Chronic pain affects 20 percent of people worldwide. The EFIC-Grünenthal-Grant (E-G-G) aims to improve quality of life for those patients by supporting innovative pain research – and is now announcing its three winning projects for 2025!
Since 2004, the European Pain Federation (EFIC®) and Grünenthal have provided support for early-career pain researchers in Europe via the E-G-G. Together, they have awarded funding worth nearly €2 million to around 75 pioneering projects across more than 14 countries. It is a truly unique opportunity for researchers who are looking for a path from academia into independent research. Now, we can reveal the three winning projects to receive funding in 2025!
The E-G-G aims to raise awareness of unmet needs in pain management. It supports early career scientists, helping them explore novel ideas for pain research projects. An independent multidisciplinary team of experts in the pain field selects the recipients. Selection criteria include originality of the project and the potential clinical impact. In addition to financial support, the winners also have the opportunity to network with pain research experts and communicate their research outcome to the scientific community at the biennial EFIC® Pain in Europe Congress.
For over 20 years now, the E-G-G grant has helped establish young scientists and clinicians as independent researchers in pain. “Based on a record-high number of outstanding proposals, the grant committee worked hard to obtain a robust evaluation. It was truly inspiring reading all the innovative and forefront ideas for excellent pain research in Europe,” says Prof. Thomas Graven-Nielsen, chair of EFIC® Grants and Prizes Working Group and one of the 2007 E-G-G winners.
The E-G-G winners 2025
E-G-G received 51 applications. In a two-step evaluation, seven selected reviewers and four members of the EFIC® Research Committee Working Group on Grants and Prizes selected three research projects for funding:
· Franziska Karl-Schöller (Germany), Project title: Innervated in vitro skin model for postherpetic neuralgia
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a chronic pain condition that occurs after a patient suffers from shingles. Currently, most research into PHN uses animal-derived models of the skin – but these models do not accurately replicate the characteristics of PHN. This project aims to develop a more human-specific model. It explores lab-grown skin that includes nerve cells, known as innervated in-vitro skin models. In this way, the project aims to provide powerful tools to deepen the understanding of PHN pathomechanisms and accelerate the discovery of new treatments.
· Ama Kissi (Belgium), Project title: Unveiling Clinical Shadows: Examining the Impact of Racialised Stereotypes on Diagnostic Processes and Decisions
Pain is a common condition for all humans. However, there are significant differences in how it is experienced by different groups. For example, Black individuals often endure more intense and frequent pain than White individuals – but evidence indicates that Black people are less likely to receive adequate pain care than White people. This project will investigate how racialised stereotypes influence the type and amount of diagnostic information that healthcare providers seek when diagnosing children. In this way, it aims to make a positive impact on patients by preventing or reducing racialised inequities in pain care.
· Maddalena Comini (United Kingdom), Project title: Developing an RNA-based therapy to treat neuropathic pain
Neuropathic pain has severe effects on patients’ lives. Unfortunately, current treatments mainly target the symptoms of this condition instead of the causes. This project aims to target genes involved in pain. It will test the effect of GapmeR antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) in derived-sensory neurons (hiPSC-d SNs) that carry mutations linked to chronic neuropathic pain, and their corresponding 3D peripheral sensory organoids (hSeO). Overall, the project aims to support progress towards personalised medicines for treating neuropathic pain that are based on ribonucleic acids (RNAs).
