Assistant Professor, Physiology

Ph.D., Lille University School of Medicine, France

The Laumet Lab is interested in understanding why pain becomes chronic and how can we stop it. While it is obvious that neurons convey pain signaling throughout the body, neurons do not work in isolation and are constantly communicating with and getting influenced by other cells. We are particularly interested in the contribution of non-neuronal cells to chronic pain. We think that impaired communication between “pain-sensing” neurons and their surrounding cells may result in chronic pain. For example, we have discovered that anti-inflammatory molecules secreted by cells from the immune system prevent pain-sensing neurons from becoming persistently activated—this constant activity is the cellular basis of chronic pain. We hope that a better understanding of neuron/non-neuronal cell communication will lead to the development of new and better analgesics.