The Pain Beat (Episode 2) – Optogenetics and Chemogenetics for Pain Treatment: How Feasible Are They? How Effective Could They Be?

Editor’s Note: Welcome to the second episode of The Pain Beat, PRF’s new monthly podcast series! Supported by a generous grant from The MAYDAY Fund, The Pain Beat brings together the world’s leading pain investigators in order to spark dialogue and debate around important ideas in pain research. Guided by Rebecca Seal, Scientific Director of The Pain Beat, these podcasts feature open and spirited discussion about the hottest topics in pain and how the field moves forward from here. For the second episode, The Pain Beat gathered together a group of pain researchers in Keystone, Colorado, US, where two joint Keystone Symposia, Somatosensation: From Detection to Perception and Pain: Aligning the Target, were being held from February 2-5, 2020. The podcast participants include: Allan Basbaum, University of California San Francisco, US Robert Gereau, Washington University School of Medicine, US Yarimar Carrasquillo, National Institutes of Health, US Stephani Sutherland, PRF freelancer (moderator) The group found a quiet spot amidst the hubbub of the meeting to discuss whether optogenetics and chemogenetics are feasible approaches to pain treatment, and if so, how effective they might be. The podcast also includes brief introductions to these two approaches.