MD/PhD student awarded prestigious NIH fellowship to study PTSD, chronic pain and potential new therapies
Charles “Nick” Zawatsky, an MD/PhD student in Penn State College of Medicine’s Medical Scientist Training Program, has received a highly competitive fellowship from the National Institutes of Health to support his research training.
The National Research Service Award (NRSA) F30 fellowship will fund Zawatsky’s research investigating how trauma-related changes in the brain contribute to both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain – and whether novel therapeutics may help address both conditions simultaneously.
Individuals with PTSD experience chronic pain at significantly higher rates than the general population, often with greater symptom severity and increased risk of conditions such as anxiety, depression and opioid use disorder. Despite this, the underlying neural mechanisms linking these conditions remain incompletely understood.
“The NRSA F30 fellowships have a success rate of 20-30%; these awards are highly prestigious and undergo rigorous peer review,” said Jennifer Nyland, PhD, associate professor of neuroscience and experimental therapeutics and Zawatsky’s mentor. “This shows that Nick’s ideas, previous experience and potential as a future independent investigator stand out among his peers.”
Zawatsky’s research focuses on the nucleus accumbens, a key brain region involved in reward, motivation and neuroplasticity. Prior research suggests that both PTSD and chronic pain are associated with changes in how this region processes information, potentially contributing to increased pain sensitivity and persistent symptoms.
His project will explore whether psilocybin, a compound that has shown promise in early studies for psychiatric conditions, may help reverse or mitigate these trauma-related changes in the brain.
“Current treatment options for PTSD have proved insufficient for addressing the individual and societal impacts of the condition, or its comorbidity with chronic pain, and new interventions are needed,” Zawatsky said. “My research aims to evaluate the therapeutic potential of psilocybin for PTSD and comorbid chronic pain, and to determine the neuroscientific underpinnings of its therapeutic action.”
Using established preclinical models, his work aims to better understand how psilocybin influences brain signaling and neuroplasticity, particularly in pathways connected to the nucleus accumbens. The research will also examine how these changes relate to both pain sensitivity and anxiety-related behaviors.
“I seek to determine whether psilocybin’s capacity to modulate oxytocin signaling in a brain region called the nucleus accumbens is central to its therapeutic mechanism for treating PTSD and comorbid chronic pain,” he said. “By moving from ‘this drug helps’ to ‘this is the circuit to target,’ the foundation is bolstered for the design of improved, novel treatment paradigms.”
By focusing on the shared biology underlying PTSD and chronic pain, Zawatsky’s work aims to contribute to more effective, integrated treatment approaches, particularly for patients living with both conditions.
“Nick has a strong track record of success and is constantly questioning and developing new ideas,” Dr. Nyland said. “He is incredibly intelligent and thoughtful; I always feel like he’s 10 steps ahead of the rest of us. His ability to comprehend and apply complex topics will keep him at the forefront of new discoveries.”
She added that the research itself addresses a critical gap in care.
“Nick’s research into the intersection of PTSD, chronic pain and neuroplasticity is exceptionally timely and important because it addresses a highly comorbid, debilitating condition that conventional, separate treatments often fail to manage,” Dr. Nyland said.
The NIH NRSA F30 fellowship is highly competitive and supports dual-degree (MD/PhD) students pursuing careers as physician-scientists. In addition to providing funding, the award offers dedicated time for research training and career development.
“Navigating the application process, particularly with my first submission being rejected, was as much a lesson in perseverance, adaptability and patience as it was a chance to hone my scientific writing and strengthen collaborative ties with my mentors,” Zawatsky said.
Through this work, Zawatsky aims to advance understanding of how trauma reshapes the brain and to identify new strategies for treating complex, comorbid conditions that affect millions of patients.
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