Scientists develop device to determine different types of chronic pain

'On-a-chip' device. Sourced from Getty Images.

07 April 2025

Monash University scientists have developed a new (preclinical) method to distinguish between chronic pain subtypes, such as fibromyalgia and peripheral neuropathy.

Chronic pain is globally prevalent and incredibly challenging to treat. Furthermore, clinical strategies for chronic pain management rely heavily on self-reporting, which is naturally subjective and particularly problematic for non-verbal patients.

As such, new methods for detection of pain biomarkers are essential.

In this preclinical study, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) researchers, in collaboration with Flinders University, developed a minimally invasive approach termed “pain-on-a-chip” – a microfluidic device that uses live sensory nerves on a chip to help objectively diagnose chronic pain conditions.

The device does this by distinguishing cells that initiate the sensation of pain. These cells, known as ‘nociceptors’, are associated with a number of pain conditions, including chronic pain.

The research team used the nociceptor-based microfluidic biosensor, aka pain-on-a-chip, to differentiate between blood samples extracted from two different animal models of chronic pain – one focusing on fibromyalgia and the other on diabetic neuropathy.

Using their pain-on-a-chip method, the researchers were able to demonstrate the device's ability to objectively distinguish the response of the nociceptor cells towards the two chronic pain subtypes.

Read the full article here.