Mechanisms of neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury

A 3.5 year PhD studentship is available to investigate the mechanisms of chronic neuropathic pain in spinal cord injury. There are currently 40,000 individuals living with Spinal Cord Injury in the UK alone and as many as half of these experience a particularly nasty form of chronic pain triggered by damage to the nervous system (neuropathic pain). This can develop within weeks of the injury or may take several years. It can occur at and below the level of injury and may include both spontaneous and evoked components. In some patients, the pain is so severe that it becomes an overriding preoccupation, preventing employment and seriously impacting quality of life. Current medications are frequently ineffective and have unwanted side effects. One impediment to the development of more effective therapies is a poor understanding of the mechanisms underlying this form of pain.

The aim of this project is to investigate the mechanisms of below-level pain in SCI patients by comparing pain pathways in patients that have developed neuropathic pain with those who, despite similar injuries, are pain free. We will investigate whether sparing of the spinothalamic tract is necessary for development of pain after neurologically complete injuries using sensitive tests based on laser stimuli. Supraspinal mechanisms of chronic pain will also be investigated using EEG and functional brain imaging (fMRI) to identify activity and connectivity that is specific to the brains of patients with neuropathic pain. The results will contribute to a better understanding of why this type of pain occurs and may suggest targets and approaches that can be used to prevent it. They may also suggest ways in which we can identify those at risk of developing this pain and tools with which it can be objectively measured.

The PhD student will join a multidisciplinary team of Scientists and Clinicians with a range of expertise from the treatment of pain in SCI patients through to brain imaging. The project will be based at the University of Glasgow and the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit at the nearby Queen Elizabeth Univesity Hospital site.

The lead academic supervisors are: Dr John Riddell, Principal Investigator and Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology at the University of Glasgow (http://www.gla.ac.uk/researchinstitutes/neurosciencepsychology/staff/johnriddell/); Dr Jozien Goense, Senior Research Fellow, School of Psychology at the University of Glasgow (http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/psychology/staff/goensegoense/) and Dr Guillaume Rouselet, Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology at the University of Glasgow (http://www.gla.ac.uk/researchinstitutes/neurosciencepsychology/staff/
guillaumerousselet/). The clinical lead is Dr Mariel Purcell, Consultant in spinal injuries,QENSIU, Glasgow (http://www.spinalunit.scot.nhs.uk/).

The student will receive training in neurological and sensory testing, EEG and fMRI, together with the skills required to carry out research in a clinical environment. The group have excellent facilities for quantitative sensory tesing and EEG recording and analysis. Scanning (fMRI) will be carried out in the Imaging Centre of Exellence using the latest Siemens 3T MRI scanner. This Centre (which also houses the first 7T scanner in Scotland) is situated immeadiately adjacent to the Spinal Injuries Unit (http://www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvls/ice/ ).

Informal enquiries and applications can be made directly to [Email Address Removed]. Applications should include a full CV with qualifications, accompanied by a personal statement setting out the reasons that you are applying for this studentship.

When applying, please search for "Mechanisms of neuropathic pain" in the application form.
Start date is October 2017.