Niels Eijkelkamp has been appointed as professor of Neuroimmunology of Pain at Utrecht University/UMCU Utrecht, effective October 15, 2024. The chair will be embedded in the strategic research program Infection & Immunity. In this role, Niels Eijkelkamp will advance his research effort to address the critical need for a deeper understanding of chronic pain. By developing and sharing fundamental knowledge on the interaction between the immune and nervous systems in the context of chronic pain, he aims to translate these insights into urgently needed new medications, diagnostic tools, and prognostic methods for chronic pain.
Pain is the most common reason for physician consultation. It is a major symptom in many medical conditions, and interferes with a person’s quality of life. Although pain usually resolves, it may persist for years in conditions such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, peripheral neuropathy, post-acute infectious syndromes such as Post-COVID, and cancer (and cancer treatment). This chronic pain poses a significant medical challenge. Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of chronic pain is limited, which hampers the creation of much-needed therapies. “For a long time, research on chronic pain has predominantly taken a ‘neurocentric’ approach”, says Niels Eijkelkamp. “However, emerging research highlights the vital role the immune system in the development and resolution of chronic pain. Due to these developments in the chronic pain field, there is a clear niche for interdisciplinary research at the interface of immunology and neuroscience in chronic pain.” Establishment of the chair ‘Neuroimmunology of Pain’ will emphasize the importance of immunology in chronic pain at UMC Utrecht.
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