Does Sensory-Sympathetic Rewiring Drive Cutaneous Neuropathy?
Grantee: Clare Bennett, Professor of Cellular Immunology, University College London
Amount: DKK 2,889,362
Grant category: Serendipity Grants
Year: 2026
Geography: United Kingdom
The skin is an important sensory organ, with nerve endings extending into its outer layer (the epidermis), to detect heat, cold and harmful stimuli. In some skin diseases and during cancer treatments, these nerves are damaged and withdraw from the epidermis. Instead of causing numbness, this often leads to chronic, difficult-to-treat pain; in cancer patients, it can limit treatment. But why this happens is not fully understood. We are studying how immune cells in the skin interact with nerve endings. In our models, we see nerve loss similar to patients. Unexpectedly, when the nerves try to regrow, we have discovered that they follow the paths made by other types of nerves (sympathetic nerves) and end up in the wrong place, near hair follicles rather than in the epidermis. We think this misdirected growth causes nerves to behave as if they are detecting danger, triggering pain. By understanding this process, we aim to find ways to guide nerves correctly and reduce chronic pain.