The Liedtke Lab is part of the Duke University Center for Translational Neuroscience, which is based in the Division of Neurology (Department of Medicine) and the Department of Neurobiology. We aim to deconstruct sensing mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, organ/systems and organismal level. Specifically, our interest is focused on osmotic and mechanical stimuli as highly relevant sensory cues. The sensory system most pertinent for our mission is the nociceptive system of the nervous system, which is necessary to evoke pain in conscious animals including humans, yet directs aversive behavior in virtually all animals that have a nervous system.  Because of the relevance for pain and nociception, besides tonicity and mechanical stimuli, pathophysiologically relevant modulatory co-stimuli such as inflammatory mediators are also being considered. Finally, neural transmission mechanisms of such stimuli are also being explored.