Australian Pain Society Newsletter
Editor’s Note
Joanne Harmon
Heads up people- September is pain awareness month. So, spring into our actionpacked newsletter.
Travel is on everyone’s mind. Let’s start with the new APS Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) Travel Grant for Allied Health Practitioners. APS also has other travel grants for PhD students, Pain in Childhood (PinC) and Basic Pain Research (BPR) SIG members. The benefits of receiving these travel grants are shared by recent recipients Crystal Li and Fernando Tinoco. Crystal describes her experience attending Darwin this year to present her poster, crocodiles, and karaoke. Fernando also shares on his presentation showcasing results from a PhD research paper. What strikes me the most is the networking opportunities they both shared.
Another travel opportunity is the Pain Revolution Rural Outreach Tour. This kicks off 14- 21 September – a great chance to meet with professionals in the industry - including Prof Lorimer Moseley AO.
We have a lot of resources to share about pain in children this issue. We have two great recent publications on paediatric chronic pain. After reading both, this should inspire you to consider applying for the Cops for Kids (CFK) grant. Applications for the eighth CFK Clinical Research Grant close on 11 September 2024, don't miss out on this incredible opportunity!
We can also quench your thirst for more knowledge in this issue. Lots of opportunities for online education starting with some free stuff. The APS and NARI developed painACT, a FREE ‘train-the-trainer’ pain management program that is for use by staff in both residential aged care facilities and
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organisations that provide aged care in the community, in addition to NDIS providers. Save the date for several online seminars. The BPR pain hour session on 17 September presents a great opportunity to explore the biology of placebo and nocebo effects on pain. Hear from Professor Elisa Carlino (Italy) and our own Dr Lewis Crawford. Followed up by session 11 in October on “Unravelling the Nervous System: High-Resolution Transcriptomics Insights in Pain Studies” with presentations from Dr Will Renthal and Dr Diana Tavares Ferreira, both from the USA. On 06 November Prof Suzanne Nielsen and Dr Pene Wood will present on the new digital opioid safety toolkit. This will be a 45 min presentation followed by 15 mins Q&A moderated by our very own APS President Mrs Joyce McSwan.
Spring is a great time, and a good opportunity to catch up on your reading. Check out the three interesting BPR journal watch article summaries, always a great way to catch up. Another must read is the new Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) professional document “Statement on the clinical approach to persistent pelvic pain including endometriosis associated pain”. The FPM is keen to hear your feedback before the end of the year.
Know someone who is a legend? Why not nominate them for the APS Distinguished Member Award?
Until next time, Joanne
Important Dates for Your Diary
Monday 9 September 2024
Topical Session Submissions Close
Tuesday 1 October 2024
Rising Star Award Applications Close
Tuesday 15 October 2024
Free Paper/Poster Abstract Submissions Close
Thursday 31 October 2024
Distinguished Member Nominations Close
Tuesday 19 November 2024
Registrations Open!
30 November 2024
All Travel Grant Applications Close
Save The Date
APS 2025 will be held from 13 - 16 April 2025 at the Pullman Melbourne Albert Park, VIC Please visit the conference website here: www.dcconferences.com.au/aps2025
If you have any questions, please contact the APS Conference Secretariat: apsasm@dccam.com.au
TOPICAL SESSION SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN
Submissions
Deadline: Monday 9 September 2024
On behalf of the Scientific Program Committee (SPC) and the Local Organising Committee, we are pleased to advise topical session submissions for APS 2025 are now open.
The deadline for Topical Session submissions is:
Monday 9 September 2024
View the topical session submission guidelines.
The online topical session submission portal is now available via the conference website.
We look forward to receiving your submissions.
The SPC have put together a video to help answer the question, “what you need to know to put together a great topical session”. You can watch it via the conference website.
Should you have any further queries regarding your submission or the process, please contact the Conference Secretariat.
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RISING STAR AWARD
Now accepting applications!
Submission Deadline: Tuesday 1 October 2024
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This award showcases rising star pain researchers in Australia and may be awarded annually subject to the application of suitable candidates. The Rising Star Winner will receive a return domestic airfare, accommodation, and complimentary registration to attend the 2025 APS 45th ASM where they will give a plenary presentation to showcase their work and ideas.
Applications are now open, for further information and to apply, please click here.
Selection Criteria
This award will be based on excellence in pain research achievements. Applicants are asked to self-nominate and provide a one-page (A4, 12pt, Times New Roman) personal statement addressing the following criteria, with evidence:
• Track record, relative to opportunity (i.e., achievements rather than aspirations)
• Research Impact
• Leadership
Along with three (3) selected publications that reflect your most important research-related contributions. These may be from any stage of your research career. Each publication should be accompanied by a 200 words summary detailing what your contribution was, why you think the publication is important and what impact it has had. The applicant is also required to submit an abstract for their proposed plenary presentation. Abstracts must be 500 words or less, inclusive of title, author(s) names, and institutional affiliation(s) and references.
Eligibility Criteria
• Nominees must hold a PhD and be within five (5) years of the date on the official conferral letter from the awarding institution, by the deadline of this award application.
• Applicants can be working in any field of pain research.
• The selection committee will take in to account personal or extenuating circumstances that might provide grounds for consideration if the above eligibility criteria are not met.
• Only individual scientists are eligible (not research teams).
• Applicants must be available to attend APS 2025 in person to deliver the Rising Star presentation.
• Applicant must be a current member of the APS.
• Australian citizen/resident, currently working in Australia and have spent at least two postdoctoral years in Australia, or have returned to continue working in Australia.
For further information and to apply, please visit the Rising Star Application Guidelines. We look forward to receiving your submission!
ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN
Submissions close: Tuesday 15 October 2024
On behalf of the Scientific Program Committee and the Local Organising Committee, we are pleased to advise that abstract submissions for APS 2025 are now open.
Please note the following points regarding the submission process:
• If your abstract is accepted, either as a free paper or poster, there is an expectation that you will attend the conference to present this abstract
• Expressions of Interest (EOI) for travel grant applications are also being collected as part of the submission process
• The submitting author MUST be the main author and the person who will present the work at the ASM
To view the abstract submission guidelines please click here
There are THREE categories for Abstract Submissions.
Please visit these portals below:
Experimental Studies & Clinical Trials Abstract Guidelines
Clinical Practice & Service Delivery Abstract Guidelines
Case Reports Abstract Guidelines
EOI for Travel Grant Applications - APS Members only
Delegates wishing to apply for a travel grant must be the major contributor and submitting author of the abstract. Only delegates who have ticked 'yes' to the Travel Grant section of the abstract submission process AND completed the associated application form will be considered.
