Scientists, clinicians, and trainees gathered at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis (UHSP) this past September for the second St. Louis Translational Pain Research Forum (STL-TPRF), an event designed to foster collaboration and mentorship within the region’s growing pain research community.
The forum brought together leading investigators from across the Midwest, fostering collaboration and scientific exchange. Organized through a partnership between the WashU Medicine Pain Center, the Institute of Translational Neuroscience at Saint Louis University, and the Center for Clinical Pharmacology—a joint initiative of UHSP and the Department of Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine—the two-day event featured keynote talks, research presentations, and networking opportunities.
Cheryl L. Stucky, PhD, the Marvin Wagner Endowed Professor in the Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy at the Medical College of Wisconsin, opened the meeting with a keynote address exploring how sickle cell disease alters nerve activity to cause chronic pain and how keratinocytes, skin cells usually responsible for touch, can amplify pain signals.
Throughout the weekend, participants shared findings that spanned molecular mechanisms to patient outcomes. A poster session featuring more than 70 presenters from multiple institutions served as a hub of conversation, connecting trainees with mentors and sparking new collaborations across organizations.
The forum concluded with a plenary talk by Patrick Dougherty, PhD, the HEB Professor in Cancer Research in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dougherty, who also serves as Associate Division Head for Research in the Division of Critical Care and Pain Medicine, presented “Pain Is a Dish of Human DRG Neurons: Is the Fat on Fire?” offering insights into how immune signals can prime human pain neurons, the potential role of lipid rafts in neuronal hyperexcitability, and the promise and limitations of suzetrigine in suppressing spontaneous nociceptor activity.
“This forum reflects both the strength and diversity of pain research in St. Louis,” said Robert Gereau, PhD, director of the WashU Medicine Pain Center and vice chair for research in the Department of Anesthesiology. “Events like this are vital for connecting scientists across institutions and generations, building the partnerships that will drive the next wave of discovery.”
As conversations continued beyond the forum, participants left with a renewed sense of community and purpose, emphasizing the collaborative spirit shared by pain researchers across St. Louis and beyond.
