Interdisciplinary Center of Excellence for the Study of Pain and Sensory Function

慢性疼痛的治疗继续依赖旧的药物，如加巴喷丁，再摄取阻滞剂和 阿片类药物，所有这些都有严重的副作用，降低生活质量。对阿片类药物的耐受性随着 长期使用阿片类药物，阿片类药物处方的增加导致阿片成瘾流行日益严重。 迫切需要找到治疗这两种急性慢性疼痛的替代疗法。的目标是 科布雷第二阶段将继续发展一个疼痛和感觉功能研究中心 这将大大有助于对急性和慢性疼痛的神经生物学的科学理解， 促进新疗法的发现。在第一阶段取得了重大进展：四名项目负责人 成功地获得了NIH的支持和三个Cobre试点项目赠款的种子研究 随后得到了校外的支持。超过了招聘目标，增加了这两个人 高级和初级教职员工到我们中心。建立了两个研究中心和新的实验室空间 是通过翻修而成的。该中心将继续在这些成就的基础上，利用 Cobre支持在该计划中获得额外的机构投资。我们的研究核心将继续 与其他地区创意计划资助机构的人员合作，有效利用我们的资源 在我们努力提高可持续性的同时。特定目标1将创造一大批疼痛研究人员 有必要维持一个充满活力的研究中心，并增强他们竞争校外研究的能力 支持。这一目标将通过培养目前四个联合国大学的疼痛相关研究计划来实现。 未获得R01或类似研究项目资助的教职员工。此外, 将为试点项目提供资金，以支持早期但创新的疼痛相关研究。最后，我们 将再招聘三名调查员，他们的研究项目将补充现有的 教职员工。特殊目标2将扩大UNE的神经科学研究基础设施，提供访问核心的途径 允许研究人员对涉及到的神经生物学过程进行尖端研究的设施 慢性疼痛的发展。这一目标将通过资助关键支助人员和 为第一阶段建立的两个研究核心(行为核心和 组织学和成像核心)。扩展的研究核心服务将包括老鼠基因分型和专家 为维持转基因小鼠群体所需的育种策略提供咨询(行为核心)，以及 用于验证科布雷中心研究人员(组织学和成像核心)使用的抗体的服务。使用 通过第二阶段资金和机构支持提供的持续投资，我们将在早期 成功，并明确确立该中心作为疼痛研究的领先者。

Treatment of chronic pain continues to rely on old drugs such as gabapentinoids, reuptake blockers and opioids, all of which have severe side effects that diminish quality of life. Tolerance develops to opioids with chronic use, and an increase in opioid prescriptions has contributed to the growing opioid addiction epidemic. There is an urgent need for finding alternative treatments for treatment of both acute chronic pain. The goal of the COBRE Phase II is to continue the development of a Center for the Study of Pain and Sensory Function that will significantly contribute to the scientific understanding of the neurobiology of acute and chronic pain, facilitating the discovery of novel therapies. Significant progress was made during Phase I: four project leaders were successful in receiving NIH support and three COBRE pilot project grants seeded studies that subsequently received extramural support. Targets for recruitment were exceeded with the addition of both senior and junior faculty members to our Center. Two research cores were established and new lab space was created through renovations. The Center will continue to build on these accomplishments, leveraging COBRE support to garner additional institutional investment in the program. Our research cores will continue to collaborate with those at other regional IDeA program funded institutions, efficiently utilizing our resources as we work towards increased sustainability. Specific Aim 1 will create a critical mass of pain researchers necessary to sustain a vibrant research center and enhance their ability to compete for extramural research support. This Aim will be accomplished by fostering the pain related research programs of four current UNE faculty members who have not received R01 or comparable Research Project Grant support. In addition, funds will be provided for pilot projects to support early stage yet innovative pain-related studies. Finally, we will recruit an additional three investigators whose research programs will complement those of the existing faculty. Specific Aim 2 will expand neuroscience research infrastructure at UNE, providing access to core facilities that allow investigators to carry out cutting edge research on the neurobiological processes involved in the development of chronic pain. This aim will be accomplished through funding key support personnel and the purchase of equipment for the two research cores established during Phase I (the Behavior Core and the Histology and Imaging Core). Expanded research core services will include mouse genotyping and expert consultations for breeding strategies required for maintaining transgenic mouse colonies (Behavior Core), and a service to validate antibodies used by COBRE center researchers (Histology and Imaging Core). With continued investment provided through Phase II funding and institutional support, we will build on our early success and clearly establish the Center as a leader in pain research.