Scientists working with Professor John Wood in the Molecular Nociception Group at the WIBR have discovered that Jo Cameron is not able to feel pain due to a mutation in the FAAH gene that plays a role in pain sensation. Jo also has a second mutation involving missing DNA in a Gene named FAAH-OUT.
People with rare insensitivity to pain can be valuable to medical research as we learn how their genetic mutations impact how they experience pain, so we would encourage anyone who does not experience pain to come forward. We hope that with time, our findings might contribute to clinical research for post-operative pain and anxiety, and potentially chronic pain, PTSD and wound healing.
- The woman who doesn't feel pain
BBC, 28 March 2019 - Scientists find genetic mutation that makes woman feel no pain
Guardian, 28 March 2019 - The Times view on Jo Cameron, who feels no pain: Superwoman
Times, 28 March 2019 - A life without pain would be good, but one without anxiety would be blissful
Daily Telegraph, 29 March 2019
Molecular Nociception Group
The Molecular Nociception Group focuses on genetic approaches to understanding the biology of nociceptors (damage-sensing neurons), somatosensation, pain and touch.
Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research
The Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research was established at UCL in 1995 for the pursuit of excellence in translational biomedical research. Now, with its primary focus on fundamental and translational neuroscience, the WIBR is a key hub within the rich environment of the UCL neuroscience community.
Division of Medicine
UCL Division of Medicine within the Faculty of Medical Sciences forms one of the largest concentrations of biomedical scientists in Europe.
