One of the great challenges in musculoskeletal medicine is to find the best treatment for each patient. Patients who look quite similar might have completely different responses to treatment because their underlying disorders are actually different. In the Life Sciences Laboratories, we are looking at the biochemical profiles of different patients to see if we can parse them into more specific diagnostic categories and therefore tailor treatment to their needs. Our researchers look at biomarkers such as cytokines and microRNA in blood, and more recently have begun to explore the use of saliva sampling, which is less invasive and more acceptable to patients.

TENS is one of the most common modalities used in rehabilitation, and yet its mechanisms of action are largely unknown. Researchers at CMCC have discovered that TENS stimulation modulates the behaviour of voltage-gated calcium channels in neuronal cells to constrain the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. They have also demonstrated in an animal model that TENS boosts blood flow in compressed spinal cord tissue and may thereby mitigate some of the effects of spinal cord or spinal nerve root compression.

This is one of the great mysteries of chiropractic. Our researchers have undertaken anatomical, histological and biochemical investigations of spinal and paraspinal tissues to trace pain signaling pathways, and to compare the sensitivities of different tissue beds. When we know where the sensory signals are coming from, we will be in a much better position to design more effective treatments.