Understanding how personal factors affect chronic pain and its impact on daily life
Official title: Modeling of inter-individual differences in chronic pain using holistic measures of pain SEveRity, strEss, cogNITion, bodY and mind awareness (SERENITY)
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11278862 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to map how a person’s unique mix of pain severity, stress, thinking, body awareness, mood, and sense of control relate to how pain interferes with daily activities in adults with chronic back pain or spinal cord injury–related neuropathic pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $864,066 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AT013202-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11278862 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older with chronic low back pain or SCI-related neuropathic pain who can provide intensive longitudinal data.
✕Less likely to help
People without access to the required data collection tools or those unable to participate in frequent assessments may see limited or no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project will collect and analyze frequent, real-time data from adults with chronic low back pain or SCI-related neuropathic pain to see how individual differences in holistic pain experience relate to pain interference. It uses advanced Bayesian modeling to link personalized pain factors—severity, stress, cognition, body and mind awareness, affect, and perceived control—to daily functioning. The study emphasizes patient-centered insights that could guide more targeted, effective treatment choices in personalized pain care. Participation would involve regular surveys and possibly digital diary entries over time to capture the dynamic nature of pain in real life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help clinicians tailor pain treatments to each person’s unique profile, potentially improving function and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that personalized, data-driven pain models can identify factors linked to pain interference, but this study aims to advance these approaches with deeper holistic measures.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Van de Winckel, Ann — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Van de Winckel, Ann
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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.