2026 Maixner Pain Research Symposium - Click to learn more and register.

The Center for Translational Pain Medicine (CTPM) is transforming the way we study, diagnose, and treat painful conditions. The CTPM brings together, under one umbrella, a team of basic science and clinical researchers with complementary expertise in pain neurobiology, molecular genetics, neuroimaging, epidemiology, and bioinformatics to make exciting new discoveries in the areas of pain mechanisms and management. The CTPM extends into Duke Anesthesiology’s clinical innovative pain therapy program to achieve a common core mission of improving patient care.

Incorporating basic science, clinical research and pain management with three primary goals:

Dr. Ji in lab

Research

Understanding the pathophysiological processes that mediate persistent pain conditions and translating new discoveries into clinical practice.
University Medical students Learning About The Brain

Education

Creating high-quality educational programming for clinical and research professionals and the public.
Woman receiving facial massage

Patient Care

Providing high-quality comprehensive, primary and specialized care to individuals with a variety of acute and chronic pain conditions, including orofacial pain.

Updates & Announcements

Duke Anesthesiology Awarded Program Project Grant

Two CTPM Faculty Awarded a 2020 DREAM Innovation Grant

Pain Journal Club
First Friday of the month
12 – 1 PM | GSRBIII 6130

Stay up-to-date on the latest pain-related news, research & events:
USASP | IASP | NIH Pain Consortium | Pain Research Forum

Tradition • Innovation • Translation

CTPM News

Katherine Martucci, PhD

Dr. Martucci Awarded NIH Grant for Chronic Pain Research

Congratulations to Katherine Martucci, PhD, on receiving a $746,654 R00 grant for her project aimed at characterizing the effects of long-term opioid use on the central nervous system and clinical outcomes in fibromyalgia.
Niccolò Terrando, PhD

NIH Awards Dr. Terrando R21 Grant

Congratulations to Niccolò Terrando, PhD, on receiving a two-year, $436,027 research grant aimed at the development of a novel approach to modulate postoperative brain inflammation using bioelectronic medicine, a growing scientific field.
Niccolò Terrando, PhD

Dr. Terrando Awarded Grant to Study Potential PND Therapy

Congratulations to Niccolò Terrando, PhD, on receiving a $122,000 grant for his project aimed at evaluating the effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on postoperative neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction to improve patient recovery.
Andrea Nackley, PhD

Chronic Pain Researcher Awarded R03 Grant

Congratulations to Andrea Nackley, PhD, on receiving $160,000 in funding to study peripheral mechanisms that drive chronic pain and work to develop peripherally-restricted therapies for patients with functional pain syndromes.
Niccolò Terrando, PhD

Dr. Terrando Receives Prestigious R01 Award

Congratulations to Niccolò Terrando, PhD, on receiving a five-year, $2,815,756 NIH/NIA grant for his innovative project aimed at reducing the burdens of neurologic complications after common surgical procedures.
Drs. Terrando and Zhang

Neuroscientists Awarded School of Medicine Voucher

Congratulations to Drs. Niccolò Terrando and Zhiquan Zhang on receiving an $8,000 voucher for their project that aims to prevent memory dysfunction after surgery with a novel, pro-resolving peptide.
Niccolò Terrando, PhD

Dr. Terrando Awarded Core Specific Voucher

Congratulations to Niccolò Terrando, PhD, on receiving $5,000 to evaluate vagal nerve stimulation, a novel intervention that could be an effective therapy for cognitive dysfunction after surgery.
Ru-Rong Ji, PhD

Dr. Ji Published in Special Issue of Science

A review article by Ru-Rong Ji, PhD, is featured in the “Pain Research” issue for his study that investigates chronic inflammation and pain regulation by non-neuronal cells.
Niccolò Terrando, PhD

Duke Team Receives Research Incubator Award

Congratulations to a 2016 Dream Innovation Grant recipient, and his team, for receiving a $75,000 award to further research a novel intervention to prevent cognitive dysfunction after surgery.