Ongoing Research
The Translational Research in Pain (TRiP) Lab focuses on understanding the mechanisms, assessment, and treatment of pain across species. Our work emphasizes translational approaches that support clinically relevant outcomes in both veterinary and human medicine.
Osteoarthritis & Chronic Pain in Dogs: A Model for Human Pain
Naturally occurring osteoarthritis and osteosarcoma in pet dogs is very similar to the same conditions in humans. We study osteoarthritis and osteosarcoma in pet dogs as models of the human conditions, allowing us to both learn more about how to manage these painful conditions in dogs, and contribute to the development of non-opioid pain therapeutics in humans. We use a wide variety of validated subjective and objective outcome measures to assess putative analgesic drugs that may be developed for use.
- Watch this video where experts in the veterinary and human pain fields talk about how pets can contribute to human pain research and benefit themselves.
Why Dogs?
Understanding Chronic Pain Through Canine Research
Dogs share our homes, environments, and many of the same chronic health conditions experienced by humans, making them an important translational model for chronic pain research. Unlike traditional laboratory models, companion dogs naturally develop conditions such as osteoarthritis, age-related cognitive changes, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and persistent pain syndromes that closely resemble those seen in people. Studying naturally occurring disease in dogs allows researchers to better understand how chronic pain develops, affects daily life, and interacts with emotional and physical health in real-world settings.
At the TRiP Lab, our research explores the complex relationship between chronic pain, behavior, cognition, and overall well-being. Through our emotion and cognition studies, we investigate how chronic pain may influence emotional processing, stress, social behavior, and cognitive function in dogs. These findings help improve canine welfare while also contributing to a broader understanding of how persistent pain affects quality of life across species.
Across all studies, the welfare of participating dogs remains our highest priority. By partnering with pet owners and veterinary clinicians, the TRiP Lab conducts compassionate, minimally invasive research designed to improve the quality of life for companion animals while advancing the understanding and treatment of chronic pain.
Gut Health & Pain: An Emerging Focus
The lab is expanding into emerging areas of pain research, including the role of the gut–pain axis. Ongoing work examines how intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”) and related inflammatory processes may contribute to chronic pain. Dogs offer a valuable model for exploring these interactions because they naturally experience many of the same gastrointestinal and inflammatory conditions as humans.
- Current studies in dogs with osteoarthritis are evaluating the effects of prebiotic supplementation on gut health, mobility, and pain outcomes. Using a randomized, double-blind clinical design, these studies combine caregiver-reported outcomes, activity monitoring, imaging, and non-invasive measures of gut permeability to assess how changes in the gut may influence pain and overall function.
This approach supports the identification of novel therapeutic targets and strengthens the translation of gut-focused interventions into clinically relevant pain management strategies. For more information, click here to learn more.
Advancing Pain Research Through Collaboration
TRiP Lab research is highly collaborative and interdisciplinary. We work with partners across NC State and beyond, including ongoing collaborations with Dr. Mishra, Dr. Gruen, & Dr. Nelson to incorporate behavioral, physiological, and clinical perspectives.
Dr. Margaret E. Gruen
Drs. Margaret Gruen and Duncan Lascelles are collaborating on a project to develop a set of carefully designed tests that measure how chronic pain affects dogs’ emotions and thinking. These tests look at things like anxiety, motivation, learning, attention, and decision‑making. The goal is to create reliable, science‑based tools that help researchers and veterinarians better understand the full impact of persistent pain on dogs’ well‑being.
Dr. Santosh Mishra
Dr. Duncan Lascelles and Dr. Santosh Mishra are working together to better understand why osteoarthritis causes long‑lasting joint pain. Their team recently discovered changes in a specific biological pathway—called the artemin/GFRα3 pathway—in dogs with naturally occurring osteoarthritis. These same changes appear to play a role in human joint pain as well. With support from the NIH, the group is now exploring this pathway in depth to see whether it could lead to safer, non‑opioid treatments for chronic pain.
Dr. Amanda Nelson
Dr. Duncan Lascelles and Dr. Amanda Nelson are collaborating on research exploring how gut health may influence osteoarthritis that affects multiple joints. Their work draws on large human studies and a naturally occurring model of osteoarthritis in pet dogs to investigate whether “leaky gut” and related inflammation contribute to the development and progression of this widespread condition. By identifying biological markers linked to worsening disease and testing whether improving gut health can reduce symptoms, their team aims to uncover new ways to predict, prevent, and treat multi‑joint osteoarthritis.
Interested in Participating?
