This Veterinary Technician Week, we’re thrilled to celebrate the heart of our lab — April Hardison, CVT, our tireless research assistant and lab manager. April keeps the Pain Innovations Research Laboratory running seamlessly, ensuring that every study is executed with precision and care. Her dedication extends far beyond…
This past weekend, the Pain Innovation Research Laboratory (PIRL) marked the end of summer with a festive gathering full of great food, meaningful connections, and a refreshing dip in the pool. It was the perfect way to welcome a new academic year filled with hope, exciting discoveries, and continued…
We’re excited to highlight a recent article from the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation, featuring one of our own researchers, Dr. Diego Portela of the Pain Innovation Research Laboratory. In “Relieving Pain, Restoring Joy: A New Approach to Canine Osteoarthritis,” Dr. Portela discusses his team’s groundbreaking work…
Her study, titled “Feasibility, Repeatability, and Regional Differences in Thermal Threshold and Cold Thermal Latency Testing in Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps),” was conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Ludovica Chiavaccini. Together, they piloted this important research, contributing valuable data to our understanding of thermal nociception in reptiles.
We’re proud to recognize Fiona Hecker, a rising second-year student at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, for presenting her first research poster titled “The Influence of Gabapentin and Amantadine on Altering Sensory Thresholds in Dogs” on July 31, 2025. Representing the Florida Veterinary Scholars Program, Fiona…
We are proud to share the outstanding accomplishments of our Pain Innovation and Research Laboratory (PIRL) team at this year’s Phi Zeta Research Day! All PIRL members were well represented, with Dr. Manraj Grewal, Dr. Raiane Moura, and research assistant April Hardison all competing in poster presentations. In addition,…
We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Manraj Grewal has won first place in her graduate course Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition! Dr. Grewal presented her thesis project evaluating the efficacy of kratom in managing postoperative pain — an innovative study that could help pave the way for new…
We are thrilled to celebrate Dr. Manraj Grewal for presenting her research at the Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE) Research Data Blitz! Dr. Grewal shared exciting early findings from her work evaluating the use of kratom in beagles undergoing a spay procedure — a project that…
The PIRL group showed up strong at the Inaugural Pain Research and Integrated Neuroscience Symposium! Dr. Elizabeth Maxwell took the stage as an invited speaker, delivering a dynamic talk on bridging the gap between preclinical rodent models and human studies through veterinary collaborations — a powerful reminder…
