Q&A with Dr. Erick Rodriguez-Palma: Targeting Ion Channels for Fibromyalgia Treatment
June 25, 2025PhRMA Foundation awardee Dr. Erick Rodriguez-Palma of the the University of Florida is exploring the underlying cause of fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes pain all over the body.
About 4 million U.S. adults experience fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes pain all over the body. Women are about twice as likely to have the condition as men. The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, resulting in limited effectiveness of current treatments.
Erick Rodriguez-Palma, MSc, PhD, at the the University of Florida received a PhRMA Foundation 2025 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery for his research exploring the underlying cause of fibromyalgia. Specifically, he is studying the role of calcium and sodium ion channels, special proteins in cell walls that regulate ion movement and are known to be key players in pain signaling.
His research examines how a protein called CRMP2 modulates the activity of these channels, leading to increased neuronal excitability and pain in fibromyalgia. He will also evaluate the therapeutic potential of a novel compound designed to inhibit CRMP2 function in an animal model of fibromyalgia.
Watch this video to learn more about Rodriguez-Palma and his research.
Learn more about the PhRMA Foundation’s fellowship and grant opportunities. Check out more researcher stories on our blog.
