A new research initiative at Karolinska Institutet aims to understand how chronic pain arises and how it might be switched off at its source. The project, "A Game-Changing Therapy for Lasting Pain Relief", has now received support from the Promobilia Foundation.
Chronic pain affects many people living with disabilities, limiting mobility and making everyday activities more difficult. While existing treatments can ease pain temporarily, they often address symptoms rather than the underlying cause. For example, some individuals continue to experience phantom limb pain after amputation, even when they use a well fitted prosthetic limb. This persistent pain can significantly reduce independence and hinder movement.
Providing lasting pain relief
The project aims to change this by generating preclinical data on novel compounds designed to restore normal function in nerve cells involved in pain. Instead of masking symptoms, the research seeks to identify mechanisms that could silence pain where it begins. The long term goal is to pave the way for therapies that offer more durable relief for people living with chronic pain and headache disorders.
The work will be carried out in the Neurobiology of Pain and Therapeutics laboratory at the Department of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet, led by Saida Hadjab . The grant will support studies that form an important next step towards translating laboratory findings into potential treatments.
What does this grant mean for your research?
"This grant gives us the opportunity to move our concept forward and generate data that may eventually benefit people whose daily lives are limited by persistent pain. It is a privilege to receive recognition from a foundation dedicated to improving mobility and independence for people affected by disabling conditions," says Saida Hadjab.
Expected benefits of this line of research include improved mobility, better sleep, reduced psychological strain and a decreased need for opioid and other pain medications.
