Dr. Kara Marshall named a 2024 Rita Allan Foundation Scholar

Dr. Kara Marshall, assistant professor of neuroscience and McNair Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine, has been named to the 2024 class of Rita Allen Foundation Scholars. She is among seven researchers nationwide who were chosen in recognition of their ambitious research to advance knowledge on development, prevention and treatment of human diseases.

Marshall’s research is focused on the molecular mechanisms that mediate and detect the mechanical forces within the body that are responsible for the movement and function of internal organs. That movement is detected by the nervous system and generates important sensations and physiological responses. For example, the sensation of a full bladder governs the physiological process of urination. During disease these functions can be painful. Marshall’s lab is working to uncover fundamental mechanisms of internal mechanosensation and potentially pave the way for new therapies targeting internal pain.

“We are thrilled to have this funding to help launch projects in the lab to understand internal mechanical pain. This will represent a transition in our lab from our efforts to understand foundational mechanisms of internal mechanosensation in healthy organs to understanding how this is altered in disease states,” Marshall said. “During disease or inflammation, normal organ movements often become painful. How mechanical cues are sensed is still relatively underexplored. We hope this can lead us to new avenues of understanding and point to novel pain treatments.”

Marshall is one of two scholars from this group specifically chosen by a review committee of the U.S. Association for the Study of Pain in partnership with the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Award in Pain, which supports investigators whose research is on the biology of pain. These scholars hold exceptional promise for revealing new pathways to understand and treat pain conditions.

Since 1976, the Rita Allen Foundation has invested in more than 200 biomedical scientists at the early stages of their careers, enabling them to pursue research with above-average risk and promise.

Other 2024 Rita Allen Foundation Scholars are:

Daniele Canzio, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco; Milton E. Cassel Scholar

Alexander Meeske, University of Washington

Elizabeth Pollina, Washington University in St. Louis

Erica Pratt, Boston University

Katelyn Sadler, Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas; Award in Pain

Longzhi Tan, Stanford University