# UCSF Core Center for Patient-centric Mechanistic Phenotyping in Chronic Low Back Pain

> **NIH NIH U19** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2023 · $3,939,846

## Abstract

The proposed UCSF Core Center for Patient-centric Mechanistic Phenotyping in Chronic Low Back Pain
(UCSF REACH) will be an interdisciplinary consortium of basic and clinical scientists dedicated to understanding
and clarifying the biopsychosocial mechanisms of chronic low back pain (cLBP). The goal of UCSF REACH
is to define chronic low back pain (cLBP) phenotypes and pain mechanisms that can lead to
effective, personalized treatments for patients across the population. A fundamental challenge for
improving lives of cLBP patients is that pain can perpetuate and worsen as a result of dynamic interaction among
several patient-specific factors. However, the principle factors and their interactions remain obscure because
they haven't been rigorously investigated in a single longitudinal cohort. REACH proposes to overcome this
obstacle by forming a linkage between researchers who study disease biology, experts who develop advanced
investigational tools and methods, scientists who analyze vast archives of clinical data, and practitioners who
actively treat patients. UCSF REACH proposes six cores: 1) Administrative Core; 2) Clinical Core; 3) Informatics
Core; 4) Bio-behavioral Core; 5) Pathophysiology Core; and 6) Physical Function and Biomechanics Core. These
cores will provide support to a single research project that is focused on the challenge of developing validated
and adoptable tools that enable comprehensive yet routine clinical assessment and treatment of CLBP patients.
REACH will also foster scientific exchange through an Enrichment Program; the curriculum includes seminars
featuring local and visiting scientists, an annual full-day retreat with the External Advisory Committee, and half-
day symposia with a rotating topic relevant to the biopsychosocial model of cLBP. Another vital component of
REACH is its Pilot/Ancillary Studies Program. This provides seed money to leverage REACH clinical data and
cores. Overall, the object of REACH is to make optimum use of all available resources to catalyze discovery and
translation of novel diagnostics and therapeutics that improve outcomes of cLBP patients.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10765794
- **Project number:** 4U19AR076737-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** JEFFREY C. LOTZ
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $3,939,846
- **Award type:** 4N
- **Project period:** 2019-09-25 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10765794

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10765794, UCSF Core Center for Patient-centric Mechanistic Phenotyping in Chronic Low Back Pain (4U19AR076737-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10765794. Licensed CC0.

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