Understanding why advanced arthritis pain affects men and women differently
Official title: Mechanisms underlying sex differences in emergence of advanced osteoarthritis pain
Funded at University of New England · NIH-11145966 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores why advanced arthritis pain, which is often persistent and hard to treat, affects women more frequently and severely than men.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New England NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Biddeford, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $142,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM153601-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11145966 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients experiencing persistent, advanced osteoarthritis pain, particularly women who find current treatments ineffective, are the focus of this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with mild or early-stage osteoarthritis pain that responds well to current treatments may not directly benefit from this specific research focus on advanced pain.
What this research studies
We know that arthritis pain can feel different for different people, and some types of pain, like advanced arthritis pain, are harder to manage. This advanced pain often doesn't go away with rest and is more common and severe in women. Our team is using a special mouse model to understand why women might be more prone to this severe pain and what changes happen in the nerves around the joints and muscles. We want to see if nerve growth or damage in these areas contributes to the persistent pain, especially in women, even with less joint damage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new and more effective treatments specifically tailored for advanced arthritis pain, particularly for women.
How similar studies have gone: This research uses an innovative mouse model to explore mechanisms of advanced OA pain that are currently poorly understood, suggesting a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of New England
Biddeford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: King, Tamara E — University of New England
- Study coordinator: King, Tamara E
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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.