Joshua E Adler, (MD, PhD) received his postgraduate training in Neurology at New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center.  Following residency, he served a post-doctoral fellowship under Dr Ira Black and then joined the faculty at Cornell.  His research focused on novel neurotrophic factors and pain-related peptides such as substance P and somatostatin. He is Associate Professor, Neurology, Wayne State University, based at the Detroit Veterans Administration Medical Center in Detroit, providing clinical service and research.  He is also Section Chief of Pain Management.  He is currently working on an in vivo model of neuropathic pain that is considering both pathophysiologic mechanisms and potential novel modes of therapy.

Lucy A Bee (BSc PhD) was an Associate Faculty Member of the Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London. Dr Bee is concerned with investigating the sensory role of the brainstem rostral ventromedial medulla zone in normal and pathophysiological states, and in particular the part played by facilitatory neurones. This is achieved by pharmacologically manipulating neurones in the rostral ventromedial medulla and looking at the evoked responses of dorsal horn neurones in the spinal cord to a range of stimuli after nerve injury. More recently, she investigated the roles of ion channels in different pain states. She is currently a medical writer in health care.

Mark Bicket (MD) is currently Chief Resident in the Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore. He has worked with the American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, and Health Volunteers Overseas.

David Champion (MB BS MD FRACP FFMANZCA) is Honorary Research Associate, Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, Sydney Children`s Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, and Associate Professor, School of Women`s and Children`s Health, The University of New South Wales, Kensington. After a career in adult and paediatric rheumatology and pain medicine, he is now focused primarily on paediatric pain research. His publications in this field range widely from measurement and assessment, including the internationally applied Faces Pain Scale, through somatosensory testing, pain-related psychology, acute and chronic pain, to therapeutics. Currently his major project is a twin family case-control study on the heritability and associations, including potentially causal influences, of the common pain disorders without disease.

Macdonald J Christie (Bsc (Hons) PhD) is the Professor of Pharmacology and Associate Dean, Research in the Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Australia. He was awarded his PhD in 1983 and then worked as a Fogarty International Fellow at MIT and the Vollum Institute in Oregon before being appointed as a continuing academic at the University of Sydney in 1990. He has been a Senior Principal Research Fellow of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) since 2003. Prior to this he was a Medical Foundation Senior Principal Research Fellow from 1998 to 2002. He has served on numerous editorial boards, NHMRC grant committees, and NHMRC Academy since the mid-1990s. He has published over 200 peer reviewed research papers that have received more than 11,000 citations. His interests span cellular, molecular, and behavioural neuropharmacology, the biological basis of adaptations producing chronic pain and drug dependence, and preclinical development of novel pain therapeutics.

Paul J Christo (MD MBA) is a board certified, Harvard-trained anesthesiologist and Johns Hopkins-trained pain medicine specialist. He directed the Multidisciplinary Pain Fellowship Program at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and directed the Blaustein Pain Treatment Center at Hopkins. Dr Christo is an invited lecturer both nationally and internationally, serves on two journal editorial boards, has published more than 60 articles and book chapters, co-edited 3 textbooks on pain, and actively teaches medical students, residents, and pain fellows. He has been a course director or coordinator for many continuing medical education programs that focus on educating both specialists and generalists on important aspects of pain diagnosis and treatment.

Matthew Crawford (MB BS FANZCA FFPMANZCA FCICM) is the Director of Pain and Palliative Care at the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, and is Senior Staff Specialist in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, and Clinical Director of the Surgery and Anaesthesia Programs at Sydney Children’s Hospital. He has a particular interest in post-operative and chronic pain management in children. He has provided paediatric anaesthetic and intensive care services in a voluntary capacity for many South Pacific islands, Myanmar, and Rwanda. He has a research interest in physiology, anaesthesia, and intensive care procedures, and has published in international journals.

Anthony H Dickenson (BSc PhD FMedSci FBPharm) is Professor of Neuropharmacology in the Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology at University College, London,, with a PhD at the National Institute for Medical Research, London. He has held posts in Paris, California, and Sweden. His research interests are pharmacology of the brain, including the mechanisms of pain and how pain can be controlled in both normal and pathophysiological conditions, and how to translate basic science to the patient. He is an Honorary Member of the British Pain Society, a Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society, and a founding and continuing member of the London Pain Consortium. With his research team he has authored more than 290 refereed publications, and he has made many media appearances. 

