# Biobehavioral basis of knee osteoarthritis pain

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 2020 · $566,184

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract.
Discovery and validation of strong candidate biomarkers and clinical endpoints for pain is urgently needed that
can be used to facilitate the development of non-opioid pain therapeutics from discovery through Phase II clinical
trials. Emerging research using a combination of biomarkers deliver individualized predictions about future brain
and body health. Our own findings suggest that behavioral chronic pain characteristics are associated with
multiple biological biomarkers where a greater pain burden is associated with accelerated detrimental biological
processes. However, prospective research is urgently needed to determine pain’s impact on the heterogeneity
of these biological processes within an individual to elucidate the underlying patterns of biological changes using
a biobehavioral perspective which is needed for predicting future health and to be able to use as clinical
endpoints for interventions. The proposed study will prospectively address biobehavioral factors (i.e., cognitive,
psychological, social and cultural) affecting the experience and interpretation of knee pain and physical function
across racial/ethnic groups over time. We will prospectively assess pain along with multiple biomarkers as
predictors of cognitive, psychological and physical functional progression among middle-aged and older non-
Hispanic Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites with knee pain and controls over a four-year study period. With strong
support from the University of Florida, our interdisciplinary project, using a comprehensive biobehavioral multi-
methods approach, we will be the first to prospectively determine the trajectory and interactions among pain,
biological biomarkers and multiple domains of function within race/ethnic groups in OA pain. Findings will
contribute towards increased understanding of pain and its biobehavioral basis, with the potential to reduce
race/ethnic group disparities and improve pain-related health and functional outcomes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9998071
- **Project number:** 1R01AG067757-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $566,184
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-05-15 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9998071

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9998071, Biobehavioral basis of knee osteoarthritis pain (1R01AG067757-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9998071. Licensed CC0.

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