University of Cincinnati researchers win $1.7 million federal grant

With a $1.7 million federal grant, researchers at the University of Cincinnati hope to help develop better medication for a common ailment: low back pain. UC's anesthesiology researchers will use the grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to delve into the chemistry behind back pain.

“We hope to identify specific molecules that contribute to low back pain development," said Dr. Jun-Ming Zhang, director of UC’s Pain Research Center. "Our goal is to develop an analgesic targeting those molecules to alleviate pain.” In previous research, Zhang and his team found that pain-sensing neurons can become abnormally sensitive or “fire” spontaneously. This early spontaneous activity plays a key role in setting up chronic pain.

Source: Dr. Jun-Ming Zhang, University of Cincinnati
Writer: David Holthaus