More than 85 percent of the United States population suffers from low back pain, much of which is caused by intervertebral disc degeneration. Disc degeneration is a progressive condition, resulting in chronic pain in the back and neck. For some patients, degeneration can occur for years before pain sets in, presenting symptoms, while others are affected almost immediately. Currently, identifying the exact disc that is the source of pain involves painful and invasive diagnostic procedures, in which physicians inject a contrast agent or non-toxic dye into patients’ spinal discs. We are developing an imaging technique using magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, which can identify specific biomarkers to potentially provide a noninvasive diagnostic approach to low back pain. This technology, which has been tested on patients and in the laboratory, enabled us to precisely pinpoint the origin of pain. In addition, our research team is interested in the role of stem cells in disc disease and how we can utilize these cells to regenerate the disc and turn it back into a functional tissue.