This $857,250 National Science Foundation project grant supports research into the evolution of nociception in elasmobranchs through June 2025. The grant funds research at the University Corporation to determine if sharks experience pain by identifying cell types and structures associated with nociception. Researchers will analyze shark genome and transcriptome data to identify pain receptor sequences and profiles in dorsal root ganglia. Immunohistochemistry will label putative nociceptors, and promoter analysis will examine regulatory elements involved in nociception. The research aims to uncover elasmobranch nociceptive capabilities and contribute to understanding pain perception evolution in vertebrates. It also provides training for underrepresented minority undergraduates in laboratory and bioinformatics techniques. The grant is part of the NSF Biological Sciences program to increase biological knowledge and address major problems through basic research support.
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