Understanding molecular and neuroimmune mechanisms that regulate pain to develop better therapies for chronic pain.

Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide and remains one of the leading causes of disability. Advances in our understanding of pain biology have created new opportunities to develop therapies that target the underlying mechanisms of chronic pain. Our lab seeks to understand the molecular and neuroimmune mechanisms that regulate pain and translate these discoveries into better therapies for people living with chronic pain.

Our Research

Our research spans fundamental discovery, mechanistic investigation and translational science. Our early studies focused on understanding how microRNAs regulate pain and inflammation, and they highlighted circulating microRNAs as candidate biomarkers for chronic pain disorders like complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). These studies established important roles for RNA-mediated regulation in chronic pain and laid the foundation for our continuing interest in immune cell communication. Building on this work, our lab studies the biology of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), often referred to as exosomes, and how they facilitate cell-to-cell communication and regulate pain. We have characterized the molecular cargo of sEVs released by neural and immune cells and demonstrated that macrophage-derived and circulating sEVs help resolve inflammatory pain in preclinical models. These findings support the development of biologically derived therapeutic approaches for chronic pain.

Together, these discoveries have shaped our current research, which seeks to understand the immune mechanisms that regulate pain and how this knowledge can be translated into improved therapies for chronic pain.

Areas of Investigation

Immune Mechanisms of Pain

We investigate how innate and adaptive immune responses influence pain, with particular emphasis on identifying the molecular and cellular pathways that regulate pain persistence and resolution.

Small Extracellular Vesicles

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are important mediators of intercellular communication. Our research investigates their molecular composition, biological functions and therapeutic potential, particularly those derived from immune cells, as a novel class of biologically derived therapies for chronic pain.

Molecular Regulation of Pain

Our lab investigates RNA-mediated regulation, including microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs such as Xist, as well as gene expression and epigenetic mechanisms that influence immune function and pain. These studies aim to understand the molecular basis of chronic pain, uncover mechanisms underlying sex differences in pain and identify new therapeutic targets.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

CRPS is a debilitating chronic pain disorder with limited treatment options. We investigate immune mechanisms contributing to CRPS and evaluate immune-modulating therapeutic strategies to improve our understanding and treatment of this challenging disease.

Translational Pain Research

We integrate mechanistic studies in preclinical models with analyses of patient-derived samples, biomarker discovery and computational biology to bridge laboratory discoveries and clinical research, advancing the development of new therapies for chronic pain.

Our Approach

Advances in molecular and neuroimmune biology have transformed our understanding of how chronic pain develops and resolves, creating new opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Our lab investigates the molecular and neuroimmune mechanisms that regulate pain, including mechanisms underlying sex differences in pain by combining molecular biology, RNA biology, extracellular vesicle biology, immunology, genomics, epigenomics, bioinformatics and preclinical models. By integrating these complementary experimental and computational approaches, we seek to uncover fundamental biological mechanisms and translate these discoveries into innovative, non-opioid therapies for chronic pain.

Research Highlights

• Established circulating microRNAs as candidate biomarkers for CRPS and investigated their role in inflammatory signaling.
• Advanced understanding of RNA-mediated mechanisms underlying pain, including molecular pathways contributing to sex differences in pain.
• Demonstrated that macrophage-derived small extracellular vesicles accelerate inflammatory pain resolution in preclinical models, supporting their therapeutic potential.
• Characterized the molecular cargo and biological functions of extracellular vesicles released by immune and neural cells, providing insights into intercellular communication in pain.
• Currently investigating immune and molecular mechanisms that regulate pain to develop new therapies for chronic pain.

miR-939 reduced the translocation of functional NFκB to nucleus in response to LPS stimulation.

Circos diagram showing the correlation of selected medical conditions with other clinical parameters and differentially expressed circulating miRNAs in patients with complex regional pain syndrome. Variables with strong correlations are shown in red.

Neuronal uptake of small extracellular vesicles dual labeled for its RNA with Exo-Red dye and membrane with PKH67 (green).

Transmission electron microscopy images of exosomes purified from mouse serum.