Peter T Dorsher (MS MD) is Chair, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Florida, and was Assistant Professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Mayo Clinic, Rochester from 1985 to 1989. He attended medical school at Rush Medical College, Chicago, and obtained his Masters of Science Biomedical Engineering at Case Institute of Technology, Cleveland, Ohio. He has made numerous regional, national, and international presentations on myofascial pain, chronic pain, acupuncture, and their relationships. He has published over 30 journal articles, six book chapters, one book, and 20 miscellaneous publications on neurologic disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and Eastern medicine. He is currently working on development of Mayo Spine Center for care of spine disorders

Paul Glare (MBBS MA MMed) is Chief of the Pain and Palliative Service and Attending Physician in the Department of Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York. He is also Professor of Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College. He has published more than 70 peer-reviewed articles on pain and palliative care, and more than 20 book chapters. He is the editor of textbooks on opioid pharmacology and on prognostication, both published by Oxford University Press. He is also an Associate Editor of the textbook Palliative Medicine, published by Elsevier in 2008.

Peter J Goadsby (MD, PhD UCSF) obtained his basic medical degree and training at The University of New South Wales, Australia. His neurology training was done with Professor James W. Lance in Sydney. After post-doctoral work in New York with Don Reis at Cornell, with Jacques Seylaz at Universite VII, Paris, and postgraduate neurology training at Queen Square, London, with Professors C David Marsden, Andrew Lees, Anita Harding, and W Ian McDonald, he returned to The University of New South Wales and the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, as a consultant neurologist and Associate Professor of Neurology. He was appointed a Wellcome Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Neurology, University College, London in 1995. He was Professor of Clinical Neurology and Honorary Consultant Neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, until 2007. At the time of writing he was Professor of Neurology and Director of the Headache Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, but is currently Professor of Neurology, King’s College, London, and Director, NIHR-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, King’s College Hospital, London. He is an Honorary Consultant Neurologist at the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London, and in the Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, and Chair of the British Association for the Study of Headache.

Amy Hinkle (MSc) holds a Master of Science from Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA, with a focus in neuroscience. She has ten years of research experience in both industry and academia. Her early start working in a biochemistry lab at Oakland University at the age of 15 propelled her to a career as a Research & Development scientist at Oxford Biomedical Research. After completing undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Applied Mathematics at Oakland University she moved on to complete her graduate program at a young age. Her primary interests in genetics and neuroscience stem from a family history of migraines and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

Jade Hucker (BSc (Hons) MPsychol (Clin) (Hons) is a clinical psychologist dedicated to work in the field of chronic conditions including chronic pain. She currently works at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Pain Management Centre, Camperdown, New South Wales, where she is responsible for clinical psychology services. She has extensive experience delivering individual and group-based programs for people with chronic pain, and provides education to other health professionals on managing chronic pain. Jade is also a Clinical Associate of The University of New South Wales, and a supervisor on Intern Clinical Psychologists.

Elystan Hughes (BSc (Hons) MB BCh FRCA) is a Senior Registrar based at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdon. Originally from West Wales, he studied Biochemistry at Imperial College, London, and Medicine at Cardiff University. Specialising in anaesthesia, his interests include acute pain management, trauma, and regional anaesthesia. He has undertaken Research and Regional Anaesthesia fellowships in Australia. Currently based in the U.K, Dr Hughes works internationally and contributes to the advancement of high quality pain management strategies.

Kinshi Kato (MD PhD) is a spine surgeon and Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima. He received his medical education and surgical training from Fukushima Medical University, and additional post-graduate education in molecular biology at the Peripheral Nerve Research Group in the Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego. He now specializes in spine surgery and sports medicine, with a special interest in lumbar disorders, and received the Best Paper Award at the annual meeting of the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS). His clinical and research interests include neuropathic pain, cytokines in neuroinflammation, psychosocial factors in chronic low back pain, primary care for low back pain in athletes, and minimum invasive lumbar surgery for athletes.

