Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) awarded a $636,479 Project Grant to The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York (Health Sciences Division) effective May 1, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2031, under the Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.846). This research project will deliver scientific investigation and discovery services focused on understanding the role of macrophages in intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and discogenic back pain, a leading cause of disability.

The funded research will produce three primary deliverables over the award period. First, Columbia will conduct in vivo mechanistic studies using a mouse model to characterize how monocyte-derived macrophages promote chronic inflammation and pain in degenerative discs. Second, the institution will investigate the role of chemokine CCL2 in macrophage migration into the IVD. Third, Columbia will evaluate the efficacy of sustained intradiscal delivery of a CCL2 neutralizing antibody in a rat IVD injury model. Successful completion will generate peer-reviewed research outputs and preclinical data demonstrating novel therapeutic mechanisms targeting CCL2 signaling and macrophage depletion for treating painful disc degeneration, potentially addressing a significant gap in current disease-modifying treatment options.