Understanding how nerve signals become painful after injury by studying skin and nerve cells
Official title: Regulation and Function of PlexinA2 Forward Signaling in Persistent Pain
Funded at Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst · NIH-11386610 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how changes in gene regulation in pain-related nerve cells after injury might explain persistent pain and point to new ways to treat it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Little Rock, United States) |
| Project start | July 11, 2017 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $411,236 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM121293-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11386610 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with persistent neuropathic pain or researchers using patient-derived cellular models to study pain mechanisms.
✕Less likely to help
People without chronic pain or without involvement in the specific pain pathways studied may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
If you suffer persistent nerve pain after an injury, this project studies how the genes in nerve cells of the dorsal root ganglion change their activity. Researchers will examine chromatin accessibility and transcription factor binding to see how gene expression in pain pathways becomes dysregulated. The work uses cellular models to map how regulatory regions influence nociception and potentially identify targets for new therapies. Findings could guide strategies to reduce pain by correcting abnormal gene regulation in affected individuals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new targets for treatments that reduce chronic pain by correcting gene regulation in sensory neurons.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that chromatin accessibility and transcription factor binding influence pain signaling in nerve cells, supporting this approach.
Where this research is happening
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Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst
Little Rock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stephens, Kimberly E — Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst
- Study coordinator: Stephens, Kimberly E
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.