There are two travel grant opportunities available for APS Members. For further information on available APS travel grants and eligibility, please refer to the following webpages:
Travel Grants
Professor Michael Cousins AO Travel Grant - Allied Health Professionals only
We look forward to receiving your submissions. Should you have any queries regarding your submission or the process, please contact the Conference Secretariat.
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NOMINATION FOR AUSTRALIAN PAIN SOCIETY DISTINGUISHED MEMBER AWARD – 2025
The Board of Directors is seeking nominations from all Australian Pain Society (APS) members for candidates to be considered for the Distinguished Member Award(s) to be presented at the APS 45th Annual Scientific Meeting to be held in Melbourne from 13 - 16 April 2025.
Eligibility criteria:
Candidates must be APS members who generally have had a lengthy career in the field of pain and have:
• Made major contribution1 towards the Society, and
• Significantly contributed to the science of pain management, and/or
• Played a significant clinical, educational or research role in the field of pain management in Australia
1 Major contributions include, but are not limited to:
• Scientific Program Committee involvement
• Pain research
• APS projects
• Subcommittee involvement
• Board liaison
• Contributions to ASM presentations
Nomination Guidelines:
• A ‘Nomination for Distinguished Member Award’ form must be completed.
• As a guide, it is desirable that nominees have held continuous APS membership for over 10 years.
• Nominations must include an 800-900 word biography of the nominee. The Board will not consider incomplete nomination forms.
• Unsuccessful nominations are not automatically put forward in subsequent years.
• The nominator must be prepared to present a brief summary of the Distinguished Member biography in the ASM program, or arrange a suitable alternate for the presentation segment.
Submission:
• All nominations to be submitted to the APS Secretariat by 31 October 2024.
Notification:
• The APS Board will notify successful nominees by 31 December 2024
• Distinguished Member recipients are actively encouraged to attend the Annual Scientific Meeting in order to receive their award in person from the APS President.
The nomination form and a listing of past recipients of the Distinguished Member Award, including their biographies, can be found on the APS website.
ASM TRAVEL GRANTS
The Australian Pain Society (APS) is pleased to announce the availability of several Travel Grants for members to present their research at our Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM).
Travel Grants are awarded as follows:
• PhD students (up to the value of $500)
• A single dedicated Travel Grant for a Pain in Childhood (PinC) SIG member ($500)
• A single dedicated Travel Grant for a Basic Pain Research (BPR) SIG member ($500)
• If funds permit, further travel grants may be offered to nurses, allied health professionals, and other post-graduate students.
This Travel Grant program is designed to encourage contribution to, and participation in, the ASM, and is made possible through an allocation of a capped pool of APS operating funds.
Full eligibility criteria and Terms and Conditions are available on the Travel Grants webpage.
To be considered for any Travel Grant:
NEW! Professor Michael Cousins AO Travel Grant
In honour of Professor Michael Cousins AO, the Australian Pain Society (APS) is pleased to announce a single, dedicated Travel Grant for an Allied Health Practitioner (AHP) member to present their research abstract at our Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM).
The Professor Michael Cousins AO Allied Health Practitioner Travel Grant includes:
• Complimentary ASM registration at the relevant early bird rate
• $500 towards ASM travel and accommodation expenses
a. an EOI for a Travel Grant must be indicated when your abstract is submitted; AND
b. a Travel Grant Application form must be submitted to aps@apsoc.org.au by 5pm on 30 November 2024 – no exceptions.
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Annual Scientific Meeting Travel Grant Recipient Report
Crystal Li
Crystal is a PhD candidate in the Department of Neuroscience at Monash University. Her research is centred on exploring the role of the cerebellum in pain processing, especially within females.
Author contact details: crystal.li@monash.edu
X/Twitter: @LiCrystal
Crocodiles and karaoke, what more could we ask for?
Year after year, APS continues to impress. This time, crocodiles made it into the program! It was my third APS meeting, and it is always one of the highlights of my year. The atmosphere was welcoming and jovial, and I walked away with stimulating insights into different fields of pain research, adventurous ideas for my own research, and many words of wisdom applicable to both my personal and professional life.
The APS Travel Grant funded my visit up north to Darwin, where I was given the opportunity to present my poster to the conference attendees. My research characterised changes in the cerebellum within a preclinical model of chronic neuropathic pain in adolescent female rats. We presented some exciting preliminary evidence showing changes to inhibitory neurotransmission and Purkinje cell density in the cerebellum that was associated with behavioural allodynia to cold stimuli. Despite the large proportion of clinicians and clinical researchers at the meeting, it was great to see that my preclinical work still attracted interest from both new and familiar faces.
The Trainee Session is always a worthwhile event which provides the perfect opportunity for meeting some of the powerhouse leaders in the field, and this year was no exception.
Here I had the chance to meet Professor Cheryl Stucky, who kindly offered many encouraging and inspirational words to trainees, which I will certainly leverage to see out the many remaining hurdles I anticipate in my PhD.
As per usual, it’s a refreshing experience to catch up with all my interstate connections at APS, and I keenly await the next APS meeting (especially the post-Gala karaoke) in Melbourne!
Declaration: Crystal Li has nothing to declare.
Annual Scientific Meeting Travel Grant Recipient Report
Fernando Tinoco
Fernando Tinoco received his Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) from the University of Sydney and is now a late-stage PhD student. He currently works as a casual academic within anatomy and neuroscience, as well as a science communicator within biology and physics. His current research focuses on investigating a somatotopic map of the human periaqueductal grey during pain and analgesic processing utilising ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging techniques.
Author contact details: fernando.tinoco@sydney.edu.au
Somatotopic representation of placebo analgesia in the human PAG
Another year, another memorable conference! The Australian Pain Society (APS) once again provides us the opportunity to uncover the latest advancements in pain research and explore a new city within Australia. The 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) marks my third ASM and this year allowed me to travel to Darwin for the first time. I was particularly inspired by its rich history and cultural influence, diverse food scene, as well as the tropical harbour of the city. The ASM is always welcome and invites thriving academics, clinicians, and researchers in the pain sphere, making for insightful discussions and networking opportunities to be had.
