Understanding human pain neurons to improve migraine treatment
Official title: The Penn Human Precision Pain Center (HPPC): Discovery and Functional Evaluation of Human Primary Somatosensory Neuron Types at Normal and Chronic Pain Conditions
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11564961 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying human pain-sensing neurons to uncover what goes wrong in migraine and how to target it better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,848,910 |
| NIH project number | 4U19NS135528-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11564961 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with migraine or those providing tissue samples for research under approved consent.
✕Less likely to help
Participants without migraine may not directly benefit from this specific project beyond contributing to foundational knowledge.
What this research studies
The Penn HPPC will map and analyze human trigeminal ganglion neurons at baseline and during migraine, using deep RNA sequencing and other molecular methods. Teams from Penn and international collaborators will organize their work through three cores that handle tissue, data, and administration. This patient-facing center aims to create a detailed picture of the cells and genes involved in migraine to guide future therapies. The project will involve collecting human tissues, processing data, and sharing findings with the scientific and medical community.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets for migraine therapies and lead to more effective, personalized treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work with human sensory neurons and migraine-related genes has shown promise in identifying pathways, but this program is an expansive, multi-core effort.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Luo, Wenqin — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Luo, Wenqin
Related research
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Human pain center study to map normal and migraine-trigeminal neurons
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Understanding human pain neurons to improve migraine care
Researchers are studying human pain-sensing neurons to uncover what makes migraine start and persist, with the goal of better treatments for people who experience migraines.
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Mindfulness and Self-Hypnosis for Pain in Older Adults
This grant tests non-drug ways like mindfulness and self-hypnosis to help people over 60 manage chronic pain.
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.