“Novel pharmacodynamic markers as predictors of neuropathic pain and pain relief”

A 4 year Knowledge Exchange partnership/PhD studentship at the University of Hertfordshire in collaboration with Transpharmation Ltd.

There is major unmet clinical need in patient populations suffering with chronic neuropathic pain (e.g. diabetes, chemotherapy). The key to developing new treatments for chronic neuropathic pain is to identify measurable endpoints in both preclinical species and human subjects to aid the translation of preclinical findings into clinically testable interventions.

New objective pain measures will be explored to refine existing preclinical models with better translational (face and predictive) validity. This will include monitoring brain oscillatory activity by electroencephalography (EEG), auditory evoked potential mismatch negativity (MMN), cognition and ‘quality of life’ behaviour, which can be measured in both preclinical species and humans. Creating better translational research models will attract business through consultancy and contract research and improve drug discovery leading to new medicines and management of neuropathic pain for patients. Monitoring social housing enrichments in pain models will impact on guidance to how researchers should house their animals to maximise welfare, in line with the University concordat on openness on animal research.