Working Group: Special Populations
Professor Tasha Stanton, Adelaide University
Tasha is a Professor of Clinical Pain Neuroscience at the Adelaide University. As a physiotherapist and clinical pain neuroscientist, Tasha’s work aims to better understand the sensory and cognitive contributors to pain in order to create new treatments for chronic pain. Her research has won numerous awards both nationally and internationally, including the SA Young Tall Poppy of the Year award and Ronald Dubner Research Prize (best series of publications) from the International Association for the Study of Pain. Read more about Tasha here. |
Professor Cormac Ryan, Teesside University, UK
Professor Cormac Ryan is Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation at Teesside university and the Community Pain Champion for the Flippin’ Pain public health campaign. Cormac’s primary area of research is pain management, with a particular interest in Pain Science Education within the public health setting. Read more about Cormac here |
Dr Daniel Harvie, Adelaide University
Daniel is a Lecturer in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and a pain scientist at the Adelaide University. His research focusses on leading-edge theories of body perception and how they might inform new approaches to chronic pain, often involving virtual reality and sensory training approaches. Daniel and Lorimer Moseley are co-authors of the book—Pain and The Nature of Perception: A New Way to Look at Pain. |
Associate Professor David Butler, Adelaide University
David is a physiotherapist, an educationalist, researcher and clinician, now shifting into peaceful retirement. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Adelaide University and honoured member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association. Recent publications co-authored with Lorimer Moseley, include Explain Pain (2003, 2013), The Explain Pain Handbook: Protectometer (2015) and “Explain Pain Supercharged” (2017). Read more about David here |
Dr Jane Chalmers, Adelaide University Jane Chalmers (PhD, B.Physio) is a Senior Lecturer in Pain Sciences at the Adelaide University. She is the leader of the pelvic pain theme under the Innovation, Implementation And Clinical Translation in Health (IIMPACT) research concentration at the Adelaide University. Her research focuses on understanding pelvic pain in both women and men. Her work ranges from basic science through to implementation research and she is particularly interested in the role of pain education and other physiotherapy interventions in recovery from pelvic pain. 
Associate Professor Lauren Heathcote, King's College London, UK
Lauren Heathcote is an Associate Professor of Health Psychology at King’s College London, UK. She leads a research team within the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience. In 2022, Lauren was awarded the IASP Ulf Lindblom Young Investigator Prize for her internationally outstanding research in clinical pain science. Read more about Lauren here. |
Professor Jennifer Stinson, University of Toronto, Canada Jennifer Stinson is the Mary Jo Haddad Nursing Chair, a Nurse Practitioner, Co-Director of the Pain Centre at the Hospital for Sick Children, a Professor at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. Her program of research focuses on co-design and evaluation of digital therapeutics for youth with painful chronic conditions as well as patient reported outcome measures. She also focuses on interprofessional pain education such as Pediatric Project ECHO at which provides virtual mentorship to community healthcare providers on the management of complex pediatric pain patients. Read more about Dr. Jennifer Stinson here. 
