Clifford Woolf MB, BCh, PhD

Related News and Features

Personalized Genetic Pain Treatment May Not Be Far Away
Read about Dr. Woolf’s keynote address at the annual scientific meeting of the American Pain Society.

Children’s Honored by American Pain Society
Children's has been named a "Clinical Center of Excellence" by the American Pain Society, an honor that is bestowed upon five pain centers each year.

Improving diagnosis of chronic pain
Dr. Woolf’s team suggests a way to obtain a “pain fingerprint” from people with chronic back pain. This could provide clues into the neurological basis of the pain and guide treatment.

Stem cells in pain research
A collaboration between GlaxoSmithKline and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute will fund Dr. Woolf’s efforts to study the genetics behind pain.

Chili pepper cocktail points to wide-awake surgery
A study led by Dr. Woolf reveals that capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot peppers, could be used to develop new anesthetics that specifically target pain nerves. Such anesthetics might stop pain without affecting motor function or consciousness.

The first genetic explanation for pain sensitivity
Dr. Woolf’s team identifies the first human gene associated with pain sensitivity. Different variants of this gene make people more or less sensitive to pain and may also explain their likelihood of developing chronic pain after injury.