Our Research

Opportunities to be involved in research

The following studies are actively recruiting participants:

MiTiGate Trial

Elucidate Study

Current projects

  • Investigating the role of the kynurenine pathway in irreversible pulpitis

    Investigating the role of the kynurenine pathway in irreversible pulpitis

    The kynurenine pathway is responsible for the catabolism of the essential amino acid kynurenine. This pathway has been linked to acute and chronic pain in animal models of viral infections. Research by the team has shown upregulation of this pathway in pulpititis (toothache) and it appears to be pushing the pathway towards neuroinflammation and pain.…

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  • Sarcopanc Study

    Prospective longitudinal evaluation of Sarcopenia, health-related quality of life and correlation with blood and stool-based microbiome in moderately severe and severe acute pancreatitis.

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  • Can we improve pain education using experiential methods?

    Can we improve pain education using experiential methods?

    The way that people understand pain is important. Typically, believing that pain is caused only by physical factors and using only passive modalities of treatment are both associated with a poorer prognosis. Unfortunately, this is exactly what many people do believe about pain including some health professionals! A recent project carried out by students from…

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See all research projects

Our Research Themes

Mechanisms and pathways of pain

Our work aims to understand how and why acute and persistent pain is experienced in painful conditions such as toothache, persistent facial pain, and neuropathic pain.

Pain therapeutics and clinical trials

In this research theme, our work explores new targets to treat painful conditions and assesses the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of clinical treatments.

Pain diagnostics

This work aims to improve on the current methods that clinicians have to diagnose pain conditions, and to measure and assess people’s experience of pain.

Applied pain research

Our research uses innovative clinical research, integrating multidisciplinary perspectives, to explore how best to help people who suffer from painful conditions.

Our Collaborators

Academic collaborators
  • Osaka University, Japan
  • University of Minnesota, MN, USA
  • Aarhus University, Denmark
  • University of Liverpool, UK
  • University of Sheffield, UK
  • University of Leeds, UK
  • University of Manchester, UK
  • Durham University, UK
Industrial collaborators

We work with several companies in the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors.