Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS trust
UK
Dr Ganesan Baranidharan is a Consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS trust and Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Leeds.
He is active in research and teaching. Most of his research activities are on Neuropathic pain and Neuromodulation. He has a special interest in managing pain of visceral origin. He has had a significant contribution in developing a National Neuromodulation Registry for the United Kingdom.
He is currently the Regional advisor for Pain Medicine in Yorkshire and also teaches in various courses nationally and internationally. He has successfully run his annual cadaver workshop in Leeds for the last 11 years. He is an elected Board member and Examiner for the Faculty of Pain Medicine and President Elect for the Neuromodulation Society of UK and Ireland. He enjoys cycling, running, cricket and Badminton in his spare time.
Evolve Restorative Center
USA
Dr Jason Pope (MD, DABPM, FIPP) is the President and CEO of Evolve Restorative Center in Northern California, USA, with offices across Sonoma, Napa, and Lake Counties. He is the Chairman of the Pacific Spine and Pain Society (PSPS) and the President Elect for the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN). He served the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) as a Director-at Large, Advocacy and Policy Committee Co-chair, Annual Meeting Co-Chair, and is currently the Co-Chair of the Emerging Technology Committee and was an invited member of the Institute of Neuromodulation (ION).
He recently completed his term as the Director at Large for the International Neuromodulation Society, and is the Co-Chair for the CME committee and the Co-Chair for the Young Neuromodulation Committee. He also is the Co-Founder the Special Interest Group in Neuromodulation for the American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA).
Dr Pope has published over 100 peer reviewed articles, while working with medical device start-up companies and established industry partners to offer strategies for education surrounding patient centric adoption and development of clinic research, while overseeing the clinical research and data integrity of multiple multicenter, prospective studies. He serves as the Principle Investigator for national and international studies. He is the co-founder of Celeri Health, a digital data tracking platform and is the Regulatory Vice President for Anesthesia Gas Reclamation, a renewable volatile anesthetic capture and recycling solution.
Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute
USA
Dr Ali Rezai leads the comprehensive and integrated clinical and research programs in the neurosciences at the West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. He also serves as Associate Dean and the John D. Rockefeller IV tenured professor in neuroscience at the WVU School of Medicine.
His clinical areas of expertise include the neurosurgical and neuromodulation management of patients with Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, chronic pain, brain and spinal cord injuries, as well as severe mood and anxiety disorders.
Dr Rezai has been a significant leader in the novel and innovative use of brain implants for treating Parkinson’s disease, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, and traumatic brain injury. His work is recognised across the globe, and his research involving a brain-computer interface to treat paralysis was published in the journal Nature last year and also generated front-page news in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times.
Precision Brain, Spine & Pain Centre
VIC Australia
Dr Mohammed Awad is a UK and Australian-trained Neurosurgeon. He is a full member of the Royal college of Surgeons of England and The Royal Australasian college of surgeons, and is a leader and global educator in surgeries on brain tumours, complex spinal (robotic) surgery, computer and ultrasound guided surgery and complex pain surgeries amongst many others.
Dr Awad conducted his medical school and Neurosurgery training in the United Kingdom. He trained and gained expertise in some of the leading neurosurgical centres in London and Australia, and deriving experience in a diverse range of areas in brain and spinal surgery. He has been granted Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
Dr Awad has completed subspecialty fellowship training in spinal surgery and neuro-oncology. Dr Awad applies the latest state-of-the-art techniques, including minimally invasive surgery and artificial disc replacement, as well as robotic spinal surgery, to the treatment of a range of spinal conditions, including disc prolapse, degenerative spinal disease, tumours, and spinal trauma. He is also a world leader in the removal of brain tumours using high-tech intra-operative techniques to make for safer surgery.
Dr Awad prides himself on providing every patient timely, compassionate and personalised care of the highest standard.