This year, I was fortunate to present my work once again in a concurrent free paper session where I showed the results of one of my research papers from my PhD project. The aim of this investigation is to assess somatotopy (body-map representation) within the human periaqueductal grey (PAG) using a placebo analgesia paradigm. The PAG poses immense difficulty to study due to its small size (<5 mm) and location within the brainstem. Using
a 7-tesla MRI, we can localise activity within the PAG to a higher degree of accuracy than that of a standard 3-tesla MRI would allow. Our results reveal that analgesia in the face and body displays a crude somatotopy within the PAG, with activity being rostral and caudal, respectively, that closely matches the pre-clinical literature. I would like to thank the attendees of this session and audience members who approached me after my talk to further discuss my findings, and to congratulate the other speakers for their fantastic presentations.
Every day of the ASM is filled with active plenary and topical sessions that are sure to pique the interest of all attending members. By the end of the final plenary talk, you are left with excitement about heading back to home with all these new ideas and knowledge that you can add to your work. A highlight for me was hearing from keynote speaker Professor James McCauley and his plenary talk on the movement towards psychologically informed management for lower back pain management really stood out to me. The content presented was relevant to my previous work on chronic neuropathic pain and has provided me with new insights on how to approach the psychophysics behind chronic pain management.
Likewise, the poster sessions offer us the chance to see the vast amount of multidisciplinary research being done on pain, and to introduce ourselves to new faces. I had the privilege of meeting Yiru Guo, a Masters student who studied the effects and safety of a nerve cuff delivering an ionic direct current to the sciatic nerve in rodent models of neuropathic pain. This was a unique approach to pain management I haven’t seen before and has shifted my perspective on methods to treating and managing pain disorders.
ASM 2024 / Cops for Kids Clinical Research Grant
Particularly, the application of biomedical engineering in the field of neuroscience has greatly intrigued me and stimulated new ways of thinking around neuropathic pain.
It was once again a pleasure to attend the ASM in April and to share the experience with fellow colleagues, friends, and potential new collaborators. Hats off to the APS committee in hosting these brilliant conferences where we can all exchange knowledge and explore novel research from experts in the pain community.
I would also like to thank the APS for their generous support in providing me with a travel grant to assist my expenses in attending this ASM and to expand on my professional network, particularly as I look for a postdoctoral role soon. Next year holds much to look forward to, in the grand city of Melbourne, and I hope to see you all there in 2025!
Declaration: Fernando Tinoco has nothing to declare.
Announcing the APS/CFK Clinical Research Grant #8
The Australian Pain Society (APS) is a multidisciplinary association whose purpose is to advance pain management through education, research, and advocacy for transformational improvements in clinical care. Our vision is that all people will have optimal pain management throughout their life.
Cops for Kids (CFK) is a South Australian based charity focused on supporting initiatives that strive to improve the lives of children in that state. Part of the CFK mandate includes the provision of funds for research to assist in the care of sick children and/or enhance the life quality of a child.
APS is pleased to announce our partnership with Cops For Kids is continuing with an eighth Clinical Research Grant Program
In brief, the award is to enable clinical research meeting the following criteria:
• Approach a meaningful conclusion in one year
• Conducted in Australia and must be relevant to the South Australian population
• The applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• The applicant and their supervisor (if applicable) must be members of the Australian Pain Society and its Pain in Childhood Special Interest Group
• The funded project can be related to any aspect of a childhood pain complaint - including theoretical, mechanistic, diagnostic, treatment, epidemiological, and/or sociological approaches; and
• The grant funding of $40,000 (inclusive of GST) will be paid quarterly in arrears upon the submission and acceptance of a combined Progress Report-Acquittal Form
Further information about the Clinical Research Grant can be obtained from the APS Secretariat.
Clinical Research Grant Application forms are available online and must be submitted by: 5pm on Wednesday 11 September 2024.
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BPR Pain Hour: Exploring the Biology of Placebo and Nocebo Effects on Pain
Tuesday 17 September 2024, 3-4pm AEST (via Zoom)
The purpose of our Basic Pain Research Special Interest Group (BPR SIG) is to share, improve, and promote scientific knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms of nociception and pain across all levels of investigation, from molecular and cellular analyses to preclinical or clinical studies.
This forum will provide an informal platform to promote and share our research and insights from early career researchers (ECRs, including students) and senior colleagues.
Session 10: Exploring the Biology of Placebo and Nocebo Effects on Pain
Summary:
This session will explore the effects of placebo and nocebo on pain and the complex interplay between psychological expectations and physiological responses. The talk by Professor Carlino will delve into the biology behind placebo and nocebo effects in pain perception, highlighting how psychological factors can trigger significant physiological responses. It will cover the neurobiological pathways involved in these effects, explaining how brain chemistry can alter pain experiences. The discussion will also address the implications for clinical practice, offering insights into how understanding these mechanisms can improve patient care and treatment outcomes. This comprehensive overview will be valuable for healthcare professionals, researchers, and students interested in the intricate connection between mind and body in the context of pain management.
Dr Crawford will discuss the cortical and brainstem systems of human placebo analgesia responsivity (endogenous pain control) through the lens of 7-Tesla functional brain imaging. The neural elements governing human pain control reside in the cortex, subcortex, and
brainstem. Whilst the cortical pain system has been well-explored and defined, limitations in imaging field strength long held the discrete role of the human subcortex and brainstem a mystery. In a series of experimental investigations, the team produced a schema of brainstem activity that defined placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia in healthy humans, extending this work to the cortical and subcortical networks that regulate brainstem output to drive placebo responsivity. The behaviour of placebo analgesia responders will be further discussed, with results from recent work providing evidence for the Bayesian brain hypothesis and the resiliency of conditioning behaviours across time.
The invited speakers:
• Professor Elisa Carlino, Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini”, University of Turin, Italy
• Dr Lewis Crawford, Neural Imaging Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Australia
All are welcome to attend, including postgraduate students.
Please be advised that the speakers and most of the audience will not have clinical or healthcare backgrounds. Therefore, they will not comment or provide advice about whether these findings can be translated into clinical settings, or about managing pain from a healthcare perspective.
We look forward to seeing you there, please register here
BPR Pain Hour: Unravelling the Nervous System: High-Resolution Transcriptomics Insights in Pain Studies
Tuesday 22 October 2024, 10-11am AEDT (via Zoom)
The purpose of our Basic Pain Research Special Interest Group (BPR SIG) is to share, improve, and promote scientific knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms of nociception and pain across all levels of investigation, from molecular and cellular analyses to preclinical or clinical studies.
This forum will provide an informal platform to promote and share our research and insights, from early career researchers (ECRs) (including students) and senior colleagues.
