The Faculty of Medicine at UPJŠ in Košice hosted a seminar titled “Experimental Therapies for Chronic Pain,” presented by Dr. Stanislava Jergová, Ph.D., from the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, USA.
Dr. Jergová serves as a Research Assistant Professor at the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis laboratory, where her research focuses on therapies aimed at alleviating chronic pain, particularly resulting from spinal cord injuries, utilizing cellular and gene therapy. During the seminar, she presented the latest findings in this field with a focus on preclinical testing.
Research at the University of Miami
Dr. Jergová’s laboratory focuses on uncovering the mechanisms of chronic neuropathic pain induced by spinal cord injury (SCI) and other central nervous system injuries. The team explores the potential of cellular and gene therapy to mitigate this pain. Chronic pain is a multifactorial condition that requires targeting multiple signaling pathways with precise localization to achieve effective treatment with minimal side effects.
Their research emphasizes dysfunctional inhibitory GABAergic signaling and increased signaling through glutamate NMDA receptors, which are key factors in the development of chronic pain. The laboratory has demonstrated that recombinant GABAergic cells derived from rats can effectively alleviate chronic pain in animal models. These cells can be engineered with genes encoding small analgesic peptides, enabling the targeting of multiple pain pathways.
Current research employs recombinant human pluripotent GABAergic stem cells derived from adult skin or blood cells. These cells are genetically modified to restore inhibitory balance in the spinal cord and deliver targeted analgesic agents.
Dr. Jergová’s team also investigates the use of exosomes as potential biomarkers, therapeutic agents, and tools for delivering recombinant analgesic genes to target cells in the spinal cord. Additionally, their research involves regulated release of therapeutic agents from recombinant cells using optogenetic approaches. The ultimate goal is to better understand the mechanisms of chronic pain and develop innovative treatments that provide patients with safe and long-term pain relief.
Scientific Collaboration
As part of the collaboration with the Institute of Neurobiology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Košice and clinical research at UNLP in Košice, a joint seminar is planned at UPJŠ Faculty of Medicine in May 2025. This partnership also includes a proposed international project aimed at continuing research in the area of chronic pain and its treatment.
