Michael J. Lacagnina, PhD

Member, Department of Anesthesia
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Anesthesia

michael.lacagnina@cchmc.org

About

PhD: Duke University, Durham, NC, 2016.

Postdoctoral Research: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2017-2022.

Instructor: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2022-2023.

Services and Specialties

Anesthesia

Interests

Neuroimmunology; mechanisms of chronic pain; glial biology; autoimmunity

Research Areas

Publications

Potential role for immune cell signatures as predictors of acute and chronic pain in adolescents post major musculoskeletal surgery. Vijayarajan, SAL; Krolick, KN; Quayle, K; Pilipenko, V; Glynn, S; Lacagnina, MJ; Martin, LJ; Lages, CS; Thornton, S; Garcia, V; Chidambaran, V. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 2026; 131:106133.

Brain-wide changes in microglial morphology following peripheral nerve injury. Cazuza, RA; Laoumtzis, M; Lacagnina, MJ; Morphett, JC; Zagrai, SM; Grieco, AR; Hutchinson, MR; Grace, PM. Journal of Pain. 2026; 38:105582.

Fc gamma receptor IIa signaling from spinal cord astrocytes promotes neuropathic pain in rats. Lacagnina, MJ; Willcox, KF; Fiore, NT; Grieco, AR; Li, J; Heijnen, CJ; Grace, PM. Journal of Pain. 2025; 36:105553.

Site-specific drug release of monomethyl fumarate to treat oxidative stress disorders. Avery, TD; Li, J; Turner, DJL; Rasheed, MSU; Cherry, FR; Stachura, DL; Rivera-Escalera, F; Ruiz, DM; Lacagnina, MJ; Gaffney, CM; Liang, D; Shepherd, AJ; Abell, AD; Grace, PM. Nature Biotechnology. 2025; 43(10):1624-1627.

97 Mapping Microglia in the Brain After Nerve Injury Reveals Sustained Activity in Regions Encoding Affective Dimensions of Pain. Zagrai, S; Cazuza, R; Grieco, A; Morphett, J; Laoumtzis, M; Lacagnina, M; Hutchinson, M; Grace, P. Journal of Pain. 2025; 29:104893.

110 B Cell Contributions to Pain Behaviors and Autoantibody Accumulation Following Neuropathic Injury. Propsom, K; Gourley, BE; Woodke, ST; Lacagnina, MJ. Journal of Pain. 2025; 29:104906.

The role of cytokines in acute and chronic postsurgical pain after major musculoskeletal surgeries in a quaternary pediatric center. Chidambaran, V; Duan, Q; Pilipenko, V; Glynn, SM; Sproles, A; Martin, LJ; Lacagnina, MJ; King, CD; Ding, L. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 2024; 122:596-603.

B cells drive neuropathic pain-related behaviors in mice through IgG-Fc gamma receptor signaling. Lacagnina, MJ; Willcox, KF; Boukelmoune, N; Bavencoffe, A; Sankaranarayanan, I; Barratt, DT; Zuberi, YA; Dayani, D; Chavez, MV; Lu, JT; Heijnen, CJ; Price, TJ; Fiore, NT; Grace, PM. Science Translational Medicine. 2024; 16(766):eadj1277.

Voluntary wheel running prevents formation of membrane attack complexes and myelin degradation after peripheral nerve injury. Green-Fulgham, SM; Lacagnina, MJ; Willcox, KF; Li, J; Harland, ME; Ciena, AP; Rocha, IRC; Ball, JB; Dreher, RA; Zuberi, YA; Dragavon, JM; Chacur, M; Maier, SF; Watkins, LR; Grace, PM. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 2024; 115:419-431.

B Cells Promote Mechanical Allodynia After Peripheral Nerve Injury. Lacagnina, MJ; Willcox, KF; Boukelmoune, N; Heijnen, CJ; Grace, PM. Journal of Pain. 2023; 24(4):37.