Tamara Lang (BPsychol (Hons) MPsychol (Clin) (Hons) DPhil) is a clinical psychologist specialising in children and adolescents. She has a Masters of Clinical Psychology from The University of New South Wales, and a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford.  Tamara works with children, adolescents, and their families requiring psychological assessment and treatment for a broad range of issues such as chronic pain, depression, anxiety, stress, challenging behaviours, grief, loss, and social problems. She is currently working at in the pain and palliative care team at Sydney Children’s Hospital, and is a Conjoint Lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine at The University of New South Wales.

Hsuan-Chih Lao (MD MSc) has been a senior supervising doctor in the Anaesthesia and Pain Department in Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei. She specialises in obstetric and paediatric cardiovascular anaesthesia and interventional pain management. Previous research has been related to labour analgesia and heart rate variability. She is a research fellow in the Pain and Palliative Care Department, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Australia, having completed the fellowship training program for adult pain management. She is also a lecturer in the Medical School of National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan, and the Director of resident training programs in the department. Her current interest is pain management for children with autoimmune disease.

Pamela Macintyre (BMedSci MBBS MHA FANZCA FFPMANZCA) is an Associate Professor and Director of the Acute Pain Service at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia since it was established in 1989, the first such service in Australasia and one of the first in the world. She is a Foundation Fellow of the Faculty of Pain Medicine, Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, and an examiner for the Faculty. Her key areas of interest have been the management of acute pain in more complex patients, the safety of and education about acute pain management, and improving acute pain management practices throughout hospitals and also after discharge. She has co-authored one and co-edited two books on acute pain management, co-authored a number of chapters and papers, and was senior editor for the second (2005) and third (2010) editions of Acute Pain Management: Scientific Evidence, published by ANZCA and the FPM.

Tony Merritt (BA (Hons) MPsychol (Clin) (Hons) MAPS) is a clinical psychologist working in private practice in Sydney, and runs Sydney Clinical Psychology. He is an Associate Lecturer in the Masters of Clinical Psychology program at The University of New South Wales, and a clinical supervisor and clinical associate at The University of New South Wales, Macquarie University, and The University of Sydney. He supervises many intern and qualified clinical psychologists. Tony has worked across various public and private services including Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Pain Management Centre, St Vincent’s Hospital Gambling Treatment Service, and Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Australia. At the Black Dog Institute, Australia, Tony runs workshops on workplace mental health, professional development training for general practitioners, professional development training for mental health professions on medications, and Bipolar Disorder.

Geoff Mitchell (MBBS PhD FRACGP FAChPM) is Professor of General Practice and Palliative Care at the University of Queensland, and Head of the MBBS program at Ipswich. His main research interest is in the role of general practitioners in palliative care, cancer in general, and complex conditions. Current research includes interventions to improve outcomes for caregivers for people with advanced cancer, health services research in palliative care and primary care, and single patient trials. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed publications. He has been a chief investigator on over $16 million of National Health & Medical Research Council, Australia, funding. He maintains a clinical general practice in Ipswich, Queensland.

Ian Mowat (MA MBBS FRCA EDRA) is an Anaesthetic Specialty Registrar with interests in regional anaesthesia, pre-operative assessment, peri-operative management, and acute pain. Educated at Cambridge University and Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, Dr Mowat is currently a trainee in the St George's School of Anaesthesia, London. This chapter was written during an overseas placement as an Anaesthetic Research Fellow at the Royal Perth Hospital, Western Australia.

Robert R Myers (PhD) is Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Anesthesiology and Pathology at the University of California, San Diego. His academic training is in bioengineering and neurosciences, and his principal interests are in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain, particularly the role of cytokine mechanisms of nerve injury and pain. Other interests include the neurotoxicity of local anaesthetics, the neurophysiology of microcirculation, and the integrative pathophysiology mechanisms in nerve and spine injury that cause pain. He has led the Peripheral Nerve Research Group at University of California, San Diego, for many years, has been Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Peripheral Nervous System, and has trained international scholars in neurobiology, orthopaedics, and neurology.