Session 11: Unravelling the Nervous System: High-Resolution
Transcriptomics Insights in Pain Studies
Summary:
Join us for an online seminar exploring the cutting-edge use of high-resolution omics approaches in mapping pain pathways and signalling in the nervous system. Our expert speakers will delve into the latest techniques such as single-cell transcriptomics and ATAC-seq (Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin with high-throughput sequencing), providing insights into the neural pathways that control pain signalling.
Through their research, our speakers have made significant breakthroughs in understanding the complex interactions between neurons, glial cells, and immune cells that contribute to pain perception. By leveraging high-resolution omics data, they are shedding light on novel therapeutic targets and potential biomarkers for pain diagnosis.
In this seminar, we will hear from two distinguished experts who will share their latest findings and discuss the future directions of research in this exciting field. Dr Will Renthal will be sharing his work in profiling the cell types and states of chronic pain where his team has built cross-species harmonised atlases
of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and trigeminal ganglion (TG) cell types. These sensory ganglia reference atlases can guide future studies in comparative transcriptomics, simplify cell type nomenclature differences across studies, and help prioritise targets for future pain therapy development.
Dr Diana Tavares Ferreira works on understanding the underlying mechanisms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a prevalent complication of diabetes, to develop effective treatments. She will discuss the application of Visium spatial transcriptomics to DRGs from individuals with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) history and sural nerves from diabetic patients, uncovering key neuronal subtype changes and non-neuronal cell interactions that underlie this prevalent complication.
The invited speakers:
• Dr Will Renthal, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA
• Dr Diana Tavares Ferreira, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, USA
All are welcome to attend, including postgraduate students.
Please be advised that the speakers and most of the audience will not have clinical or healthcare backgrounds. Therefore, they will not comment or provide advice about whether these findings can be translated into clinical setting, or about managing pain from a healthcare perspective.
We look forward to seeing you there, please register here
Developed by the Australian Pain Society in collaboration with the National Ageing Research Institute, this FREE ‘train-the-trainer’ pain management program is for use by sta in both residential aged care facilities and organisations that provide aged care in the community, as well as NDIS providers.
This project is part of a consortium project, funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC), Australian Government grant (2020-24; GO2810) Pain Management - Health Professional Education and Training as part of the Chronic Conditions Prevention and Management program in response to the National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management.
Bite-sized 10 minute training modules!
Eight (8) painACT modules: One for the trainer called “How to use the painACT trainer program”, and seven modules for the trainer to train their sta :
Introduction to pain in aged care
Impact of pain on the person, family and sta
Conversations about pain
Source reference: Pain in
painACT is available on the Australian Pain Society website and consists of:
For more information:
> trainer learning module documents > short training video clips, and > participant handout material apsoc.org.au/painACT-Online-Learning
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Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management
September marks Pain Awareness Month promoted by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) and the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA). Ideally, this month will spark more conversations and understanding about pain between health professionals, people living with pain, policy makers and the wider community.
Awareness is a priority in better pain management as outlined in the Australian National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management
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Help IASP and ACPA raise public awareness around pain, pain management, and the great work pain professionals do during the month of September...and beyond.
Pain Revolution is excited to announce that their Rural Outreach Tour is coming to communities in South East South Australia and Western Victoria!
This is a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable knowledge, connect with others in your community, and empower yourself with a deeper understanding of science and pain. For professionals in the industry, it’s also a chance to meet world-renowned researchers, including Professor Lorimer Moseley AO.
This tour is packed with a variety of events designed to engage both community members and health professionals. The events are a unique blend of science and entertainment, offering valuable insights into science and pain while keeping you engaged.
Details here!
The Opioid Safety Toolkit Seminar
What health professionals need to know to answer your patients’ questions
FREE Seminar!
4pm AEDT, Wednesday 06 November 2024 (via Zoom)
The Australian Pain Society (APS) is delighted to present Prof Suzanne Nielsen, Deputy Director of the Monash Addiction Research Centre in Melbourne, and Dr Pene Wood, a pharmacist specialising in pain and addiction, who will present on the new digital Opioid Safety Toolkit.
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The Opioid Safety Toolkit was launched in August 2024 to increase consumer health literacy around prescription opioid safety. This interactive Toolkit, developed through extensive codesign with consumers and healthcare professionals, aims to encourage more open and informed conversations about opioid safety, and increase naloxone uptake among people who are prescribed opioids. This Toolkit will be widely disseminated over the next year, and it is likely your patients may have some questions about their opioids and naloxone. This seminar will provide you with a background on the Toolkit and naloxone, including an overview of some of the clinical screening and opioid outcome tools that are included, to help you answer these questions.
This lecture is suitable for health professionals only.
There will be a 45 minute presentation followed by a 15 minute Q&A session.
The session will be moderated by Mrs Joyce McSwan, APS President.
Places are limited, we look forward to seeing you there!
PLEASE RSVP HERE
Resources for consumers are available here
Recurrent infections drive persistent bladder dysfunction and pain via sensory nerve sprouting and mast cell activity
Hayes BW, Choi HW, Rathore APS, Bao C, Shi J, Huh Y, et al. Recurrent infections drive persistent bladder dysfunction and pain via sensory nerve sprouting and mast cell activity. Science Immunology. 2024;9(93):eadi5578.
DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adi5578
Reviewers:
Dr Luke Grundy, Ralph Ernst Fellow in bladder/ prostate cancer, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University
Meera Elmasri, PhD student, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University
Review of article
Study group
Bladder biopsies and urine were obtained from patients with recurrent urinary tract infection (rUTI) who were experiencing pain and aged matched controls.
Female control (C57BL/6J), and transgenic mice: Mast-cell-deficient Wsh mice (KitW-sh/ W-sh), Ccr2−/−, iDTRf+/+, and Trpv1−/− mice, AdvillinGCaMP6 mice
Aims of study
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections in the world and account for almost 25% of infections in women. It is common for patients with UTI to experience frequent recurrence (rUTI). Some patients with a history of rUTI experience chronic pelvic pain and urinary frequency despite clearance of the infection with antibiotics. The aim of this study was to determine the mechanisms underlying the development of chronic pelvic pain and changes in bladder function in patients that have experienced rUTI.
