Neural Injury Group

01865 231512
david.bennett@ndcn.ox.ac.uk

Our aim is to gain a better understanding of the response of the peripheral nervous system to injury in order to develop strategies to promote peripheral nerve repair and to prevent the development of neuropathic pain. To do this we employ a variety of multi-disciplinary techniques ranging from transgenic models to human psychophysical studies and genetics.

Overview

Nerve injury can have devastating consequences resulting in loss of motor and sensory function as well as neuropathic pain. Our aim is to understand the pathophysiology of neural injury in order to develop strategies to maximise functional recovery and prevent deleterious outcomes such as persistent pain.

Research

An important consequence of neural injury is altered signalling between neurons, glia and immune cells. We are investigating the molecules mediating such signalling and their role in neural repair and the development of neuropathic pain. This is achieved by transcriptional analysis (in preclinical models and human tissue), the use of transgenic technology to ablate signalling components in adulthood and studying model systems in vitro including human induced pluripotent stem cell models. In patients we are trying to develop a better understanding of how to stratify patients with nerve injury and monitor changes in function.

In relation to neuropathic pain we are studying the genetic basis of rare inherited pain syndromes (such as congenital insensitivity to pain) and more common acquired pain disorders. We use human cellular modles to understand how gene variants in ion channels impact on channel biophysics and sensory neuron function. Finally, we have been developing novel chemogenetic means to silence specific sensory neuron populations and as a potential innovative treatment modality.

Explore the processed sequencing data generated by the Neural Injury Group.

We are involved in a number of collaborative research projects including: PAINSTORM. The sequencing data generated by the Neural Injury Group can be explored at: https://livedataoxford.shinyapps.io/drg-directory/.