Northern Pain Centre
NSW Australia
A/Professor Charles Brooker (MB ChB MRCP FANZCA FFPMANZCA) is an Interventional Pain Medicine Specialist and consults at the Northern Pain Centre. He specialises in minimally invasive intervention technologies as a component of a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of persistent pain with the goal of relieving pain and improving function and quality of life.
A/Professor Brooker has over 20 years experience in Interventional Pain Medicine. He is head of the department of Pain Management at Royal North Shore Hospital and a Clinical Associate Professor at the Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney. He is a specialist in the use of spinal cord stimulation and radiofrequency procedures in the treatment of a comprehensive range of pain conditions.
As well as being of the examination committee of the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPMANZCA) he is also an active member of The International Association for the Study of Pain, the Australian Pain Society and the International Neuromodulation Society.
A/Professor Brooker has specialist qualifications in both Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia. He completed his medical degrees and internship in the United Kingdom before undertaking postgraduate anaesthesia training in Australia, obtaining Fellowship of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists in 1998. He underwent subspecialty training in Pain Medicine and completed a comprehensive Interventional Pain Medicine Specialist Fellowship at Royal North Shore Hospital Pain Management and Research Centre and was awarded Fellowship of the Faculty of Pain Medicine in 2000.
Pain Specialists Australia
VIC Australia
Dr Nick Christelis is medical director and co-founder of Pain Specialists Australia, a multidisciplinary pain clinic, that is tier 1 college accredited for pain medicine specialist training.
He holds two specialist pain medicine qualifications: one from Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (FFPMANZCA), the other, from the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists in London, UK (FFPMRCA).
He completed his specialist training in pain medicine and anaesthesia at London’s Imperial School of Anaesthesia and worked as a pain consultant at The Chelsea & Westminster Hospital before moving to Melbourne in 2009 to take up appointments as Consultant in Pain Medicine, Head of Pain Service, and Anaesthetist at The Alfred Hospital.
Nick now practices 100% within the field of pain medicine. He is an interventional pain specialist combining a multidisciplinary team approach with advanced pain interventional techniques like nerve and joint blocks, epidural injections, radiofrequency ablation, pulsed radiofrequency, spinal cord stimulation and other advanced neuromodulation techniques.
He serves on the executive board of the Neuromodulation Society of Australia and New Zealand (NSANZ) as well as the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists Interventional Procedures Clinical Care Standard Working Group.
Nick’s areas of expertise include back pain, neuropathic pain, lumbar radicular pain and sciatica, neck, shoulder and arm pain, facial pains/headaches, trigeminal neuralgia, CRPS, male and female pelvic pain, post-surgical neuropathic pain syndromes like post laminectomy pain, failed back surgery syndrome, ilioinguinal pain, thoracic pain.
Pain Specialists Australia was founded on the single belief that no one should suffer from pain.
Briz Brain & Spine
QLD Australia
Dr Terry Coyne qualified as a neurosurgeon in 1991, having trained in Australia and completed a two year Fellowship in Canada at the University of Toronto. He is currently Associate Professor and lead neurosurgeon in the Asia-Pacific Centre for Neuromodulation, a division of the Queensland Brain Institute within the University of Queensland.
Dr Coyne has long had an interest in deep brain stimulation (DBS), and has performed >1000 DBS procedures. Current research includes participation in randomised trials of DBS for obsessive-compulsive disorder and anorexia nervosa.
Dr Coyne is a member of the Boards of the World Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery and the Asian Australasian Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, being the immediate past-President of the Asian Australasian Society.
In 2017 Dr Coyne was awarded a Medal in the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to neurosurgery.
