Woolf Laboratory | Alexandra Latini, PhD

Visiting professor from Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
Florianópolis, Brazil

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is a natural pteridine and an obligatory cofactor for the activity of key enzymes involved with the biosynthesis of neurotransmitters, namely phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan hydroxylases and all isoforms of nitric oxide synthase.  An exacerbated production of BH4 has been proposed to be related to increased pain hypersensitivity, and a reduced metabolic flux of this pathway to confer analgesia. My research interests focus particularly on the understanding of the underlying mechanisms that link BH4 to pain, and the identification of biomarkers to monitor the efficacy of novel, innovative, therapeutic strategies to treat chronic pain.