Our Funding

The Center is comprised of 20 faculty members with a total research budget of over $ 5M in 2014, based on federal grants from the NIDDK, the ORWH and NCCAM. The Center has been generously supported by the Gerald Oppenheimer Family Foundation and the Morris A. Hazan Family Foundation.

Ongoing Research Support

R01 DK048351 – NIH/NIDDK
Mayer (PI)
09/30/96 – 06/31/15
Perception and Modulation of Visceral Sensations
The major goals of this project are: 1) Identify neurobiological endophenotypes in IBS patients. 2) Correlate these endophenotypes with gene polymorphisms.

P50 DK064539 – NIH/NIDDK
Mayer (PI)
09/30/02 – 08/31/17
Specialized Center for Neurovisceral Sciences & Women’s Health
The main focus of the Center is the identification of sex-related factors that play a role in the development, clinical manifestation and treatment response of two common visceral pain syndromes, e.g., irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and interstitial cystitis (IC). The Center has 4 Projects (2 clinical, 2 basic) and 2 Scientific Cores.

U01 DK082370 – NIH/NIDDK
Mayer/Rodríguez (Co-PI’s)
07/01/08 – 06/30/18
Brain Bladder Interactions in IC/PBS
This grant aims to characterize the interactions of biological and environmental vulnerability factors to shape behavioral and neurobiological endophenotypes, and ultimately clinical phenotypes in interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS). The grant has 2 Projects (Epidemiology study, Brain Imaging study) which are part of several transMAPP protocols.

R01 DK096606 – NIH/NIDDK
Mayer/Lackner (Co-PI’s)
09/15/12 – 08/31/16
Neurobiological Mechanisms Underlying Effectiveness of CBT in IBS Patients
This proposal will test a) the general hypothesis that the anterior insula functions as a “hub” for emotional arousal, cognitive as well as reward networks involved in IBS symptoms; b) that CBT will result in significant changes in these networks pre to post treatment with greater changes associated with better outcomes; c) that changes in activity, connectivity and structural integrity of these networks following treatment play an important role in mediating long term CBT outcomes; and d) that pre-treatment integrity of these networks will predict CBT response.

K23 DK106528 – NIH/NIDDK
Gupta (PI)
05/01/2016-04/31/2021
Role of Inflammatory Processes in Reward Network Alterations in Obesity
The major goals of the project are: 1) Identification of brain signatures associated with hedonic eating behaviors (HEB). 2) Identification of the role of inflammatory mediators in shaping the brain signatures associated with HEB. 3) Evaluation of a targeted intervention (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy [CBT]) to counteract the hypothesized alterations within the extended reward network in obese subjects.

K01 DK085133 – NIH/NIDDK
Kilpatrick (PI)
03/01/11 – 03/01/16
Sex-specific Genetic Architecture of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The overall goal of this project is to provide new information on sex-specific genetic influences involved in the pathophysiology of IBS pain. The findings should have significant implications for translational research and the development of personalized treatments, thereby improving health care for IBS patients.

1UL1 RR033176 – NIH/NCRR
Dubinett (PI); Chang (Co-Leader, Clinical & Community Research Resource (CCRR) Program)
06/01/11-02/29/16
Clinical & Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
The goals of this project are to eliminate barriers and enhance collaboration and growth among the basic, biomedical, clinical, and population-based sciences so as to accelerate the pace and increase the volume of scientific discoveries and their translations to innovative tools and practices in human disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

P30 DK041301 – NIH/NIDDK
Rozengurt (PI); Taché, (PI, Animal Core)
11/30/09– 1/12/19
CURE: Digestive Diseases Research Center Grant
The animal core provides guidance and expertise in the performance of in vivo studies and to assess gut motor functions, visceral pain, and experimental models of stress and food intake monitoring to test in vivo biological activity of new peptides agonists/antagonists.

1R01HD060630 – NIH/NICHD
Holschneider (PI)
07/01/10-06/30/15
Functional Adaptation of Neural Circuits After Exercise and Basal Ganglia Injury
Major goal: Exercise is helpful in improving the motor deficits after brain injury, however, little is known to what extent these effects are active at the level of the brain. This project uses an animal model of brain injury to address functional reorganization of neural circircuits in the brain in response to motor training. Specifically, it will examine what neural circuits of the brain are affected by exercise, whether its actions are mediated by direct effects on the nerves or through proliferation of blood vessels that carry nutrients to the areas of damage, what parameters constitute ‘effective’ exercise, and what is the persistence of any changes upon discontinuing exercise. Functional brain mapping endpoints (SPM, connectivity, ROI analysis) will correlated with motor, as well as molecular outcomes

1R01 AT007137-01 – NIH/NIDDK
Tillisch/Naliboff (Co-PI’s)
09/01/11 – 06/30/16
Neuroimaging Biomarkers of Mind-Body Treatment Response in Chronic Visceral Pain
This grant aims to identify central biomarkers of IBS and identify changes in these central abnormalities with mindfulness based stress reduction therapy.

1R01 AT007137-01 Supplement – NIH/NIDDK
Tillisch/Naliboff (Co-PI’s)
09/01/12 – 08/31/16
Neuroimaging Biomarkers of Mind-Body Treatment Response in Chronic Visceral Pain
The objectives are to develop and test structural and functional brain imaging biomarkers for improvement in chronic pain from a Mind/Body intervention in veterans with post traumatic headache (PTH) associated with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).

R01 HD076756-01 – NIH/NICHD
Labus/Rapkin (Co-PIs)
07/01/2013-06/30/2018
Profiling Vulvodynia Subtypes Based on Neurobiological and Behavioral Endophenotypes
The proposed study is based on the general hypothesis that like other persistent pain conditions, VD clinical phenotypes are composed of multiple biological endophenotypes, and that meaningful subgroups can be identified. In the current proposal, we plan to extensively phenotype a large sample of VD patients using functional and structural brain imaging together with genetic, physiological, and biological parameters. We hypothesize that central mechanisms (including alterations in the processing/modulation of interoceptive signals from the external genitals) are important determinants of the clinical presentation, and that differences in these brain signatures could play an important role in treatment responsiveness.

1I01RX000378-01A1 – Department of Veteran Affairs (RR&D)
Marvizón (PI)
03/01/2011 – 02/28/2015
Neurotransmitter Control of Substance P Release in the Spinal Cord
The goals of this grant are to investigate the modulation of substance P release in the spinal cord by opioid and adrenergic receptors in relationship with neuropathic pain.

R01 DA033059 – NIH/DA/NIDA
Marvizón/McRoberts (Co-PIs)
07/01/2012 – 03/31/2017
NMDA Receptors in Primary Afferents
The goal of this project is to study the role of NMDA receptors present in primary afferent terminals in the spinal cord in the transmission of pain signals, and how this role changes in neuropathic and visceral pain.

R01 NS045954-06A1 – NIH/NS/NINDS
Taylor (PI)
2/01/2010-1/31/2015
Neuropeptidergic Inhibition of Spinal Pain Transmission
This study tests the hypotheses that injury leads to long-term changes in spinal neuropeptidergic pain pathways and that agonists at spinal neuropeptide Y receptors will efficaciously treat chronic pain.