Brisbane Private Hospital
QLD Australia
Clare completed her Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology at the University of Queensland in 2018. During Clare’s undergraduate degree and following her graduation, Clare worked at BackSpace Clinics; a spine rehabilitation facility that aims to optimise patient rehabilitation with a multidisciplinary and comprehensive treatment approach. During this time Clare’s research interests developed, which would see her undertaking a PhD in the spinal rehabilitation field. Clare’s particular interests are in combining behaviour change interventions and exercise after elective spine surgery. Clare assesses functional capacity and health related quality of life outcomes in patients’ with anxiety, depression and kinesiophobia prior to surgery. More recently, Clare has started investigating the applicability of functional assessments in patient’s with low back pain, with the objective to develop a functional testing battery that can be administered across different disciplines.
Medical Technology Association of Australia
NSW Australia
Paul Dale, Director, Policy, Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA)
Paul joined MTAA in 2019, and is responsible for working with MTAA members, the Australian Government and other stakeholders to develop policy positions that will be in the best interests of patients who use medical devices and maintain a viable, innovative medical device in Australia.
Prior to joining MTAA, Paul was a Manager at Biointelect, working as a consultant to governments and the life sciences industry on commercialisation of new health technology in Australia and globally, and health policy and funding issues related to the purchasing and use of therapeutic products.
Previously, Paul held various Australian and global roles in the pharmaceutical industry from 2001-2017, including global pricing and market access strategy, policy, government affairs and commercial sales. This included extensive work on reforms to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and involvement in key industry committees. He has also worked as a Government Advisor.
Westmead Hospital
NSW Australia
Emma Everingham is a Nurse Practitioner in Movement Disorders in Sydney, NSW. Currently providing a Deep Brain Stimulation clinic in private practice at Westmead, whilst teaching post graduate nurses at The University of Technology, Sydney. Providing advanced clinical skills, for young people and adults, often with rare disorders, treated with a deep brain stimulator, Emma has a holistic approach empowering patients self-management, in collaboration with a diverse multidisciplinary team.
Emma has developed a Nurse Practitioner Network across Western Sydney and is an active member of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners. Emma has held executive positions with the Australasian Neuroscience Nurses Association and was a founding member of the Movement Disorder Chapter.
Having many years of Neurosurgical and Neurological nursing experience, Emma has presented at many International Conferences, demonstrating her broad Neuroscience experience, including inception of a brain tumour support group, shunts and normal pressure hydrocephalus and Huntington’s Diseases treated with DBS.
Current areas of special interest include cerebral palsy, primary orthostatic tremor, Huntington’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease, with a passion for embracing online learning for post graduate nurses.
Bond University
QLD Australia
Professor Kirsty Forrest is Dean of Medicine at Bond University and Treasurer of the Executive Committee of Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand (MDANZ). Kirsty is a Consultant Anaesthetist at Gold Coast University Hospital and a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). She is also a member of the Education, Development and Evaluation Committee and a lead facilitator for the educator program of ANZCA.
Her research focus is Medical Education and she is co-author and editor of several best-selling medical textbooks including ‘Understanding Medical Education: Evidence, Theory and Practice’ and ‘Healthcare Simulation at a Glance’. Professor Forrest is also Chair of the Medical Education Collaboration Committee (MECC) of MDANZ. Prior to joining Bond as Dean of Medicine, Professor Forrest was Associate Dean, Learning and Teaching, and Professor of Health and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University.
Interventus Pain Specialists
QLD Australia
Megan Hannah completed her general nursing training in 1984 and obtained post graduate qualifications in orthopaedic nursing where she worked for many years before commencing work in a private neuromodulation practice in 1997. She has worked in a number of neuromodulation practices since that time.
She completed her Bachelor of Health Science in Nursing in 2000 and her Graduate Diploma of Science in Medicine (Pain) in 2007. She is a member of the Australian College of Nursing.
Megan was involved in the formation of the Australian Chapter of the International Neuromodulation Society (now NSANZ) and is a founding member of the Australasian Neuromodulation Nurses Special Interest Group.
Megan’s passion is patient and medical education. She aims to raise the profile of nurses working in neuromodulation and facilitate ongoing education for nurses.