Brief methodology
Bladder biopsies and urine were obtained from patients with a history of rUTI that also experienced chronic bladder pain and aged
matched control patients that neither had a history of UTI nor chronic pelvic pain. Biopsies were immunostained to identify sensory nerve fibre density, and urine was assessed for neuropeptide release. Mechanistic studies were performed using a mouse model of rUTI. Female (7-8 week) mice received transurethral instillation of a uropathogenic E. coli on day 1, day 7, and day 14. Assessments including pelvic and paw withdrawal response as an indication of referred pelvic pain; immunostaining of sensory nerve innervation; bladder contraction assays; and Neurotrophin and histamine ELISA’s were conducted on day 28, 14 days after the final infection when urine bacteria were cleared. Experiments were repeated in transgenic mice and following in-vivo treatments to deplete bladder neuropeptides or immune cells. Experiments were replicated using in vitro primary cultures of sensory nerves and immune cells.
Brief Summary of the results
Bladder biopsies from patients with chronic pelvic pain had an increased density of neuropeptide positive neurons within the bladder wall and an increase in neuropeptide content in the urine. Mice subjected to rUTI had increased sensory nerve sprouting, heightened pelvic sensitivity, increased urinary frequency, and increased urinary nerve growth factor (NGF). Sustained release of NGF sensitised pain sensing neurons and promoted pain-like responses and urinary frequency. Inhibition of NGF signalling prevented nerve sprouting in the bladder and alleviated pelvic sensitivity. Furthermore, supressing production of mast cell generated NGF was effective in normalising nerve growth, referred pelvic pain, and urinary frequency suggesting these cells are crucial in the development of rUTI pain.
Conclusions
The findings of this study suggest that sensory nerve sprouting in the bladder coupled with chronic activation of mast cells represents an underlying mechanism driving bacteriaindependent pain and voiding defects experienced by patients with rUTI.
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Reviewer's critique & take-home message from the article
Of particular interest in this study is the increased density of sensory innervation in the bladder following recurrent UTI, which potentially provides an avenue for the increased activation of neurons in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG), and the development of referred pelvic pain that was observed. Additional functional electrophysiological data investigating sensory nerve output from the bladder, and the types of neurons that are sensitised/recruited would further support the research. The authors confirm that the mice used in their model had cleared
the bacterial infection, however, it is not clearly articulated whether the bladder inflammation had also resolved completely. As such, the model described could still be assessing an inflammatory pain state rather than a post-inflammatory chronic pain state. Whether the symptoms that were observed in mice persist for longer and whether the hyperinnervation phenotype represents a permanent change in bladder tissue after rUTIs was not determined.
Declaration
The reviewers have nothing to declare
The Faculty of Pain Medicine (faculty) of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (college) has developed a new professional document PS15(PM) Statement on the clinical approach to persistent pelvic pain including endometriosis-associated pain (including its background paper PS15(PM) BP). The document development group has also produced accompanying material for consumers
This document was established with a view to ensuring that scarce health resources are prioritised towards the delivery of evidence-based treatments and educational interventions for persistent pelvic pain in a way which complements any increases in funding for surgical management of endometriosis lesions. This position is informed by the knowledge and experience of dual RANZCOG/FPM fellows as well as the depth of pain management experience of the faculty.
PS15 (PM) is being piloted and will be reviewed again in January 2025. The FPM welcomes your feedback. Please contact Penny McMorran, Professional Affairs Co-ordinator, via email fpm@anzca.edu.au.
Would you like to be featured in an APS member spotlight?
Email the APS Secretariat (aps@apsoc.org.au) if you would like to complete a short interview to introduce yourself and your work to the broader membership.
Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an individualised, progressive walking and education intervention for the prevention
of low back pain recurrence in Australia
(WalkBack): a randomised controlled trial
Pocovi NC, Lin CC, French SD, Graham PL, van Dongen JM, Latimer J, et al. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an individualised, progressive walking and education intervention for the prevention of low back pain recurrence in Australia (WalkBack): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2024;404(10448):134-44.
DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00755-4
Reviewers:
Dr Luke Grundy, Ralph Ernst Fellow in bladder/ prostate cancer, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University. Meera Elmasri, PhD student, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University.
Review of article
Study group
Adults (aged 18 years or older) from across Australia who had recently recovered from an episode of non-specific low back pain that was not attributed to a specific diagnosis, and which lasted for at least 24 hours.
Aim of study
Low back pain is a highly prevalent and disabling condition. Approximately 70% of individuals experience a recurrence of low back pain within 12 months following recovery from an episode and this imparts a large health and economic burden on individuals and society. Combining exercise and pain education is known to help prevent the recurrence of low back pain, however, exercise interventions to date typically require close clinician supervision and use of equipment that are barriers to widespread adoption. The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of an individualised and accessible progressive walking and education intervention to prevent the recurrence of low back pain.
Brief methodology
This study was a two-armed, randomised controlled trial with a total of 751 enrolled. Participants were equally split into intervention (351 people) and no treatment control group (350 people). The intervention utilised a health coaching approach, with participants in the treatment arm of the trial receiving six sessions with a physiotherapist across 6 months. During this time, they developed an individualised, progressive walking program to be completed at home and were provided education on pain science and self-management. Control participants received no intervention. The primary outcome was days to the first recurrence of an activity-limiting episode of low back pain via monthly self-reports. Participants were followed between 12-36 months and cost-effectiveness was evaluated from the societal perspective as cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained.
Brief Summary of the results
The walking and education intervention was effective in preventing an episode of activitylimiting low back pain. There was a significantly reduced low back pain recurrence in the treatment group compared with the no treatment control group. There were also reductions in back painrelated disability in the intervention group for up to 12 months. The intervention group gained more quality-of-life years (QALYs) than the control group and the intervention was shown to be costeffective per QALY gained.
Conclusions
This world-first trial demonstrated that walking and education intervention can substantially reduce recurrences of low back pain. Due to the limited barriers to accessibility, and the scalable and safe nature of the intervention, the results of this study could have significant impacts for patients with low back pain and how their low back pain is managed.
Reviewers’ critique & take home message from the article
The development of a therapeutic- and costeffective intervention to improve the quality of life of people with low back pain has the potential to dramatically shift the therapeutic landscape for those with low back pain. The low impact nature of the exercise allows this intervention to scale to most age groups. Furthermore, the limited number of in-person physiotherapy
consultations and easy access to physiotherapy for most Australians mean there are few barriers to widespread adoption nationally. Development of an online education program could aid in global adoption where access to professional education and training is not available.
Declaration
The reviewers have nothing to declare
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Neural circuit basis of placebo pain relief
Chen C, Niehaus JK, Dinc F, Huang KL, Barnette AL, Tassou A, et al. Neural circuit basis of placebo pain relief. Nature. 2024. – Accepted – in production
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07816-z
Reviewers:
Meera Elmasri, PhD student, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University Dr Luke Grundy, Ralph Ernst Fellow in bladder/ prostate cancer, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University
Review of article
Study group
The study was conducted in male or female mice with an age range of 8-12 weeks. Multiple transgenic mouse strains were used.
