Peter M. Grace, Ph.D.
Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Department Chair ad interim, Department of Symptom Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2011 | University of Adelaide, Adelaide, AUS, PHD, Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology |
| 2006 | University of Adelaide, Adelaide, AUS, Honors, Health Sciences |
| 2005 | University of Adelaide, Adelaide, AUS, BS, Pharmacology |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2016 - 2022
Research Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 2015 - 2016
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 2011 - 2014
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Chair, Gulf Coast Consortium for Translational Pain Research, Houston, TX, 2021 - Present
Board of Directors (elected), PsychoNeuroImmunology Research Society, Houston, TX, 2019 - 2023
Institutional Committee Activities
Steering Committee, MD Anderson Cancer Neuroscience Program, 2022 - Present
Executive Committee Member, MD Anderson Pain Research Consortium, 2020 - Present
Junior Faculty Steering Committee, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020 - 2022
Executive Committee Member, Cancer Neuroscience Initiative, 2018 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2022 | Faculty Excellence in Research Award, Division of Internal Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2019 | Rita Allen Foundation Award in Pain, Rita Allen Foundation |
| 2019 | NARSAD Young Investigator Award |
| 2019 | Centre for Nanoscale BioPhotonics Commercial Impact Award |
| 2018 | Robert Ader New Investigator Award, PsychoNeuroimmunology Research Society |
| 2017 | Rising STARs Award, University of Texas |
| 2014 | Future Leaders in Pain Research Award, American Pain Society |
| 2013 | Sir Keith Murdoch Fellowship (Postdoctoral), American Australian Association |
| 2013 | CJ Martin Overseas Biomedical Fellowship (Postdoctoral), Australian National Health and Medical Research Council |
| 2011 | Dean's Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence, Dean of Graduate Studies, University of Adelaide |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Green-Fulgham SM, Harland ME, Ball JB, Li J, Lacagnina MJ, D'Angelo H, Dreher RA, Willcox KF, Lorca SA, Kwilasz AJ, Maier SF, Watkins LR, Grace PM. Preconditioning by voluntary wheel running attenuates later neuropathic pain via nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 antioxidant signaling in rats. Pain 163(10):1939-1951, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35486864.
- Green-Fulgham SM, Harland ME, Ball JB, D'Angelo H, Dreher RA, Li J. Lacagnina MJ, Lorca SA, Kwilasz AJ, Maier SF, Watkins LR, Grace PM. Preconditioning by voluntary wheel running attenuates later neuropathic pain via Nrf2 antioxidant signaling in rats. bioRxiv, 2021.
- Hoogendoorn A, Avery TD, Li J, Bursill C, Abell A, Grace PM. Emerging Therapeutic Applications for Fumarates. Trends Pharmacol Sci 42(4):239-254, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33618840.
- Grace PM, Tawfik VL, Svensson CI, Burton MD, Loggia ML, Hutchinson MR. The Neuroimmunology of Chronic Pain: From Rodents to Humans. J Neurosci 41(5):855-865, 2021. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33239404.
- Lacagnina MJ, Li J, Lorca S, Rice KC, Sullivan K, O'Callaghan JP, Grace PM. A role for neuroimmune signaling in a rat model of Gulf War Illness-related pain. Brain Behav Immun 91:418-428, 2021. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33127584.
- Lacagnina MJ, Heijnen CJ, Watkins LR, Grace PM. Autoimmune regulation of chronic pain. Pain Rep 6(1):e905, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33981931.
- Li J, Ma J, Lacagnina MJ, Lorca S, Odem MA, Walters ET, Kavelaars A, Grace PM. Oral Dimethyl Fumarate Reduces Peripheral Neuropathic Pain in Rodents via NFE2L2 Antioxidant Signaling. Anesthesiology 132(2):343-356, 2020. PMID: 31939850.
- Grace PM, Gaudet AD, Staikopoulos V, Maier SF, Hutchinson MR, Salvemini D, Watkins LR. Nitroxidative Signaling Mechanisms in Pathological Pain. Trends Neurosci 39(12):862-879, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27842920.
- Grace PM, Fabisiak TJ, Green-Fulgham SM, Anderson ND, Strand KA, Kwilasz AJ, Galer EL, Walker FR, Greenwood BN, Maier SF, Fleshner M, Watkins LR. Prior voluntary wheel running attenuates neuropathic pain. Pain 157(9):2012-23, 2016. PMID: 27355182.
- Grace PM, Strand KA, Galer EL, Urban DJ, Wang X, Baratta MV, Fabisiak TJ, Anderson ND, Cheng K, Greene LI, Berkelhammer D, Zhang Y, Ellis AL, Yin HH, Campeau S, Rice KC, Roth BL, Maier SF, Watkins LR. Morphine paradoxically prolongs neuropathic pain in rats by amplifying spinal NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 113(24):E3441-50, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27247388.
- Grace PM, Hutchinson MR, Maier SF, Watkins LR. Pathological pain and the neuroimmune interface. Nat Rev Immunol 14(4):217-31, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24577438.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Fc Gamma Receptor Signaling: A New Pathway for Sustained Neuropathic Pain |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Nrf2 Activation for Addiction-Free Treatment of Neuropathic Pain |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NINDS |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Nrf2-Dependent Protection of Neurons and Mitochondria by Fumaric Acid Esters |
| Funding Source: | Biogen IDEC |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Regulation of Peripheral Neuropathic Pain by B Cells |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NINDS |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | PQ12 Targeting HDAC6 for Chemotherapy Induced Neuropathy and Chemobrain |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Development of Pathology-activated Drugs for Treatment of Neuropathic Pain |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NINDS |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | The evaluation of HDX-769 for therapeutic effects in chemotherapy induced neuropathy and cognitive impairment mouse models |
| Funding Source: | HDAX Therapeutics |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |