some research on neuro-immune interactions in CIPN, this specific focus on skin interactions is relatively novel and has not been extensively studied.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shiozawa, Yusuke — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Shiozawa, Yusuke
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Non-invasive, microscopic biomarkers to detect CIPN in chemotherapy patients
This grant aims to develop a non-invasive imaging method to measure nerve changes in patients undergoing chemotherapy to better understand and monitor chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).
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Longitudinal study of how body-sense relates to chemotherapy nerve damage
This study follows people with breast or gastrointestinal cancer and healthy controls to see if brain processing of body sensations contributes to chemotherapy-induced nerve damage.
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A new screen for chemotherapy-related nerve problems in young children
A clinician-scientist at Yale is developing a child-friendly survey to quickly screen for nerve-related side effects from cancer treatment in kids from birth to age 5.
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How the immune system’s CD4+ T cells in women might prevent chemotherapy-related nerve pain
A study in mice explores whether female immune cells in nerve tissue can lessen pain from chemotherapy, with potential implications for preventing CIPN in women.
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Axonal transport and chemotherapy-related nerve pain
This grant studies why certain cancer patients develop painful nerve damage from chemotherapy and explores ways to prevent or treat it.
-
Remote monitoring and nurse follow-up to manage chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
A program uses symptom reporting tools with nurse follow-up to reduce and better manage chemotherapy-induced neuropathy for cancer survivors, during and after treatment.
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.