Neuroscience First Year Presentation: Natalia Valderrama

About this event

Please join us

Thursday, December 10, 2026

4:30pm – 5:00pm CST

CRA 12.110

for a First Year Presentation by

Natalia Valderrama

University of Texas at Dallas

Silphion-derived compounds exhibit analgesic properties in vitro

Pain management relies on our knowledge of underlying mechanisms driving nociceptive neuron sensitization. To address the need for next generation non-addictive analgesics, we sought to use natural products that have binding affinity to Sigma 2 Receptor (S2R). In this present study, a natural putative-S2R ligand with 2,000 years of history known as Silphion, was evaluated in vitro for potential modulatory effects on the Integrated Stress Response (ISR) and spontaneous electrical firing in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) nociceptors. Using immunocytochemistry (ICC) and multielectrode array assay (MEA), silphion-derived compounds significantly reduced ISR levels in cultured primary mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and silenced hiPSC nociceptors through sodium channel-dependent excitability. These preliminary results provide insight into a potential template for future pain therapies.

Microsoft Teams meeting

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