November 7, 2024
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is a research funding agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that champions transformative biomedical innovation, from the molecular to the societal, providing equitable health solutions for all.
Last November, The Agency made a monumental commitment, pledging over $110 million to fund solutions for health conditions that uniquely or disproportionately affect women. This substantial effort will significantly advance the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research and catalyze the type of innovation and engagement that has long been needed to improve women's health.
Although women make up more than half the population, they have been underrepresented in health research. As a result, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the ARPA-H's Sprint for Women's Health awards - distributing funds to select awardees based on their high-impact and novel approaches to The Sprint's Six Focus Areas in women's health. The initiative aims to narrow the gaps in women's health research. It marks a significant milestone in the efforts of First Lady Jill Biden and the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research, which is striving to change how women's health research is conducted and ultimately innovate life-changing discoveries in women's health care.
In a collaborative effort, Tufts University, Northwestern University, and Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USU), in partnership with The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc. (HJF), will address Health Topic 05: Objective and Quantitative Measurement of Chronic Pain in Women.
Women are more likely to suffer from a variety of chronic pain conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and migraines. When self-reporting pain, their level of pain is often underestimated and undertreated due to the subjective nature of the 1-10 pain rating scale, gender bias, and other stereotypes. These factors frequently result in delayed diagnosis and treatment, prolonged suffering, and ultimately, mistrust in medical providers, causing a reluctance to seek further medical care. The lack of biological markers for pain has also been noted as a factor that contributes to lower success rates in women's clinical trials. Therefore, discovering quantitative biomarkers of pain could lead to advances in pain management.
The DVPRS pain scale for Military Health System and civilian health care organizations
The collaborative team of researchers from Tufts University, Northwestern University, USU, and HJF have been selected by ARPA-H to work together on this crucial research. Their objective is to identify reliable biomarkers such as cortisol, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, inflammation markers, and neurotransmitters in the interstitial fluid that flows between the cells just below the skin. Additionally, researchers will monitor physical responses such as heart rate, changes in electrical properties of the skin, and respiration. These physiological data points will be paired with reactions from women enrolled in clinical trials.
"Currently, there are no clinically reliable biomarkers for accurately quantifying pain. In this project, we will integrate these blood biomarkers and biophysical measurements with machine learning tools for reporting and treating pain," said Dr. Bhomia, Co-Principal Investigator on this project and a senior scientist with HJF. "The potential impact of this research is immense, offering hope for a future where women's chronic pain can be accurately measured and effectively managed."
The data will then be analyzed and compiled by AI and machine learning modules to collate data for a proposed wearable device used by patients and clinicians. This device will help effectively track and manage chronic pain, potentially revolutionizing the way all pain is diagnosed and treated in the future.
ARPA-H will conduct the Sprint for Women's Health initiative with the support of the Investor Catalyst Hub ARPANET-H, which connects innovators and institutions to accelerate better health outcomes. Over the next two years, this multi-site collaborative team will work closely with an ARPA-H Program Manager and the Investor Catalyst Hub to meet research milestones and performance objectives.
To better understand the roles of each of these collaborating agencies, read their press releases: Tufts Now Press Release and USU Press Release. To learn more about the health topics addressed by the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research, visit The White House's official website.
The response to the Sprint for Women's Health exceeded all expectations, with ARPA-H receiving over 1,700 proposal submissions. HJF wishes to congratulate the Health Topic 05 Team on their outstanding efforts to obtain this groundbreaking award. We look forward to being a part of a more equitable future in healthcare.