Geoffrey A. Funk

History of opioid use disorder correlates with altered neuroimmune signatures in the human dorsal root ganglia

The paper examines molecular and physiological changes in dorsal root ganglia from individuals with and without opioid use disorder, identifying altered neuroimmune signatures and sensitized sensory neurons.

Chronic lower limb pain is not associated with a loss of inhibitory neurons in the human lumbar spinal dorsal horn

This study examines the anatomical changes in the human lumbar spinal dorsal horn in relation to chronic lower limb pain and finds no association with neuronal density or inhibitory neuron loss.

Nav1.8 mediates peripheral-to-central nociceptive transmission independently of central presynaptic mechanisms in human DRG-spinal cord circuits

This study shows that Nav1.8 blockers reduce spinal CGRP release only when applied to peripheral sites, indicating their mechanism acts at the peripheral level rather than the central nervous system.

Progressive neurodegeneration in human dorsal root ganglion from diabetes to painful neuropathy

The paper investigates neurodegeneration in dorsal root ganglia across diabetes and diabetic painful neuropathy stages, identifying early molecular changes and highlighting the need for early intervention.

A Reference Atlas of the Human Dorsal Root Ganglion

This paper constructs a human dorsal root ganglion reference atlas, identifying 22 neuronal subtypes and 10 non-neuronal cell types, and reveals functional differences between human and mouse DRG neurons.

A molecular map of the human spinal dorsal and ventral horn defines arrangement of neuronal types and glial sex differences

The paper maps molecular features of human spinal cord dorsal and ventral horns, identifying neuronal types and sex-specific glial differences using single-nucleus sequencing and spatial transcriptomics.

Enabling wider access to human molecular neuroscience research in pain: A simple preservation method for human dorsal root ganglion neurons in Hibernate A media

This paper introduces a method to preserve human dorsal root ganglion neurons using Hibernate media, enabling easier access and transport for research.

Decreased KCC2 expression in the human spinal dorsal horn associated with chronic pain and long-term opioid use

Spatial transcriptomic profiling of human paravertebral sympathetic chain ganglia reveals diabetes-induced neuroplasticity

This paper uses spatial transcriptomics to analyze human sympathetic chain ganglia in diabetes, identifying neuronal and non-neuronal changes linked to autonomic dysfunction.

Suzetrigine (VX-548) exhibits activity-dependent effects on human dorsal root ganglion neurons

This study examines suzetrigine's effects on human dorsal root ganglion neurons, showing it suppresses spontaneous pain-related discharges but requires longer exposure to affect evoked pain.

Expansion of OSMR expression and signaling in the human dorsal root ganglion links OSM to neuropathic pain

The paper shows OSM-OSMR signaling via MAPKs drives transcriptomic changes in human DRG linked to neuropathic pain.

Nageotte nodules in human DRG reveal neurodegeneration in painful diabetic neuropathy

The paper identifies Nageotte nodules in diabetic painful neuropathy DRGs, showing they contain dead neurons and are linked to pain and sensory loss.

Genetic editing of primary human dorsal root ganglion neurons using CRISPR-Cas9 with functional confirmation

This paper describes a non-viral CRISPR-Cas9 transfection method for editing primary human dorsal root ganglion neurons and confirms edits at genomic, protein, and functional levels.

NaV1.7 mRNA and protein expression in putative projection neurons of the human spinal dorsal horn

The paper reports the expression of NaV1.7 mRNA and protein in specific neurons of the human spinal dorsal horn and discusses its potential role in pain phenotypes and analgesic efficacy.