MCWMedical College of Wisconsin · Biology
Sickle Cell Pain Research Lab
Cheryl Louise Stucky · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Research Focus
Dr. Cheryl Louise Stucky's lab focuses on understanding the complex pain mechanisms associated with sickle cell disease. The research aims to identify how certain molecules, like free heme and the cytokine TNF, contribute to both acute and chronic pain in sickle cell patients. By investigating these pain pathways, the lab hopes to develop better pain management strategies that could help reduce reliance on opioids, leading to safer treatments.
sickle cell diseasepain mechanismsacute painchronic painhemoglobinimmune responsecytokinesTNF inhibitorsnociceptionmetabolomics
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the role of free heme in chronic pain associated with sickle cell disease.
AIM 02Determine how TNF contributes to acute vaso-occlusive episodic pain.
AIM 03Explore the immune response involved in pain sensitization in sickle cell disease.
AIM 04Evaluate potential therapeutic targets for more effective pain management trials.
AIM 05Assess the relevance of findings to other pain conditions beyond sickle cell disease.
Skills the Lab Values
animal modelingmouse modelspain assessmentmetabolomic analysiscell culturein vitro assaysdrug deliveryimmunohistochemistryRNA isolationWestern blot
Output against the department
Publications221top 28% of dept.293rd of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations13ktop 29% of dept.295th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.