Stephan A Schug (MD FANZCA FFPMANZCA) is currently Professor and Chair of Anaesthesiology in the Pharmacology and Anaesthesiology Unit of the University of Western Australia, and Director of Pain Medicine at Royal Perth Hospital, Western Australia. Professor Schug is a German trained specialist anaesthetist with an MD in pharmacology. He has previously worked at the University of Cologne, and then was Chair of Anaesthesiology at the University of Auckland. His main research interests are in the pharmacology of analgesics and local anaesthetics, the management of acute, chronic, and cancer pain, regional anaesthesia and analgesia, organisational structures for pain management, and reduction of adverse events in hospitals. Professor Schug has over 350 publications including peer reviewed journal articles, books and book chapters, mainly in the areas of regional anaesthesia and acute and chronic pain management. Professor Schug is often invited to present at national and international conferences.

David A Scott (MB BS BS PhD FANZCA FFPMANZCA) is Associate Professor and Director of Anaesthesia at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne. He was Director of the Acute Pain Service at St. Vincent’s since its inception in 1990 until 2010. He has clinical and research interests in a wide range of areas including regional anaesthesia and acute pain management, and has researched and published extensively in these areas, including a number of book chapters. His other interests include the long term cognitive impacts of anaesthesia. He completed a PhD on neuropathic pain in 2004. He is especially interested in the safety and outcomes related to acute pain management.

Louise Sharpe (BA (Hons) MPsych PhD) is a Professor of Clinical Psychology in the School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, and is a Senior National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Research Fellow. She completed her undergraduate and clinical training at The University of Sydney, and has a PhD from the University of London. She is an expert in health psychology and the development and evaluation of novel interventions for patients with a range of health problems, and has particular expertise in the management of chronic pain. She has been the recipient of over $3.5 million in competitive grant funding, with current funding from the Australian Research Council and NHMRC, and has published more than 120 peer-reviewed journal articles, including the results of nine randomised controlled trials of psychosocial interventions.

Veronica I. Shubayev (MD) is Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of California, San Diego, and Research Physiologist at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System. She studies the role of immune responses associated with peripheral nerve injury in axonal regeneration, phenotypic changes and survival of Schwann cells and its remodelling, including the compact myelin lamellae, and functional recovery of peripheral nerve following damage or disease. Among her significant scientific contributions is the discovery of axonal transport of inflammatory cytokines, providing a mechanism of central neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain after peripheral lesions, and the work implicating matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and myelin basic protein as novel classes of pain mediators.

Philip J Siddall (MBBS MM (Pain Mgt) PhD FFPMANZCA) is Director of the Pain Management Service at Greenwich Hospital in Sydney and Conjoint Professor in Pain Medicine at The University of Sydney. He spent three years in China studying acupuncture, after which he completed a PhD in pain physiology at The University of Sydney. He currently combines clinical pain medicine with research intro the mechanisms and management of pain. His research interests are in the area of neuropathic pain, particularly following spinal cord injury, as well as the role of modulatory pathways, and spiritual and existential issues in pain.

Muhammad Salman Siddiqi (MD) was born and raised in Pakistan. He managed to secure merit scholarships in different examinations in his childhood, and graduated in medicine from the Rawalpindi Medical College, Pakistan. After completing his Internship and residency training in Pakistan, he worked in hospitals including Shifa International Hospital, one of the most prestigious American hospitals in Pakistan. He moved to the United States in 1998 and worked as a clinical research associate on Alzheimer’s Disease and Zellweger Syndrome at John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore. For several years he was appointed Senior Vice President in a healthcare management company in Rockville, Maryland, for all medical, regulatory affairs, and clinical development programs. He completed his residency in Neurology from the University of Toledo Medical Center in Ohio in 2012, and passed his Neurology Board from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He joined Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, New York, and completed fellowship training in Hospice and Palliative Care in 2013. He is currently a neurologist with special interest in hospice and palliative care at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare Hospital, Florida, affiliated with Florida State University.

Anne Skoff (BA MA PhD) received her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Biology from Boston University. She then received a doctorate in Molecular Immunology from Wayne State University, United States, during which time she received several honours. Following her graduate studies, she worked in the laboratories of Drs Robert Lisak and Joyce Benjamins, studying the immunobiology of Schwann cells and their susceptibility to various cytokines. She joined Dr Adler’s laboratory in 1998 as Research Associate and has been responsible for many of the resulting behavioural and biochemical studies. Dr. Skoff has been key in demonstrating the role of cytokines in secretion of nociceptive peptides.