April 24, 2023 - 12:00pm
Location:
601 Fairchild
Department of Neurology
Yale School of Medicine
Host: Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
Title: Chasing Men on Fire: Pain, Pain Genes, and Pain Resilience Genes
Abstract: Pain usually has a protective and instructive role. However, it can take on a life of its own and become chronic, in many cases due to hyperexcitability of neurons along the pain-signaling pathway. Chronic neuropathic pain and inflammatory pain represent immense unmet medical needs. In this talk I will summarize molecular genetic studies -- including studies on a human genetic model of neuropathic pain, inherited erythromelalgia or the "man on fire syndrome -- that capitalize on new techniques such as dynamic clamp and IPSC modeling, that have pinpointed ion channels that are key players in pain and pain resilience. I will also summarize recent efforts at translation including new drug development and pharmacogenomics guided by atomic-level modeling.