Understanding how the brain controls pain signals
Official title: Defining the descending pain modulatory circuit
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11098551 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how different parts of the brain work together to control how we feel pain, especially when someone has ongoing inflammation, with the hope of finding better ways to help people with chronic pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | October 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $448,522 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS120486-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11098551 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults over 21 who experience chronic pain or have conditions related to pain modulation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not experience pain or have conditions unrelated to pain modulation may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the brain's pain modulatory system, focusing on how specific brain regions communicate to regulate pain perception. By using advanced techniques like optogenetics, the study aims to map the circuits involved in pain facilitation and inhibition. The research will explore how these circuits change in response to persistent inflammation, which could lead to better understanding and treatment of chronic pain conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapies for managing chronic pain and improving pain relief strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding pain modulation, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ingram, Susan L — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Ingram, Susan L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how alcohol and how couples talk about consent affect intimate partner sexual violence
This project studies how alcohol use and how partners communicate about consent influence intimate partner sexual violence among sexual minority and heterosexual couples.
-
How proteins change and move as heart cells develop
This grant aims to map how protein turnover changes as human iPSCs turn into cardiomyocytes and other cell types, using new labeling and mass-spectrometry methods.
-
Center for Health, Work and Environment
A national center dedicated to improving health in people who work, by studying how jobs affect well-being and safety.
-
Subtyping Core for Research on the Causes of Type 2 Diabetes (SCORE-T2D)
A new U01 grant from a university research team aims to understand why Type 2 diabetes differs so much between people and how to tailor prevention and treatment.
-
Expanded antibody-based clues to TB risk in people with HIV
A clinician-scientist seeks to understand how antibodies in people with HIV may drive the progression from latent TB to active TB, with the goal of identifying clues that could guide future care.
-
Human Trisome Project in Latin America Network
A large, multi-site study of people with Down syndrome across Latin America to better understand health and aging in DS.
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.