Dr. Tao will present a recently identified nerve injury-specific long non-coding RNA (NIS-lncRNA) and its role in neuropathic pain. NIS-lncRNA is upregulated in the injured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) after peripheral nerve trauma, or intraperitoneal injection of paclitaxel or streptozotocin, but not after peripheral inflammation caused by injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant or sodium monoiodoacetate as well as not after tissue injury caused by incision. Dr. Tao will discuss how NIS-lncRNA contributes to neuropathic pain by promoting FUS (a RNA binding protein)-triggered CCL2 expression in injured DRG neurons from mice and human. He will also present the evidence that NIS-lncRNA is a potential target for neuropathic pain using an FDA-approved antisense oligonucleotide strategy.