We've all sat through it—that painfully awkward PowerPoint, where clip art runs wild, text is microscopic. The presenter reads their slides, word for word, with walls of text that make it impossible to determine if we should be listening or rushing to read (or possibly take notes), lest we miss something critical, before the slide progresses.
On April 24, 2025, the Institute for Pain Research and Care held a workshop for our trainees about the Science of Designing Powerful Presentations. The session was led by Dr. Joe Kim, Associate Professor in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University, and multimedia specialist Paulina Rzeczkowska. Together, they delivered evidence-based strategies to help participants create multimedia presentations that are clear, compelling, and memorable.
The workshop was divided into two key parts. In Part 1, trainees explored the structure of an effective presentation, emphasizing story, message, and audience engagement. In Part 2, participants were introduced to core multimedia design principles, including the importance of avoiding redundancy, managing cognitive load, using meaningful visuals, and segmenting content to enhance learning.
Lunch was also provided, allowing participants to connect informally with the facilitators and one another. Trainees were encouraged to submit their own presentation slides in advance. These were thoughtfully reviewed and adjusted during the session to better reflect principles such as coherence, signaling, and contiguity—ensuring that the message matched the medium.
CANADIAN PAIN SOCIETY ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING
The 2025 Canadian Pain Society’s Annual Scientific Meeting brought together leaders in pain research, clinical care, advocacy, and lived experience for a four-day event on the University of Toronto campus from May 1–4. The gathering featured a wide range of sessions exploring innovations in pain management, social determinants of health, and the intersection of research and practice.
The IPRC's Dr. Norm Buckley, who participated in a panel on ethical challenges in pain research, also played a role in a highlight of the conference: the Friday afternoon community parade to Queen’s Park. Led by a brass band, the march (made up of conference attendees) was a vibrant and symbolic effort to raise public awareness about chronic pain as a pressing health and policy issue in Canada. Dr. Buckley proudly donned a sash labeled “Research,” representing the crucial role that evidence generation plays in improving pain outcomes.
Following the march, attendees gathered for a celebratory BBQ at the Goldring Student Centre. The event included a DJ and dancing, a photo booth, and a classic summer menu of hotdogs, hamburgers, and ice cream sandwiches. It was a festive, community-building end to a day that emphasized both advocacy and collaboration.
ANNUAL IPRC RESEARCH DAY
On June 25, 2025, the Institute for Pain Research and Care hosted its Annual Research Day at the Royal Botanical Gardens’ Rock Garden. The afternoon began with lunch and networking before Dr. Norm Buckley welcomed attendees.
Dr. Mike Noseworthy shared research on using brain imaging to personalize pain assessment by identifying individual differences in how pain is processed. Dr. Mike McGillion presented findings from the FORESITE study, which examines how coping, pain beliefs, and gender-based expectations affect chronic post-surgical pain outcomes following cardiac surgery.
Dr. Emile Tompa, presenting virtually, discussing the IDEA initiative—Inclusive Design for Employment Access—which promotes workplace inclusion through codesign with persons with disabilities and systems-level change.
Following a brief break, Dr. Jason Busse outlined predictors of chronic pain after traumatic fracture repair, emphasizing the role of coping strategies. His COPE trial is evaluating online CBT to reduce postsurgical pain risk.
Akil Siva and Jialiang (Kevin) Hu concluded the day with a presentation on the RFSurge, a new T-adapter for radiofrequency ablation that enables simultaneous delivery of saline or anesthetic to improve precision and patient comfort.
NATIONAL PAIN CENTRE WELCOMES ANDREA DARZI AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
The Michael G. DeGroote National Pain Centre is pleased to welcome Dr. Andrea Darzi as its new Assistant Director. A physician and health research methodologist, Dr. Darzi brings a strong foundation in evidence-based practice, guideline development, and knowledge mobilization to her new role. Dr. Darzi completed her medical training in Lebanon at the University of Balamand before earning a Master of Public Health in epidemiology and biostatistics from the American University of Beirut (AUB). During this time, she co-founded a non-profit organization focused on improving health awareness and access among structurally marginalized populations. These experiences solidified her interest in bridging clinical evidence with real-world healthcare needs.
