A Global Challenge
At UFCD’s Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), scientists, clinicians, and trainees unite with a single purpose: to unravel the mysteries of pain, discover better treatments, and train the next generation of leaders who will transform pain research.
The “Holy Grail” of Pain Research Pain is the body’s built-in alarm—an essential signal that something is wrong and requires attention. But when this alarm malfunctions and acute pain becomes chronic, it stops protecting us and starts to harm, devastating lives, families and communities. Unlocking how and why this transition from acute to chronic happens remains the “holy grail” of pain research.
Researchers at UF PRICE take an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach to this puzzle. They know pain is shaped by biology, psychology and environment—yet is always processed in the brain. By harnessing advanced tools such as artificial intelligence, multimodal brain imaging, genetic and epigenetic analysis, psychosocial insights and deep neural networks, UF PRICE is working to decode the complexities of pain.
Training Tomorrow’s Innovators
Equally vital to PRICE’s mission is preparing the next generation of leaders to ensure a bright future for pain science. UFCD currently holds three National Institutes of Health-funded institutional training grants, two of which focus on advancing pain research.
- IMPART (Integrative and Multidisciplinary Pain and Aging Research Training): Launched in 2015, this T32 program partners with the UF Institute on Aging to train postdoctoral fellows in pain and aging research. To date, it has supported 20 fellows, with six more advancing through the program every other year.
- UF PAIN TEAM (Partnerships Across Interdisciplinary Networks: Training through Engineering, Epidemiology & Addiction Medicine): Established in 2024, this collaboration between the UF colleges of dentistry and engineering brings diverse expertise to pain science. The program currently supports five postdoctoral fellows.
Together, these initiatives ensure that UF not only pushes the boundaries of discovery today but also builds toward a better tomorrow by equipping the brightest minds to carry the torch forward.