Migraine pain: unravelling the mechanisms driving central sensitization in chronic migraine

: Are you passionate about advancing our understanding of migraine pain and contributing to the development of effective treatments?

Migraine is a pervasive, debilitating, multi-symptom disorder, characterised by pain and associated

symptoms such as aura, nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light, sound, movement and

touching the skin. It poses a significant societal challenge due to the increasing incidence of migraine sufferers, the limited treatment options and the increasing progression to chronic migraine. This project aims to delve into the mechanisms of central sensitisation, a key player in the progression from episodic to chronic migraine. Trigeminovascular-mediated central sensitisation is implicated in severe headache, cutaneous allodynia, and resistance to certain medications. Yet, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive.

This research aims to identify subtypes of neurons affected in preclinical migraine, by investigating the mechanisms involved in the central sensitisation and the chronification of migraine, driven by the following research aims:

·       Characterization of Neuronal Phenotypes.

·       Identification of Neuronal Phenotypes for Chronification.

·       Developing In Vitro Migraine Modeling.

Bringing together a dynamic interdisciplinary team with the expertise in migraine, electrophysiology, calcium imaging, cell biology, and neuroscience the findings of this project could pave the way for the development of new and effective targets for migraine treatment.

Student support and development: The PhD student will receive training in the development and usage of several assays which will equip them with a desirable and highly competitive skillset. The PhD student working on this project will receive comprehensive support in their scientific training and career development, including support with conference attendance, writing and presentation skills development; the latter via weekly journal club meetings and lab meetings, at which the student will have ample opportunities to present their work in a supportive and constructively critical environment. The University, the School of Clinical Dentistry, the School of Biosciences, and the Neuroscience Institute organise many seminars and workshops that the student can benefit from and contribute to. The University also provides mentoring and career services and runs several active programmes supporting PhD students towards research independence.

Entry Requirements:

Candidates must have a first or upper second class honours degree with significant research experience.

How to apply:

Please complete a University Postgraduate Research Application form available here: www.shef.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply

Please clearly state the prospective main supervisor in the respective box and select (School of Clinical Dentistry) as the department.

Enquiries:

Interested candidates should in the first instance contact Dr Milena De Felice (m.defelice@sheffield.ac.uk)