Professor Praveen Anand

Professor Anand is Professor of Clinical Neurology, Lead Clinician for Pain Services, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, and Director of the Imperial College London Pain Centre.

Professor Praveen Anand's research group aims to advance the assessment and treatment of small fibre neuropathies. Chronic neuropathic pain and nerve degeneration are currently important and increasing unmet clinical needs. Collaborations with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies have been directed to Translational projects, to help bridge the gap between pre-clinical developments and their potential clinical applications. Clinical trials have been conducted with novel drugs in diabetic and traumatic neuropathy, arthritis, and irritable bowel syndrome. 

Aims of the group:

• To develop objective means of assessing small fibre neuropathies and pain in patients (adults and pre-verbal children);
• To discover significant regional changes and mechanisms in endogenous trophic factors and receptors / ion channels in small fibre neuropathies and clinical chronic pain disorders;
• To study the physiological roles and pharmacological potential of novel sensory targets in human in vitro, volunteer and clinical models;
• To apply the lessons from in vitro and biomarker studies in Proof-of-concept / Phase II trials;
• To improve neuronal survival and regeneration in neuropathy, and prevent or treat chronic neuropathic pain / hypersensitivity.