Vicki Bartsch received an F31 individual predoctoral NRSA entitled “Diacylglycerol kinase mediates receptor signaling by regulating lipid levels in somatosensory neurons”. The research project is an investigation of a class of enzymes called diacylglycerol kinases that are found at high levels in peripheral pain-sensing neurons. Through this research, she hopes to characterize how diacylglycerol kinases contribute to pain and itch signaling on the molecular and behavioral levels to serve the long-term goal of identifying new targets for chronic pain and itch treatments.