Chronic pain is defined as pain lasting more than three months and occurring most days. It is the most prevalent medical condition worldwide, affecting one in five adults. Chronic pain is the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years lost among all medical conditions, making it a major medical, scientific, economic, and societal challenge.

Despite the prevalence of chronic pain, effective treatments remain limited, highlighting a critical need for non-pharmacological therapies that target the underlying mechanisms of pain. In response, the FRESCO4NoPain project is pioneering research into the potential of non-invasive brain neuromodulation as a novel treatment strategy for persistent pain. 

FRESCO4NoPain’s central hypothesis is that maladaptive brain oscillatory activity plays a key role in the development and persistence of chronic pain. FRESCO4NoPain aims to offer a new therapeutic approach that could significantly improve the quality of life for millions of individuals affected by pain. By addressing a pressing public health issue with innovative, non-pharmacological solutions, FRESCO4NoPain supports broader EU goals to reduce the burden of chronic pain and decrease dependency on pharmacological interventions.

 

The FRESCO4NoPain Consortium brings together world‑leading pain and neuroscience experts, innovative MedTech companies, and key knowledge actors and end‑users. United by a shared ambition, the consortium aims to train the next generation of pain scientists to tackle the unmet challenges of chronic pain.

With a strong balance of academic and non‑academic partners, the consortium covers expertise ranging from pain neurocircuits, neuromodulation, and experimental pain models to biomedical engineering, clinical research, and translational medicine. Industry and associated partners span the full innovation value chain: from research and technology development to clinical implementation and commercialization, while ensuring close collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and patients.

Learn more about our consortium partners below: