PROJECT: JTC 2025 - Pain: H-Passion

Neuropathic pain is linked to increased activity in pain relevant subgroups of the sensory neurons. One of the key reasons for the lack of effective treatments is the incomplete understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying chronic neuropathic pain, particularly in the context of human-specific pain pathways. While animal models have provided valuable insights, they do not fully recapitulate human pain experiences due to significant species differences, especially in the structure and function of sensory neurons, which has led to significant translational burdens in the developement of new pain therapies. Here, we aim to leverage on our diverse, interdisciplinary team focusing on human sensory neurons form organ donors (F) and use our internationally acknowledged expertise in state-of-the-art electrophysiological techniques (PatchSeq, D), and advanced genomics (single-cell long-read RNAseq, D) , combined with neurophysiology measures on probands and patients (microneurography, UK) to fill these critical knowledge gaps and identify novel therapeutic targets. The project will create a multimodal atlas of human data, which will expel research around the world to help millions of patients suffering from neuropathic pain.