Aims of study
The placebo effect for the relief of pain (placebo analgesia) is a cue-based learning phenomenon where a subject’s positive expectations alone can reduce pain perception and related behaviours, even without any actual pain-relieving medication or procedure. Our understanding of the biological mechanisms behind the placebo effect are still limited. Brain imaging studies in humans have revealed that activity in certain brain regions, such as the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), which projects to the pontine nucleus (Pn), correlates with placebo analgesia. The goal of this study was to identify the neural circuit basis of placebo effects. To achieve this, a novel mouse behavioural assay of placebo analgesia was developed and multiple complementary techniques including in-vivo Ca2+ imaging, RNA sequencing, electrophysiological recordings and optogenetics were employed to explore the underlying neural mechanisms.
Brief methodology
A mouse behavioural assay of placebo analgesia was developed. The 7-day placebo analgesia
conditioning (PAC) assay apparatus included two chambers and consisted of three phases: habituation (days 1-3), conditioning (days 4-6), and post-conditioning analgesia testing (day 7). During the habituation phase, both chambers had floors at an innocuous 30°C. In the conditioning phase, the mouse was placed in chamber 1 with a floor at 48°C, which was painfully hot, while chamber 2's floor remained at 30°C. This taught the mice to associate chamber 2 with pain relief. For the postconditioning analgesia test (post-test), the floors of both chambers were set to 48°C to see if the expectation of pain relief had any effect.
To label the presynaptic terminals of rACC neurons active during PAC, an adeno-associated virus (AAV) was injected into the rACC of TRAP2 mice. A head-mounted miniature microscope was used to image single-cell somatic Ca2+ activity during the PAC assay, allowing real-time recording of the neural dynamics of rACC->Pn neurons. Electrophysiological recordings were conducted during optogenetic stimulation of rACC neuron terminals to verify the connectivity between the rACC and Pn. Additionally, rACC->Pn neural activity was examined in response to noxious thermal, noxious mechanical, and innocuous mechanical stimulation.
Brief Summary of the results
A behavioural PAC assay was developed to model and investigate placebo analgesia in mice, replicating key aspects of human placebo analgesia through an expectation-based analgesic effect. Experiments using this assay revealed that despite both chambers being set to a noxious temperature in the post-test, conditioned mice continued to move into the chamber they associated with pain relief, indicating a placebo-like anticipatory pain relief response. Electrophysiological techniques (viral anterograde and retrograde tracing, and whole cell recording) confirmed neural connectivity between the rACC and Pn. This pathway was shown to mediate PACinduced analgesia through optogenetic methods, such as photoinhibition and photoexcitation. The
rACC->Pn pathway could be activated by thermal and mechanical sensitivity tests to produce analgesia. Inhibiting this pathway impaired placebo analgesia and reduced pain thresholds, whereas activating it induced analgesia without placebo conditioning.
The study offers direct, cellular-level evidence of the cerebellum’s role in placebo analgesia. This was demonstrated by imaging the dendritic activity of cerebellar Purkinje cells, which are the sole outputs of the cerebellar cortex, during pain relief expectation. Although the precise mechanisms by which the cerebellum modulates placebo analgesia are still unknown, its neural connectivity shown in this study suggests it could influence pain perception via ascending and/or descending pathways. Purkinje cells showed activity patterns similar to those of rACC->Pn neurons during pain relief expectation, highlighting the cerebellum’s involvement in cognitive pain modulation.
Conclusions
The results presented by Chen and co-workers suggest that the cerebellum is involved in pain relief expectation within the rACC-pontocerebellar pathway in placebo analgesia. They highlight the circuit, cellular, and synaptic mechanisms that underlie placebo analgesia. These findings open the possibility of targeting this prefrontal cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathway with drugs or neurostimulation to treat pain.
Reviewers’ critique & take home message from the article
The article includes a detailed exploration of the neural circuits potentially involved in placebo analgesia, using the PAC assay to demonstrate how a conditioned response affects mice and laying the groundwork for investigating neural connections that facilitate this effect.
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One critique of the study is its reliance on the PAC assay as an animal model, which may have limited clinical translation. Pain perception in humans is subjective and complex, and this complexity may not be fully captured by the animal model used. The study’s findings on PACinduced analgesia may not encompass all aspects of human placebo analgesia, reflecting the researcher’s interpretation of the placebo effect observed in mice. Future research could focus on alternative assays to model placebo analgesia, replicate the results in other animal models, explore methods for clinical translation, and investigate the cellular mechanisms, such as the opposing activity of rACC intratelencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons during placebo analgesia.
Declaration
The reviewers have nothing to declare
"I hear you". Validation in the context of children's pain as an untapped opportunity to prevent chronic pain.
Thank you to APS members Sarah Wallwork and Lorimer Moseley and their colleagues Chad Shenk, Melanie Noel, Meghan McMurtry, Anneke Olson, Anna Hood and Maria Pavlova for sharing the following recent publication.
Article first published online: 30 July 2024
Journal Reference: Wallwork SB, Shenk C, McMurtry CM, Hood AM, Pavlova M, Olson AE, Moseley GL, Noel M. "I hear you". Validation in the context of children's pain as an untapped opportunity to prevent chronic pain. Pain. 2024 Jul 30. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003350. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39073392.
DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003350
Abstract
Validation of children’s pain (i.e., demonstrating to them that their pain-related experiences and behaviours are understandable, accepted, and legitimate) presents an untapped, modifiable social pathway to prevent and manage chronic pain. In this ‘Perspective’ article, we use the lens of the biosocial model of emotion regulation to suggest that validation of childhood pain experiences will result in reduced emotional arousal, greater emotion regulation, improved family relationships and therapeutic alliance, more accurate reporting and disclosure of pain experiences to caregivers and providers, greater participation in daily activities, and improved understanding of one’s emotional and physical experiences associated with pain. Validating pain in children from minoritised groups stands to counter systemic discrimination and pain care biases, and reduce inequities in pain prevalence, treatment, and care. Integrating validation into home and health care encounters around pain should impact children and their families, make current pain management more effective and safeguard children against future development of chronic pain.
