Jun-Ho La, PhD, DVMAssociate Professor

Photo of Jun Ho La Department of Translational Neuroscience
Room 2.143G Medical Research Building (MRB)
Route: 1069 | Tel: (409) 772-6549 | Fax: (409) 762-9382 | jula@utmb.edu

 

Education and Training

DVM in Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, S. Korea
MS in Veterinary Physiology, Seoul National University, Seoul, S. Korea
PhD in Veterinary Physiology, Seoul National University, Seoul, S. Korea
Post-Doctoral, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, S. Korea
Post-Doctoral, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

 

Research Interests

I have a long-standing research interest in chronic pain and developing therapeutic strategies to manage this debilitating condition. My research program focuses on understanding molecular, cellular, and circuit-level mechanisms of pain chronification, modulation, and resolution to prevent chronic pain and promote its resolution. In addition, through extensive collaborations, I develop novel opioid and non-opioid pain therapeutics for effective and safe pain treatment. My laboratory uses behavioral, molecular biology, and Ca2+ imaging approaches combined with optogenetic and chemogenetic tools in various preclinical animal models of pain.

Selected Publications

 

Hammond RM, Wang J, Pariyar R, Koo H, La JH. Spinal-level activation of GPR37 in TRPV1-expressing sensory neurons erases nociceptive system sensitization in murine models. J Pain. 2026 Aug;45:106314. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2026.106314. PMID: 42144155; PMCID: PMC13310570.

Yamamoto S, Fang J, Eter A, Liu G, Nguyen A, Chung JM, La JH. The role of NMDA and NK1 receptor signaling in spine surgery-induced central sensitization. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2025 Aug 15;50(16):1120-1126. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000005382. PMID: 40312797; PMCID: PMC12412057.

Pariyar R, Wang J, Hammond R, Koo H, Dalley N, La JH. TRPA1 agonist-responsive afferents contribute to central sensitization by suppressing spinal GABAergic interneurons through somatostatin 2A receptors. J Pain. 2024 Dec;25(12):104686. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104686. PMID: 39321909; PMCID: PMC11560608.

Koo H, Wang J, Pariyar R, Hammond RM, La JH. Modulation of mechanosensation by endogenous dopaminergic signaling in the lateral parabrachial nucleus in mice. Pain Rep. 2024 Oct;9(5):e1186. doi: 10.1097/PR9.0000000000001186. eCollection 2024 Oct. PMID: 39263005; PMCID: PMC11390053.

McDonough KE, Hammond R, Wang J, Tierney J, Hankerd K, Chung JM, La JH. Spinal GABAergic disinhibition allows microglial activation mediating the development of nociplastic pain in male mice. Brain Behav Immun. 2023 Jan;107:215-224. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.10.013. PMID: 36273650; PMCID: PMC9855286.

Hankerd K, Koo H, McDonough KE, Wang J, Pariyar R, Tang SJ, Chung JM, La JH. Gonadal hormone-dependent nociceptor sensitization maintains nociplastic pain state in female mice. Pain. 2022 Jun 16. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002715. PMID: 35975896.

Wang XM, Wang J, Fokina V, Patrikeeva S, Rytting E, Ahmed MS, La JH, Nanovskaya T. Effect of deuteration on the single-dose pharmacokinetic properties and postoperative analgesic activity of methadone. Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 2022 Dec;47:100477. doi: 10.1016/j.dmpk.2022.100477. PMID: 36368298; PMCID: PMC9886271.

Hankerd K, McDonough KE, Wang J, Tang SJ, Chung JM, La JH. Postinjury stimulation triggers a transition to nociplastic pain in mice. Pain. 2022 Mar 1;163(3):461-473. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002366. PMID: 34285154.

Lee KY, Bae C, Lee D, Kagan Z, Bradley K, Chung JM, La JH. Low-intensity, kilohertz-frequency spinal cord stimulation differently affects excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the rodent superficial dorsal horn. Neuroscience. 2020 Jan 21;428:132-139. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.12.031. PMID: 31917342.

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