Pain

At the Pain Management Research Institute, our vision is to be a global leader in comprehensive pain management solutions. We strive to achieve this by undertaking cutting-edge research and delivering education and training to clinicians caring for people with chronic pain.

Since our inception in 1991, we have focused on patient advocacy and integrating our research and training with clinical services. Through this process, the latest research can inform future care.

The Pain Management Research Institute is part of the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health. It has academic and lab space within the Kolling Institute building, as well as facilities in the Douglas building at Royal North Shore Hospital.

From here, our clinical research is undertaken alongside the nationally and internationally-recognised pain education program. Patients with acute pain, cancer pain and chronic non-cancer pain receive treatment in collaboration with the Michael J Cousins’ Pain Management & Research Centre.

Lead

Professor Paul Glare

Chair in Pain Medicine, Northern Clinical School
Director, Pain Management Research Institute
Head, Discipline of Pain Medicine, Sydney Medical School

People

Professor Chris Vaughan

Clinical Professor
Medicine, Northern Clinical School
Kolling Institute of Medical Research
Principal Hospital Scientist, Royal North Shore Hospital

Dr Paul Wrigley

Conjoint Associate Professor
Pain Medicine, Northern Clinical School
Pain Management & Research Institute

Dr Karin Aubrey

Neurobiology of Pain Laboratory Head,
Senior Hospital Scientist, Pain Management
Research Institute, Kolling Institute of Medical Research
Senior Research Fellow, Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney

Dr Yo Otsu

Neurobiology of Pain Laboratory

Professor Michael Nicholas

Psychologist
Director, Pain Education Unit

Dr Charles Brooker

Clinical A/Professor, Sydney Medical School
Head of Dept of Pain Management, NSLHD

Dr Claire Ashton-James

Social Aspects of Pain Research Lead, Pain Management Research Institute
Senior Lecturer, Pain Education, The University of Sydney

Network

For over five years, the Pain Management Research Institute has been designated as the lead site for pain research in NSW by the Ministry of Health. We have provided ongoing leadership of the Pain Management Network of the Agency of Clinical Innovation. Our researchers collaborate with other centres within the Kolling Institute and across the University of Sydney, such as the Sydney Musculoskeletal Network, the Brain & Mind Centre and the Cancer Research Network. Our network extends nationally and internationally.

Projects

Pain Management Research Institute’s key activities and achievements

Research: We had two lab-based groups (cellular mechanisms of pain and cannabinoids; neurobiology of pain inhibitory pathways in spinal cord) and four clinical research groups (Clinical Trials; Pain Testing and Pain Pathways; Cancer Survivor Pain, with a focus on self-management and opioid deprescribing;
Brain, Behaviour and Society, with a focus on early intervention to prevent the development of acute pain). Our research income was more than $2.5 million. Our research output included 24 peer-reviewed publications. Two new PhD scholarships were donated last year.
Education: The Pain Management Research Institute’s Pain Education Unit runs a degree course annually and there’s been a strong increase in demand in recent years.
Advocacy: Professor Paul Glare replaced Professor Cousins on the board of Painaustralia. Professor Nicholas is co-chair of the NSW ACI Pain Management Network, and is on the Council of the International Association for the Study of Pain.

With additional funding, Pain Management Research Institute researchers plan to undertake the following projects to:

Understand the role of glycine neurotransmission targeting neurons in the brain
Improve co-ordination of care for chronic pain patients frequently attending the Emergency Department
Trial SMS text messaging to support patients tapering off opioids
Evaluate pain self-management in cancer survivors
Develop standardised functional measures for pain clinics worldwide
Demonstrate best practice of pain management in women having Caesareans