Award
NIH Reporter #5F31AR083833-02
Stressful life events confer risk for chronic posttraumatic musculoskeletal pain through DNA methylation changes at the POMC promoter
Recipient
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, United States
Award Amount
$41,931.00
Ceiling
$41,931.00
Awarded
December 11, 2025
Identifier
5F31AR083833-02
Research project funded to study the role of DNA methylation changes at the POMC promoter in the development of chronic posttraumatic musculoskeletal pain following stressful life events and traumatic stress exposures.
Description
This project aims to elucidate biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying the transition from acute pain following traumatic stress exposures (TSE) to chronic post-traumatic pain (CPTP), focusing on DNA methylation as an epigenetic mediator. The study will examine how stressful life events prior to TSE influence POMC promoter methylation levels, affecting CPTP development and severity. The research will utilize human cohort and molecular studies, with the goal of identifying novel therapeutic targets.