Dr Hayley Leake, Adelaide University
Hayley Leake is a postdoctoral researcher at the Adelaide University. She qualified as a physiotherapist in 2013 and completed her PhD in 2023. Her thesis explored how to optimise pain science education across the lifespan. Hayley is interested in improving how pain is understood by individuals and society, by leveraging technology and co-design. Read more about Hayley here. |
Dr Joshua Pate, University of Technology Sydney Joshua Pate is a Senior Lecturer of Physiotherapy at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Josh researches paediatric pain, and pain science education in particular. He dreams that the next generation of humans can have access to the amazing science of pain. Read more about Josh here here 
Professor Lorimer Moseley AO, Adelaide University
Lorimer Moseley is Bradley Distinguished Professor, Professor of Clinical Neurosciences and Foundation Chair in Physiotherapy at the Adelaide University, Australia. His contribution to the science and management of pain and to pain education has been recognised by Australia’s second highest civilian honour - Officer of the Order of Australia. Read more about Lorimer here. |
Professor Laura Simons, Stanford University, California
Laura Simons, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and a clinical psychologist who evaluates children and adolescents presenting with chronic pain in the Pediatric Pain Management Clinic at Stanford Children’s Health. Her patient-oriented research spans translating targeted biopsychosocial assessments into mechanistically informed treatment approaches for optimal clinical care, coupled with pain neuroscience psychology that leverages experimental and neuroimaging methods to gain a mechanistic understanding of cognitive and affective processes that coalesce with function in children with chronic pain and their parents. All projects leverage the ubiquity of digital health to enhance patient access and reach. Read more about Laura’s work here: 
Dr Amelia (Millie) Mardon, University of Western Sydney
Amelia Mardon is a postdoctoral research fellow at Western Sydney University. She completed her PhD in 2024 which focused on tailoring pain science education for women with pelvic pain. Amelia is interested in improving the accessibility of pain education to those experiencing persistent pelvic pain. Read more about Amelia here |
Professor Mira Meeus,
University of Antwerp & Ghent, Belgium Mira Meeus is Professor Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy at the University of Antwerp, Belgium. She is internationally recognized for her scientific contribution to the field of assessment and rehabilitation of chronic pain, in particular nociplastic pain. Read more about Mira Meeus here 
Associate Professor Morten Hoegh, Aalborg University, Denmark
Morten Hoegh is Associate Professor at Aalborg University and a dedicated advocate for equality for people living with chronic pain. He volunteers as chair of the European Pain Federation (EFIC) Academy and is on the advisory board on pain matters under the Danish Physiotherapy Association. Read more about Morten on LinkedIn and on LinkTree. |
Rafael Torres-Cueco, University of Valencia, Spain
Degree in Physiotherapy (University of Valencia 1988) and Degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology (UCAM 2002). Diploma of Advanced Studies in the Research Program in Health Sciences (UCH 2009). Certificate in Cognitive Restructuring, Acceptance and Commitment and Mindfulness (UV). Doctor in Health Sciences (Neuroscience). Senior lecturer at the University of Valencia. Instructor of the Neuro Orthopedic Institute. President and founder of the Spanish Society of Physiotherapy and Pain (SEFID). Co-founder of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) pain special interest group. Director of the Manual Therapy Master. Clinical Neuro-Orthopedic Approach (UV). 
Ouellette Carley, McMaster University
Carley Ouellette is a registered nurse, PhD Student at McMaster University, Hamilton Ontario, in the School of Nursing, and a person with lived experience with CRPS. Carley works clinically in the emergency department at Hamilton Health Sciences and her research interests are in digital health innovation, pain management, and patient engagement. Carley has participated as co-chair for multiple committees on the Chronic Pain Network 1.0 as a person with lived experience. |
Rilind Shala, University of Prishtina, Kosovo
Rilind Shala is a Research Affiliate at the Innovation, Implementation & Clinical Translation (IIMPACT) in Health at the University of South Australia. He is a graduate student at the University of Prishtina and serves as an Associate Editor in the Bulletin of Faculty of Physical Therapy. He does research with the Body in Mind Group and serves as a supervisor in Publons." Read more about Rilind here 
Dr An De Groef, University of Antwerp, Belgium
An De Groef graduated as Master of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy at KU Leuven in 2012. During her PhD at KU Leuven she coordinated several research projects on the effectiveness of physical therapy for prevention and treatment of upper limb pain after breast cancer treatment. Currently, she combines postdoctoral fellowship with an appointment as assistant professor at the University of Antwerp and KU Leuven. Her topic of interest is the evaluation, prevention and treatment of different comorbidities, including pain, upper limb dysfunctions and sensory dysfunctions in different cancer populations. |
Dr Tonya Palermo, University of Washington, USA
Tonya Palermo is the Hughes M. and Katherine Blake Endowed Professor in Health Psychology and Professor and Vice Chair for Research, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at University of Washington, USA. Her research focused on management of pain in pediatric populations is based at Seattle Children’s Research Institute where she also serves as Associate Director of the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development. Read more about Tonya here, Louise Trewern
Denis Martin Lydia Tarn |