Lucy Vulchanova, PhD

Research in the Vulchanova lab is focused on mechanisms underlying persistent pain. Our long-term goal is to contribute to the development of novel non-addictive chronic pain treatments. We are interested in elucidating the spinal circuits that mediate pain signaling, and in the discovery of novel signaling pathways involved in the development and maintenance of chronic pain. We are employing cutting-edge circuit-tracing, functional imaging, and transcriptomic approaches to investigate the organization of spinal pain circuits, and to quantify the contribution of novel signaling mediators (VGF-derived peptides) to chronic pain.

Lyons, CE, Razzoli, M, Larson, E, Svedberg, D, Frontini, A, Cinti, S, Vulchanova, L, Sanders, M, Thomas, M & Bartolomucci, A 2020, ‘Optogenetic-induced sympathetic neuromodulation of brown adipose tissue thermogenesis’ FASEB J, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 2765-2773. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.201901361RR

Gore, R, Riedl, MS, Kitto, KF, Fairbanks, CA & Vulchanova, L 2019, ‘AAV-Mediated Gene Delivery to the Enteric Nervous System by Intracolonic Injection’ Methods Mol Biol, vol. 1950, pp. 407-415. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9139-6_24

Peterson, CD, Skorput, AGJ, Kitto, KF, Wilcox, GL, Vulchanova, L & Fairbanks, CA 2019, ‘AAV-Mediated Gene Delivery to the Spinal Cord by Intrathecal Injection’ Methods Mol Biol, vol. 1950, pp. 199-207. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9139-6_11

Pflepsen, KR, Peterson, CD, Kitto, KF, Vulchanova, L, Wilcox, GL & Fairbanks, CA 2019, ‘Detailed Method for Intrathecal Delivery of Gene Therapeutics by Direct Lumbar Puncture in Mice’ Methods Mol Biol, vol. 1937, pp. 305-312. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9065-8_20

Skorput, AGJ, Zhang, X, Waataja, JJ, Peterson, CD, Riedl, MS, Kitto, KF, Truong, H, Huffman, C, Salton, SR, Fairbanks, CA, Honda, CN & Vulchanova, L 2018, 'Involvement of the VGF-derived peptide TLQP-62 in nerve injury-induced hypersensitivity and spinal neuroplasticity' Pain, vol. 159, no. 9, pp. 1802-1813. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001277

Borges Da Silva, H, Beura, LK, Wang, H, Hanse, EA, Gore, R, Scott, MC, Walsh, DA, Block, KE, Fonseca, R, Yan, Y, Hippen, KL, Blazar, BR, Masopust, D, Kelekar, A, Vulchanova, L, Hogquist, KA & Jameson, SC 2018, ' The purinergic receptor P2RX7 directs metabolic fitness of long-lived memory CD8 + T cells ' Nature, vol. 559, no. 7713, pp. 264-268. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0282-0

Doolen, S, Cook, J, Riedl, MS, Kitto, KF, Kohsaka, S, Honda, CN, Fairbanks, CA, Taylor, BK & Vulchanova, L 2017, 'Complement 3a receptor in dorsal horn microglia mediates pronociceptive neuropeptide signaling' GLIA, vol. 65, no. 12, pp. 1976-1989. https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.23208

Belur, LR, Temme, A, Podetz-Pedersen, KM, Riedl, M, Vulchanova, L, Robinson, N, Hanson, LR, Kozarsky, KF, Orchard, PJ, Frey, WH, Low, WC & Scott McIvor, R 2017, 'Intranasal Adeno-Associated Virus Mediated Gene Delivery and Expression of Human Iduronidase in the Central Nervous System: A Noninvasive and Effective Approach for Prevention of Neurologic Disease in Mucopolysaccharidosis Type i' Human Gene Therapy, vol. 28, no. 7, pp. 576-587. https://doi.org/10.1089/hum.2017.187

Peterson, CD, Kitto, KF, Akgun, E, Lunzer, MM, Riedl, MS, Vulchanova, L, Wilcox, GL, Portoghese, PS & Fairbanks, CA 2017, 'Bivalent ligand that activates mu opioid receptor and antagonizes mGluR5 receptor reduces neuropathic pain in mice' Pain, vol. 158, no. 12, pp. 2431-2441. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001050

Kashem, SW, Riedl, MS, Yao, C, Honda, CN, Vulchanova, L & Kaplan, DH 2015, 'Nociceptive Sensory Fibers Drive Interleukin-23 Production from CD301b+ Dermal Dendritic Cells and Drive Protective Cutaneous Immunity' Immunity, vol. 43, no. 3, 3159, pp. 515-526. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2015.08.016