Declaration
G.L.M. has received support from Reality Health, ConnectHealth UK, Institutes of Health California, AIA Australia, Workers’ Compensation Boards, and professional sporting organisations in Australia, Europe, South America, and North America. Professional and scientific bodies have reimbursed him for travel costs related to presentation of research on pain and pain education at scientific conferences/symposia. He has received speaker fees for lectures on pain, pain education, and rehabilitation. He receives royalties for books on pain and pain education. He is non-paid CEO of the nonprofit Pain Revolution and an unpaid director of the nonprofit Painaustralia. C.S. has received reimbursement for travel related to training on validating and invalidating behaviours. C.M.M. has received support from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Genome Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation. She has received honoraria for lectures on pain. She holds nonpaid leadership and service roles within the pain field (Pain in Child Health training program), provincially (College of Psychologist of Ontario, Jurisprudence and Ethics Exam), nationally (Canadian Psychological Association, Ethics Committee), and locally within her institution. A.M.H. has been financially supported to attend meetings and is a Medical Education Advisor for Crescent Kids Sickle Cell Charity, UK. A.E.O. has received funding from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Prompt again: How consistently useful are artificial intelligence chatbot responses when prompted with concerns about the reality of paediatric chronic pain?
Thank you to APS members Joshua Pate, Rebecca Fechner and Hayley Leake and their colleagues Scott Tagliaferri and Bruno Saragiotto for sharing the following recent publication.
Article first published online: 24 June 2024
Journal Reference: Pate JW, Fechner R, Tagliaferri SD, Leake H, Saragiotto B. Prompt again: How consistently useful are artificial intelligence chatbot responses when prompted with concerns about the reality of paediatric chronic pain? Paediatr Neonatal Pain. 2024; 00: 1-53.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pne2.12129
Abstract
Introduction
The increasing prevalence of AI (artificial intelligence) chatbots has led to their use by individuals, including children, for health-related conversations. This raises questions about the consistency and usefulness of information provided by these chatbots, particularly in the context of paediatric chronic pain. Our study aimed to assess the usefulness and consistency of responses provided by common AI chatbots to the question "Is it all in my head?" - a concern often expressed by children with chronic pain. This research is crucial because misconceptions about chronic pain are prevalent in society, and children might turn to AI for guidance. The study seeks to address the gap in understanding AI chatbot consistency in the context of paediatric chronic pain.
Design
This study is a comparative analysis of AI chatbot responses to a specific prompt related to paediatric chronic pain.
Setting
The research was conducted online, accessing six popular AI chatbots on January 2, 2024.
Subjects
Six AI chatbots were included in the study: ChatGPT 4 Turbo, Google Bard (Gemini Pro) version 2023.12.18, Microsoft Copilot Creative Mode (GPT-4), Claude 2.0, Perplexity AI, and ChatGPT 3.5.
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Methods
Each chatbot was presented with the prompt "I am a child with chronic pain. Is it all in my head?" ten times. Responses were analysed based on a predefined scoring system of 10 criteria developed by the authors. These criteria were designed to assess the quality of the clinical response. Two blinded raters independently scored the responses, with discrepancies resolved through discussion or adjudication. The readability of responses was evaluated using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score. The consistency between raters was calculated using prevalenceadjusted and bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK).
Results
• None of the chatbots met all 10 predetermined criteria for high-quality clinical responses.
• Responses were generally not child-friendly, with readability scores often above Grade 7 level.
• ChatGPT 4 Turbo, Copilot, and ChatGPT 3.5 showed the highest mean usefulness scores (6.8-7.0 out of 10).
• Claude 2.0 refused to respond to 7 out of 10 prompts, citing lack of context.
• Bard showed the highest variability in responses (SD = 2.6).
• Readability scores varied widely across chatbots, ranging from Grade 5 to Grade 21.
Conclusions
The study revealed significant variability in the quality and consistency of AI chatbot responses to a question about paediatric chronic pain. While some chatbots performed better than others, none consistently met all criteria for a high-quality clinical response. The readability of responses was generally not suitable for children, indicating a need for improvement in this area.
Implications/Discussion
The findings highlight the need for caution when interpreting healthcare-related advice from AI chatbots, particularly for sensitive topics like paediatric chronic pain. The variability in responses suggests that users might benefit from running queries multiple times to get a more comprehensive understanding. The study underscores the importance of developing AI chatbots that can provide empathetic,
validating, and supportive responses, especially when interacting with children on healthrelated topics. Future research should focus on developing and testing assessment tools specifically designed to evaluate the usefulness and consistency of AI chatbot responses in healthcare contexts. Additionally, the development of custom chatbots that consistently meet important criteria for highquality clinical responses should be explored. As AI technology continues to advance rapidly, ongoing research and refinement of these systems will be crucial to ensure they can provide reliable and helpful information to users, particularly in sensitive health-related contexts.
Declaration
JWP has received speaker fees for presentations on pain and rehabilitation. He receives royalties for books on pain education. Other authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Have you had an article accepted for publication recently?
The Australian Pain Society (APS) is keen to share publications from our members with their colleagues via our eNewsletter. If you’ve had an article accepted or published recently, please contact our Assistant Editor Joanne Harmon via the APS Secretariat (aps@apsoc.org.au) with the title, authors, and reference (i.e., journal, volume, and DOI) of your article and request the submission template. We would love it if you also supply a short commentary (300 words max) to give our readers the gist of the article.
NEW!
> Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) Statement on Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis (PILOT): Call for feedback via email by DEC24: fpm@anzca.edu.au
Other items of interest for our members:
> Latest opioid data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics: Opioid induced deaths in Australia.
> Australia’s annual overdose report 2024 from the Pennington Institute
> Australian Atlas of Healthcare Variation Series: This series explores how healthcare use in Australia varies depending on where people live. It investigates reasons for variation that may be unwarranted, and provides specific achievable actions to reduce unwarranted variation
> Painaustralia eNewsletters
> ePPOC: electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration: The electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration (ePPOC) is an Australasian initiative that aims to improve the quality of care and outcomes for people who experience chronic pain.
