Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Rochester received a $550,030 Project Grant award from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) under the Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health program (CFDA 93.213), effective April 9, 2026 through December 31, 2030. The research project investigates brain-immune interactions through circadian regulation of glymphatic and lymphatic fluid movement, with the primary objective of identifying novel therapeutic targets for chronic neuropathic pain management. The study will deliver scientific knowledge addressing the relationship between sleep disruptions and chronic pain by examining how the body's cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation follows circadian timing patterns and influences immune cytokine distribution across neuroimmune tissues.

The project will produce research outputs across three specific aims: establishing whether the daily glymphatic/lymphatic CSF exchange deteriorates during chronic pain development; determining whether the molecular clock controls CSF and cytokine distribution; and evaluating food restriction as a non-pharmacological intervention to reinforce circadian timing and attenuate chronic pain. These deliverables will advance understanding of chronic pain pathology and generate evidence supporting non-invasive, circadian-aligned therapeutic approaches. The research will be conducted at the University of Rochester's facility in Rochester, New York, and is expected to contribute to the NCCIH's mission of building evidence-based knowledge on complementary and integrative health approaches focused on whole-person health outcomes.