Throughout Pitt and UPMC, innovation isn’t an abstract idea—it’s the translation of rigorous science into care people can feel. That pipeline is especially clear with a variety of initiatives all moving from lab to living rooms, delivering innovative solutions that reach every patient, everywhere we serve: A new grant to advance neurostimulation research, a startup company bringing multimodal pain care to primary care, and a noninvasive option for osteoarthritis.
Science to reduce chronic pain and restore daily confidence
For many people with lower limb amputation, chronic phantom limb pain and balance challenges make daily life harder. Pitt’s Rehab Neural Engineering Labs (RNEL), in partnership with UPMC clinician scientists, has shown that spinal cord stimulation (SCS)—using technology already familiar to pain physicians—can reduce phantom pain and improve gait stability. A new clinical trial, launched this fall under the leadership of associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation Dr. Lee Fisher, will enable the next phase of this clinical research program, testing whether neurostimulation could be used as an alternative, drug-free and minimally invasive pain management strategy.
Reimagining relief: Fostering innovation in pain management
Pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care, and one of the most complex problems to treat. Recognizing this, UPMC Enterprises, the innovation, commercialization and venture capital arm of UPMC, takes a multifaceted approach to supporting solutions that help clinicians and patients manage debilitating symptoms every day.
This year, UPMC Enterprises added to its portfolio two new companies that are pioneering very different, uniquely transformative solutions to chronic pain:
- Latigo Biotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biotech company developing an oral, non-opioid medication designed to block the pain signals before they reach the spine and brain.
- Glimmer Health is expanding access to evidence-based, comprehensive pain treatment plans and equips primary care providers with a digital approach to holistic care developed in UPMC’s pain clinics by Dr. Ajay Wasan.
“At UPMC, we have developed a distinctly different model for pain management compared to other institutions. Our approach emphasizes multidimensional assessment, for example, evaluating how pain spreads, and its impact on function, mood, and sleep. This allows us to create comprehensive, individualized treatment plans that are tailored for each patient,” said Dr. Wasan.
A noninvasive pain-relief option close to home
For patients in north central Pennsylvania living with osteoarthritis or other inflammatory conditions, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Williamsport now offers low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT)—a short, noninvasive series of treatments designed to reduce inflammation and ease pain.
Because of UPMC’s integrated network, this advanced option isn’t limited to patients near its flagship hospitals in Pittsburgh. By introducing LDRT through regional radiation oncology clinics, UPMC complements conventional approaches such as physical therapy, steroid injections, and bracing—giving patients a broader menu of conservative treatments to consider before surgery.
For years, Marianna Hotchkiss from Muncy had struggled with osteoarthritis in her lower back, a condition that severely impacted her quality of life.
By her mid-70s, everyday activities like walking had become a challenge because she often felt like her back locked up. She was left in pain and dependent on scooters for mobility. Even simple tasks, such as taking a shower, required assistance.
After undergoing six LDRT sessions targeting her lower spine, Marianna experienced life-changing results.
“Within a few treatments, I was able to walk without pain and haven’t used a scooter since,” said Marianna.
A Future Where Pain Care Has Options
What ties these stories together isn’t a single technology or treatment. Pain care should be as dynamic as the people who need it, and the real progress comes when ideas leave the lab and enter the clinic, the community and the patient’s daily life. None of these solutions is a silver bullet. Each represents a piece of a larger puzzle—one that spans neuroscience, behavioral health and community access. But piece by piece, that puzzle is coming together, and the picture it forms is a hopeful one: a future where living with pain doesn’t mean living without options.
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