Lucy Vulchanova, PhD

My research interests are focused on mechanisms of pain signaling. We are examining changes in sensory neurons that are induced by peripheral tissue damage and contribute to the development of persistent pain. One research program that is currently underway is focused on the neuropeptide precursor VGF. VGF peptides are involved in neuroplasticity, but their mechanisms of action are completely unknown. We found that VGF peptides participate in spinal pain mechanisms through activation of microglia, the resident macrophages of the nervous system. We are presently examining the signaling pathways that mediate the effects of VGF peptides and the potential role of these peptides in chronic pain. Other lines of investigation that we are involved in include neuro-keratinocyte interactions and their contribution to hypersensitivity, the development of viral vectors for targeting of proteins that participate in pain pathways, and neuro-immune interactions in the intestine.