Metro Pain Group
QLD Australia
Matthew is a Specialist Pain Medicine Physician and a Specialist Intensive Care Physician. He joined the board of NSANZ in 2019. Matthew was scientific convenor for NSANZ2020 and now shares that role with Nathan Taylor and he graduated from the University of Queensland with first class honours. He holds adjunct teaching positions at The University of Queensland (Senior Lecturer), and Bond University (Asst. Professor). Matthew has a special interest in what the future could bring in the field of pain medicine, in particular in the area of neuromodulation. However, he incorporates all aspects of pain medicine in his multidisciplinary practice: Pharmacological, Physical Therapy, Patient Education, Psychology and the judicious use of Procedures (diagnostic and therapeutic).
Matthew is based in private practice Brisbane where he is the medical director of Metro Pain Qld.
Wesley Medical Centre
QLD Australia
Dr Anthony J Kiosoglous ( MBBS(Hons) BSc(Hons) BMedSc FRACS(Urology)) is a Urological and Reconstructive Surgeon. He is Brisbane trained and completed a two-year fellowship in London, at Guy’s & St Thomas, and University College Hospital.
His sub-specialty interests include Urinary Incontinence & Prolapse Repairs, Erectile Dysfunction, Neuro-Urology, Urodynamics, and Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome.He is an International Presenter and Publisher; and is a reviewer of multiple Surgical and Urological International Journals.
Dr Kiosoglous is an Elected Qld Committee Representative of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and a member of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand.
Bond University
QLD Australia
Rhea is a general and breast surgeon on the Gold Coast, a surgical educator, and a diversity advocate. She is Surgical Lead at Bond University and in 2021 became the first woman councillor of the American College of Surgeons ANZ Chapter. She has co-developed a number of educational courses for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in which principles of equity are embedded. She is active in research, thought leadership and social media about diversity issues which are aligned with the RACS Diversity and Inclusion plan. She is the immediate past chair of the RACS Operating With Respect education committee which since 2015 has delivered a mandatory online module to >7000 surgeons in Australia and New Zealand, developed a mandatory face-to-face workshop for approximately 600 surgeons in leadership positions, launched the Speak Up app, and is in the process of developing an Operate With Respect course for trainees. She is neurodiverse herself, so if you see her crocheting during the conference, she is managing cognitive noise to enhance her ability to concentrate on what is going on!
Brisbane Private Hospital
QLD Australia
Dr Paul Licina is an orthopaedic spine surgeon who works at SpinePlus, his private practice at Brisbane Private Hospital. He is an Adjunct Professor at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). His primary interest is in degenerative spine problems. Dr Licina conducts research at the Brisbane Private Hospital and his current projects involve a functional spinal assessment tool, patient experience app and accelerated rehabilitation after surgery. He and pain physician Dr Brendan Moore recently established BackSpace, an innovative, multidisciplinary, specialist-led spinal rehabilitation clinic at Brisbane Private Hospital to optimise spinal care after spine surgery and back injury.
Pain Matrix Pty Ltd
VIC Australia
Dr Diarmuid McCoy is a medical practitioner of 30 post-primary degrees. He obtained his degrees at the National University of Ireland MB BCh BAO (NUI UCC) University College Cork medical school 1991. He has fellowships from the Faculty of Anaesthetists Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FFARCSI) and the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (FANZCA). In addition, he is a foundation diplomat of the Faculty of Pain Medicine, College of Anaesthetists Ireland (FFPMCAI), and a fellow by examination of the Faculty of Pain Medicine FFPM ANZCA.
Involved in clinical pain medicine for over 25 years, he has worked in various centres (Ireland, UK, South Australia, Victoria). He is a member of the court of examiners at the Faculty of Pain Medicine ANZCA and is a committee member of the training unit accreditation committee (TUAC) at the Faculty of Pain Medicine. He is current chair of the Professional Standards Committee and past chair of the Victorian Regional Committee FPM.
