BRIDGE genomic analysis of neuropathic pain disorders
Study code
DAA004
Lead researcher
Dr Georgios Baskozos
Study type
Data only
Institution or company
University of Oxford
Researcher type
Non-commercial
Speciality area
Genomics and Rare Diseases
Summary
Neuropathic pain affects 6-8% of the population and current treatments are inadequate. There is a need to develop novel analgesics and better target existing therapies. This requires improved understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms in patients.
Sensory neuron hyper-excitability has a critical role in the initiation and maintenance of neuropathic pain and is largely determined by the complement of ion channels which these neurons express.
Human genomics is revealing, an increasing number of sequence variants particularly in ion channels, associated with both rare Mendelian pain disorders and more common painful neuropathies.
Our aim is to identify gene variants associated with altered pain sensibility in human. We will then investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms by which such variants lead to altered clinical pain states.