Understanding what causes disc-related back pain and how to treat it
Official title: Decoupling Mechanical and Inflammatory Stimuli in Discogenic Low Back Pain
Funded at Arizona State University-Tempe Campus · NIH-11346026 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how nerve growth, inflammation, and mechanical stress in the spinal disc contribute to chronic discogenic low back pain and whether targeting these factors can relieve pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Arizona State University-Tempe Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scottsdale, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $297,103 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR080926-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11346026 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with chronic discogenic low back pain or patients who ultimately may benefit from future translational therapies targeting disc nerve growth, inflammation, or mechanical pain pathways.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose pain is not related to disc degeneration or who have non-painful disc conditions may not benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
Chronic low back pain from disc degeneration is a major health issue. The project uses animal models to separate the effects of nerve presence, inflammation, and mechanical loading on pain signals from the spinal disc. It aims to identify which factor most drives pain so future treatments can be more precise. By studying how pro-inflammatory signals and mechanosensitive ion channels influence nerve activity, researchers hope to uncover new intervention points for patients. The work builds on prior findings that anti-inflammatories help but do not fully resolve pain, and it seeks to parse out the distinct contributions of nerves, inflammation, and mechanics.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could guide the development of targeted therapies to reduce discogenic back pain.
How similar studies have gone: Some prior studies show anti-inflammatory approaches can help, but pain relief is incomplete, making this targeted dissection of mechanisms novel and potentially impactful.
Where this research is happening
-
Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
Scottsdale, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wachs, Rebecca Ann — Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
- Study coordinator: Wachs, Rebecca 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.