Dr McCoy has delivered lectures at national and international meetings in Ireland, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Singapore, Kuala Lumper, Hong Kong and Australia.
He is an author of various scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals and a book chapter. He has been involved in clinical teaching and training in pain medicine for 2 decades. He is a past director of the Pain Management Unit University Hospital Geelong. Other activities including consultant at the medical panels (Victoria), honorary senior lecturer Deakin University Medical School. Specific interests in assessment and management of pain, neuropathic and nociceptive pain in a multidisciplinary setting. Appropriate use of pharmacological and interventional resources and selection for multidisciplinary pain management programs and neuromodulation. Current appointments at the University Hospital Geelong Barwon Health, St John Hospital Geelong (SJOG Health Group), Epworth hospital (Group) Waurn Ponds and Mitcham Private Hospital (Ramsey Group) Melbourne and is co-founder and a Clinical Director of Pain Matrix Pty LTD Geelong. In his spare time he is a terrible cyclist, collector of fountain pens and spends far too much time in boats.
Hunter Pain Specialists
NSW Australia
Ashlee Morris completed her Bachelor of Nursing in 2009 and went on to complete her Master of Nursing (Advanced Practice) in 2012. She has experience in a variety of nursing fields including rehabilitation, medical/surgical, general practice, palliative care and pain management.
In her current role, Ashlee works closely with chronic pain patients, in particular, case managing patients undergoing spinal cord stimulation. She is actively involved in the development of educational resources for Hunter Pain Specialists, and has provided education for external health professionals on Neuromodulation therapies.
Ashlee is passionate about education, in particular knowledge sharing between peers believing it provides the substance to deliver evidence based care of the highest standards.
Evaluate Consulting
NSW Australia
Craig Moy’s professional experience covered 25 years in medical devices across Australia, Asia and the USA, working in and leading teams across commercial strategy, health economics, industry and government engagement delivered with the Medical Technology Association of Australia.
Following his role as Country Manager for Smith & Nephew he lead the commercial operations for Australia’s leading NFP clinical research entity the Garvan Institute of Medical Research including establishing the narrative underpinning the $500M Federal commitment to advance clinical integration of Genomics.
Craig is currently the MD of a pharmacogenomics business partnered with the Mayo Clinic and a member of an economic advisory practice, with a personal focus on health outcomes data. He is the consultant Director of Market Access and Reimbursement for Private Healthcare Australia, the advocacy body for Private Health Insurers and a member of the ministerial appointed Prosthetic List Advisory Committee, and is a representative on a number of Industry working groups on the future funding model for Medical Devices in Australia.
Sydney Pain Specialists
NSW Australia
Dr Alan Nazha is a dual qualified Anaesthetist and Specialist Pain Physician. He completed his anaesthetic training at Royal North Shore Hospital in 2011 and underwent further subspecialty training in Pain Medicine at Royal North Shore Hospital, Concord Hospital and Hunter Pain Clinic. Awarded a merit in pain medicine fellowship examinations he went on further to qualify for Fellowship in Interventional Pain Practice.
Dr Nazha works exclusively in private practice and is the co-founder and director of Sydney Pain Specialists. He has private hospital appointments at The Sydney Adventist Hospital, Norwest Private Hospital, The Northern Beaches Hospital and The Mater Hospital. Dr Nazha has a special interest in the utilisation of Peripheral Nerve Stimulation in the treatment of persistent post-surgical pain, neuropathic pain, CRPS.
Specialists in Pain
QLD Australia
Dr Michelle O’Brien grew up and attended public schools in regional Queensland (Australia). Not one to ever let things hold her back and against her father’s wishes, Dr. O’Brien went on to study medicine at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, graduating in 1993.
Dr. O’Brien then trained in the specialty of anaesthesia at a number of major hospitals in Brisbane and regional Southeast Queensland, and went on to work as a consultant anaesthetist publicly at The Prince Charles Hospital and also in private practice.
