Final Newsletter 2024 (5) - Flipbook - Page 7
The John Miles PhD Studentship
was awarded to
Targeting the microbiome to treat chronic pain
Student - Sara Fazzini
Sara Fazzini is an emerging pharmacological researcher with a keen interest in the
communication between the gut and the brain and its role in pain regulation. Sara
graduated with first-class honours from her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science at
King’s College London, where she gained a solid grounding in gastrointestinal pharmacology
and pain-sensing pathways. Upon completion of her degree, Sara was awarded a Summer
Studentship by King’s, enabling her to further explore key mediators of pain within the gut
and their modulation by inhibitory elements as a potential treatment strategy for irritable
bowel syndrome. Continuing her academic journey, Sara pursued a master’s degree in
Experimental Pharmacology and Therapeutics at University College London. There, she
investigated the protective effects of a probiotic formulation on early-stage Parkinson’s
disease, linking gut health with nervous system regulation and brain disorders.
These experiences fuelled Sara’s curiosity in gut-brain interactions, inflammation, and pain.
Now, as the recipient of the John Miles PhD Studentship at the University of Cambridge, Sara
will delve deeper into her research interests, combining her background in pharmacology
and neuroscience to investigate the complexities of pain mechanisms within the gut.
Sara's PhD research focuses on how imbalances in the gut ecosystem contribute to chronic
pain in conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia. Existing studies indicate
that specific dietary interventions can normalize gut imbalances and reduce pain in irritable
bowel syndrome, suggesting a significant role of gut bacteria in pain modulation. Her project
aims to identify the bacterial strains and their by-products that contribute to the activation
of pain-sensing nerves, known as nociceptors. This research has the potential to reveal
novel therapeutic targets, offering hope for improved treatment strategies for chronic pain
conditions.