She later pursued a PhD in Health Research Methodology at McMaster University, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship. Her work has focused on developing trustworthy clinical practice guidelines and ensuring they are positioned for real-world impact.
As Assistant Director, Dr. Darzi will support the Centre’s mission by strengthening relationships with partners and decision-makers, enhancing the relevance and uptake of guidelines, and contributing to the national conversation on pain care. “This role allows us to co-create mobilization strategies and consider both national and provincial priorities to improve implementation,” she says.
We are excited to welcome Dr. Darzi and look forward to the insight and leadership she will bring to advancing pain-related guideline development and knowledge translation in Canada.
MEET IPRC STUDENTSHIP
RECIPIENT STEVIE FOGLIA
Stevie Foglia was raised in Newmarket, Ontario, where early mornings on the golf course and afternoons spent building with Lego ignited a lifelong passion for creation and challenge. From the moment he first gripped a golf club as a child, Stevie found both camaraderie and competition in the sport—a hobby he has maintained as an adult, even though he admits his swing “hasn’t improved too much.”
Beyond the fairway, those childhood Lego sessions planted the seeds for his current drive to design and innovate. “Building whatever came to mind with plastic bricks taught me to think in three dimensions, to experiment without fear of failure,” he reflects. Today, that same spirit of curiosity inspired academic pursuits.
In the lab and clinic, Stevie's work sees him developing Augmented Reality Sensorimotor Training— an AR platform aimed at noninvasive treatment for chronic neck pain. Born out of his doctoral research, this technology overlays real-time biofeedback on patients’ own movements, offering a novel avenue for rehabilitation and pain management.
Drawn to McMaster University by its reputation for groundbreaking health-science research, Stevie seized the IPRC studentship to delve deeper into chronic pain
studies. “I wanted to be at an institution that prioritizes innovation and encourages collaboration across science, health sciences and engineering,” he explains. That multidisciplinary support has proven vital for examining the complex neurobiology behind persistent pain and translating findings into patient-centered interventions.
Stevie’s commitment to pain research also has a personal component. When he was three years old, his father suffered a devastating motor-vehicle accident that left him with severe, treatment-resistant chronic pain. Witnessing his father’s daily struggle galvanized Stevie’s lifelong mission: to create novel, non-pharmacological therapies that might restore hope and mobility to countless families. His advice to prospective IPRC collaborators? “Find your true passion and lean into it. Challenges are inevitable, but passion fuels perseverance. And never underestimate the value of mentorship and cross-disciplinary teamwork—innovation thrives on diverse perspectives.”
PETER EMARY RECEIVES
SCOTT HALDEMAN AWARD
Congratulations to Dr. Peter Emary on receiving the prestigious Scott Haldeman Award for Outstanding Research at the 18th Biennial World Federation of Chiropractic Congress in Copenhagen. His award-winning presentation and manuscript, “The impact of chiropractic care on prescription opioid use for non-cancer spine pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” also earned the conference’s top $10,000 USD research prize.
Upcoming Events
Canadian Pain Care Forum
September 2025
More details coming soon.
To learn more, visit: pain-institute.healthsci.mcmaster.ca/
IPRC Grant Application Deadline
November 15, 2025
To learn more or view details, visit: pain-institute.healthsci.mcmaster.ca/awards
Michael G. DeGroote
Annual Chronic Pain Symposium
November 22, 2025
Where: University Club
McMaster University
Time: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Registration details coming soon.
CONGRATULATIONS, DR. HARSHA SHANTHANNA
Dr. Harsha Shanthanna was recently named an Expert Contributor to the Chronic Pain Syndromes topic for BMJ Best Practice. He was recently profiled in the Faculty of Health Sciences’ Office Hours series and presented at Johns Hopkins Blaustein Pain Grand Rounds.