From 2011 Dr. O’Brien lived in Jakarta, Indonesia for three years where she became further interested in pain, returning to undertake formal specialist training with the Faculty of Pain Medicine at the prestigious Professor Tess Cramond Multidisciplinary Pain Centre at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and then St. Vincent’s Private Hospital, Brisbane.
Dr O’Brien has worked in the private sector of pain medicine since 2017, and in July 2020 started her own practice Specialists in Pain.
Dr. O’Brien works exclusively in pain and has a firm commitment to the multidisciplinary approach to pain management - practicing “slow medicine” - taking time to really listen to and connect with patients.
Dr. O’Brien has a keen and ongoing passion for neuromodulation, including Spinal Cord Stimulation.
Hunter Pain Specialists
NSW Australia
Dr Marc Russo is a Specialist Pain Medicine Physician in Newcastle NSW. He is the Director of Hunter Pain Specialists, Genesis Research Services, Hamilton Day Surgery Centre and Co-Director of the Innervate Pain Management Program. He believes that clinical diligence, early intervention, education and research in the field of pain management are integral to successfully treating patients suffering from chronic persistent pain. He has a special interest and expertise in neuromodulation, particularly spinal cord stimulation.
Macquarie University
NSW Australia
Dr Rupendra Shrestha is a Senior Research Fellow at GenIMPACT: Centre for Economic Impacts of Genomic Medicine at Macquarie University. He has a PhD in Epidemiology and Population Health from the Australian National University and a MSc in Statistics from the University of Auckland. He is a statistician and a health economist and specialises in the application of statistical methods in microsimulation models for health economics analysis.
His research program primarily focuses on the costs of chronic illness including chronic pain, lost productivity due to chronic conditions and the associated economic costs. He is also working in the economic evaluation of genomic sequencing for the diagnosis of genetic diseases and the precision medicine.
Queensland Brain Institute
QLD Australia
Professor Peter Silburn is a neurologist and world expert in the treatment and research of Parkinson’s disease. Professor Silburn was honoured for his ‘significant service to medicine as a neurologist, particularly in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases’ with appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2013 Australia Day Honours.
Professor Silburn is a founding member and lead clinician for the Asia-Pacific Centre for Neuromodulation, a joint initiative between The University of Queensland and St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital. Professor Silburn graduated from the University of Queensland in 1988. He commenced training in Neurology at Princess Alexandra Hospital, and completed training in Oxford at the Radcliffe Infirmary in 1995. He was subsequently the Clinical Lecturer in Neurology at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
From Oxford, Professor Silburn went to the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm as a Research Fellow in the Department of Molecular Medicine. Professor Silburn returned to Brisbane in July, 1996 where he commenced in private practice and began his university affiliations. He became a full Professor in Neurobiology at The University of Queensland in 2006. He maintains academic affiliations with Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology and the University of Queensland.
Avant Insurance
NSW Australia
Katherine Skene is a solicitor in the professional conduct team at Avant Law, assisting doctors with a range of matters including Medical Board and Heath Ombudsman investigations, Coronial inquiries, Medicare reviews and Criminal Cases. Prior to joining Avant, Katherine worked in a commercial law firm providing advice to insurer clients on complex disputes, regulatory issues and civil litigation.
Frankston Pain Management
VIC Australia
Murray Taverner is a specialist anaesthetist and pain medicine physician at Frankston Hospital. He is the director/founder of Frankston Pain Management, a private collaborative multidisciplinary pain clinic.
He is an adjunct senior lecturer Monash University. He is a foundation member of the Neuromodulation Society of Australia & New Zealand and has served on the Board of Directors as treasurer and is the current secretary. He has been a member of the Spine Intervention Society since 1995 and is a Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice of the World Institute of Pain. He is a member of the Faculty Pain Medicine Board, Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthesia.
He is a tireless patient advocate for a comprehensive holistic pain management and the application of evidence-based therapy in public and private sectors to maximise function whilst minimising pain and suffering.
