Bin Pan, MD, PhD | Associate Professor

Bin Pan, PhD

Associate Professor

Contact Information

bpan@mcw.edu

Education

MD, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China
PhD, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China
Postdoctoral training, Neurology, University of California at Berkeley
Postdoctoral training, Neuropharmacology, 皇家华人

Research Interests

Mechanisms of neuropathic pain
Chronic pain induced depression

Chronic pain is a major public health challenge that is inadequately addressed. The complexity of mechanisms underlying chronic pain includes not only a localized, peripheral disorder, but also widespread central nervous system dysfunction.

In the past, we found that:

The extracellular matrix glycoprotein thrombospondin-4 is increased after nerve injury and this increased TSP4 can regulate voltage activated calcium channels and intracellular calcium signaling in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons
DRG field stimulation can relieve spontaneous and induced neuropathic pain in rats.

In the future, we will investigate changed synaptic transmission in spinal cord and cerebral cortex, which contribute to chronic pain.

Many patients with chronic pain conditions suffer from depression with a prevalence of suicidal ideation. The underlying mechanisms are still unknown. In this project, I will investigate synaptic mechanisms of chronic pain-induced depression with multiple techniques including behavioral tests, in vivo and in vitro brain slice neurophysiological recording, molecular analysis, and genetic engineering

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