New $5.1 Million Grant Will Help Doctors Better Understand and Treat Sickle Cell Pain

SSRI affiliate has secured major federal funding to study why sickle cell disease patients experience pain so differently, and what that means for their care.

The Genomics, Race, Identity, Difference (GRID) Center has received a five-year, $5.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct one of the most comprehensive studies of pain in sickle cell disease ever undertaken. The funding comes through the NIH’s HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative, a federal effort focused on finding better ways to manage pain and reduce dependence on opioids. The project is led by a team of five principal investigators, with GRID Director Dr. Charmaine Royal serving as the lead contact. The team brings together researchers, doctors, and patients from Duke University and institutions across the United States.