Murray’s areas of clinical interest include musculoskeletal pain, post-surgical pain, minimising unhelpful medications and interventional pain treatments.
Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital
QLD Australia
Dr Angela Wills is a pain trainee at the Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital in Brisbane. Her background is in rehabilitation medicine and political science (international security, diplomacy and peace studies). She has been a part of many committees in the Australian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine (AFRM) mediating issues that arose between trainees and supervisors and trainees and the college; and advocating on behalf of trainee interests.
Angela spent 3 years as Chair of the AFRM Trainee Committee and as the trainee representative on the Faculty Education Committee, and 2 years on the AFRM Policy and Advocacy Committee. During this time she also co-wrote a policy document outlining the standards for the provision of inpatient rehabilitation in public and private hospitals.
Moving forward she hopes to pursue a career in procedural pain medicine, particularly within neuromodulation.
Sydney Pain Management Centre
NSW Australia
Dr Robert E Wright (DABPM, FIPP) is recognized as a pioneer and innovator in the field of interventional pain management. He invented and developed the DekompressorTM percutaneous discectomy probe in 2001 as a better tool to treat symptomatic disc herniation. More recently in 2009 he invented the Nimbus Concepts Multi-tined Expandable Electrode - a safer, more efficient, and more effective device for radiofrequency procedures.
Dr Wright moved to Australia in 2019 and is now looking forward to being involved in patient care, research, and teaching with Dr. Vahid Mohabbati and the team at Sydney Pain Management Centre.
Briz Brain & Spine
QLD Australia
Dr Steven Yang is an orthopaedic spinal and hand surgeon who specialises in complex spine surgery, hand and peripheral nerve surgeries.
Dr Yang undertook advanced training in orthopaedic surgery and obtained the Fellowship of the Australian College of Surgeons in 2004. He then completed a Fellowship in hand surgery in Sydney followed by a Fellowship in Complex Spine Surgery.
Dr Yang has gained experience in leading edge spine surgery in Cleveland Ohio, New York and Germany where he had visiting fellowship appointments. Further learning about surgical treatments of complex spine deformity was obtained from centres around Australia, Germany, London and New York.
Prior to joining Briz Brain & Spine in 2013, Dr Yang was Director of Orthopaedic Surgery and Director of Spine Surgery Fellowship at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital where he gained vast experience in trauma and reconstructive surgery.
Dr Yang’s interest in neuromodulation arises from dealing with complex spine patients and post-traumatic conditions. He has a regular referral base of complex spine deformity and failed back patients.
Sydney Spine & Pain
NSW Australia
Dr James Yu is the founder and Medical Director of Sydney Spine and Pain with several established pain clinics across Sydney. He is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Prince of Wales Private, St Vincent’s Private, St George Private and Waratah Private.
He is the Director of REGAIN Multidisciplinary Pain Management Program in Burwood and founded the Australian Medical Research in Hurstville.
He is the fellow of the Faculty of Pain Medicine, Australian & New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (FFPMANZCA) and has recently been certified and awarded the Fellowship in Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP) in 2015. He has recently become a board members in NSANZ and Australian section of the World Institute of Pain (WIP).
Dr Yu is trained in all areas of Pain Medicine with clinical expertise in interventional pain procedures, focusing on pain of spinal origin. He has a special interest in advanced and novel neuromodulation techniques.
University of Adelaide
SA Australia
Dr Andrew Zacest is an Australian and US Fellowship trained neurosurgeon with expertise in Neurosurgery, Spinal surgery and Pain medicine and Surgery. He is consultant neurosurgeon at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide.
Dr Zacest has published numerous papers and book chapters in neurosurgical and pain journals, presented at international meetings, teaches trainees nationally and internationally, is a section editor for the ANZJS and has served many years on the Board of the Faculty of Pain Medicine and Pain Section of the RACS.