Pain is one of our oldest evolutionary traits. It can help to modulate our interactions with the environment. However, chronic pain is a major healthcare challenge across the globe. Approximately 20% of the world’s population suffers from ongoing pain that severely impacts their quality of life.
Many of these individuals are poorly served with currently available treatment modalities. This can lead to opioid abuse and overdose following their use of prescription opioids intended for pain relief. An opioid epidemic that has stemmed largely from the desire to treat chronic pain reveals the root problem: the critical need to discover, test and implement new, improved and safe therapies.
This year’s conference will showcase the most recent discoveries and potential avenues for therapies in chronic pain research and treatment. Leaders in pain research, including those working in genomics, translational research and clinical therapies will present the latest and most promising findings, as well as the challenges left to overcome.
Topics will include the genetic and clinical landscape of pain disorders and the mechanistic underpinnings of pain pathways in the central and peripheral nervous systems. We will also focus on new technological approaches in pain research and how best to use large-scale genomics resources to improve pain research in humans.
Trainees, basic scientists, clinicians, industry developers and educators from across the globe are encouraged to participate in these discussions, which promise to increase our understanding of pain mechanisms and facilitate a path to improved therapies.
Conference website
Bursary deadline: 5 September 2023
Abstract deadline: 3 October 2023
Registration (In person): 31 October 2023
Registration (Virtual): 21 November 2023
