Michael J. Moore, PhD

Human Microphysiological Models of Sex Dimorphism in Pain Central Sensitization​

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Dr. Michael J. Moore directs the Neural Microengineering Laboratory, one project of which is to develop sex-specific microphysiological models of nerve and spinal cord connectivity for investigating the sex-specific mechanisms of pain central sensitization. This is one of the crucial steps toward the progression of chronic pain, which has been shown to differ substantially between males and females. The lab is bioengineering microscopic, interconnected nerve and spinal cord tissues derived from human stem cells of each sex, incorporating the specific cell types responsible for the differing pathways of chronic pain progression in males and females. The model is also highly scalable, which will enable the screening of drug candidates that might be more effective when targeted specifically toward male or female pain states.