> PainHEALTH: painHEALTH‘s aim is to help health consumers with musculoskeletal pain access reliable, evidence-based information and tips to assist in the co-management of musculoskeletal pain. painHEALTH is an initiative of the Department of Health, Western Australia
> Stanford University CHOIR: CHOIR Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry
> Opioid Podcasts for GPs: These podcasts are produced by David Outridge GP, and FAChAM Trainee as a project under the auspices of Dr Steven Kelly Staff Specialist in Addiction Medicine, Kullaroo Clinic Gosford. A weekly series from the Hunter Postgraduate Medical Institute (University of Newcastle)
> Airing Pain: Pain resources via an online radio show produced by Pain Concern, a UK registered Charity
> Indigenous Resources: Webpage on the APS website aggregating Indigenous resources
TGA
> Codeine information hub
NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation resources:
> Brainman and Pain Tool Kit translations
> Pain Management Resources
> Quicksteps to Manage Chronic Pain in Primary Care
> Built into Quicksteps: “How to de-prescribe and wean opioids in general practice”
> A list of helpful apps for consumers and clinicians
> Chronic Pain in the ED
Calendar of Events
16-18 September 2024
National Rural Health Alliance
17th National Rural Health Conference
Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre, Perth, WA
https://www.ruralhealth.org.au/17nrhc/
10 October 2024
RECOVER Conference 2024
New Horizons: artificial intelligence and pain conceptualisation
Rydges South Bank, Brisbane, QLD https://recover.centre.uq.edu.au/event/2227/ new-horizons-artificial-intelligence-and-painconceptualisation
18 October 2024
18 October 2024
2024 Annual Professional Day: Shades of Pain & Trauma
Rydges South Bank, Brisbane, QLD https://www.painnurses.au/index. cfm?module=event&pagemode=indiv&page_ id=2120322
18-20 October 2024
Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) 2024 FPM Spring Meeting
Pullman Auckland Hotel & Apartments, Auckland, NZ
https://www.anzca.edu.au/events-courses/ events/anzca-and-fpm-annual-events/fpmannual-events/2024-fpm-spring-meeting
21-23 October 2024
Australia & New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network
ANZMUSC 2024 Scientific Meeting
South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA
https://anzmusc.org/event/anzmusc-2024scientific-meeting/
31 October-2 November 2024
Australian Physiotherapy Association FOCUS24: The business of physiotherapy Crown Perth, Perth, WA https://physiotherapy.eventsair.com/focus24
21-23 November 2024
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
GP24
Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre, Perth, WA https://www.racgp.org.au/gp24/home
27-29 November 2024
Australian & New Zealand Spinal Cord Society (ANZSCoS)
ANZSCoS 2024
Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, WA https://www.dcconferences.com.au/ anzscos2024/
20-22 March 2025
New Zealand Pain Society (NZPS) NZPS25 - Weaving our Kete
Te Papa Tonogarewa, Wellington, NZ https://www.nzps25.nz/
13-16 April 2025
Australian Pain Society (APS)
2025 Australian Pain Society 45th Annual Scientific Meeting
Pullman Melbourne Albert Park, VIC https://www.dcconferences.com.au/aps2025/
Vision, Purpose & Priorities
Vision:
All people will have optimal pain management throughout life.
Purpose:
The Australian Pain Society is a multidisciplinary association whose purpose is to advance pain management through education, research, and advocacy for transformational improvements in clinical care.
Priorities:
In order to achieve our purpose, the Australian Pain Society will provide:
> Membership
> Research
> Education
> Services and resources
> Good governance and operations
> Advocacy
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Directors
President:
Mrs Joyce McSwan
Gold Coast Primary Health Network
Persistent Pain Program, QLD and PainWISE
Tel: 0412 327 795 Fax: 07 3539 9801
President-Elect:
Ms Bernadette Smith
Psychology Plus
South Burnie TAS
Tel: 03 6431 9959 Fax: 03 6431 9950
Secretary:
Mrs Dinah Spratt
Physiotas Physiotherapy
Shearwater TAS 7307
Tel: 03 6428 7500 Fax: 03 6424 7811
Treasurer:
Dr Laura Prendergast
Pain Service, Northern Health
Broadmeadows VIC 3047
Tel: 03 8345 5166 Fax: N/A
Work days Mon & Thu
ACT Director:
Dr Andrew Watson
Calvary Hospital
Canberra ACT 2617
Tel: 02 6201 6352 Fax: N/A
NSW Director:
Mr Connor Gleadhill
Department of Health and Aged Care
Primary Care Division
Newcastle NSW 2038
Tel: 0405 203 661 Fax: N/A
NT Director:
Adjunct A/Prof Cindy Wall
Clinical Psychology Assessment & Consultancy
Fannie Bay NT 0820
Tel: 0488 993 210 Fax: N/A
QLD Director:
Dr Duncan Sanders
Pain Management Unit, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney / Managing Pain Clinic and E3 Physio
Gold Coast QLD
Tel: 07 5620 1234 Fax: 07 3009 0420
SA Director:
Ms Heather Gray
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide SA 5000
Email: heather.gray@sa.gov.au
TAS Director:
Mr Sinan Tejani
Launceston General Hospital
Launceston TAS 7250
Tel: 0469 967 841 Fax: N/A
VIC Director:
Dr Esther Dube
Austin Health
Heidelberg VIC 3084
Tel: 03 9989 1676 Fax: N/A
WA Director:
Ms Jacintha Bell
Lifeworks Occupational Therapy
Mount Lawley WA 6050
Tel: 0451 178 880 Fax: 08 6323 3329
Office Bearers
Immediate Past President:
Ms Trudy Maunsell
Retired QLD
SPC Chair:
Professor Kevin Keay
Department of Anatomy
University of Sydney
Sydney NSW 2006
Tel: 02 9351 4132 Fax: 02 9351 2817
IASP Liaison:
Professor Fiona Blyth AM
Sydney School of Public Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health
University of Sydney
Camperdown NSW 2006
Email: Fiona.blyth@sydney.edu.au
Communications Coordinator:
Mrs Joyce McSwan
Gold Coast Primary Health Network
Persistent Pain Program, QLD and PainWISE
Tel: 0412 327 795 Fax: 07 3539 9801
Newsletter Editor:
Dr Lincoln Tracy
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Monash University
Melbourne VIC 3004
Tel: 03 9903 0288
Newsletter Assistant Editor:
Dr Joanne Harmon
School of Clinical and Health Sciences
University of South Australia
Adelaide SA 5000
Tel: 08 8302 1442
Scholarship/Grant Selection
Subcommittee Co-Chairs:
Em Prof Maree Smith AC
Centre for Integrated Preclinical Drug Development
University of Queensland St Lucia QLD 4072
Prof Luke Henderson
Anatomy & Histology, School of Medical Sciences
Brain & Mind Centre
University of Sydney
Camperdown NSW 2006
Secretariat:
DC Conference & Association
Management Pty Ltd
PO Box 637
North Sydney, NSW 2059
Tel: 02 9016 4343
Email: aps@apsoc.org.au
Website: apsoc.org.au
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