Seoul National University College of Medicine
South Korea
Dr Jee Youn Moon (M.D., Ph.D. FIPP, CIPS) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the Seoul National University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea.
She has published about 80 articles in SCI journals, ranging from “Deep spinal infection after outpatient epidural injections for pain: A retrospective sample cohort study using a claims database in South Korea” in Anesthesiology (2021;134:925-36) to “Neuromodulation for chronic pain” in Lancet (2021;397:2111-24). Dr. Moon received the Award for Excellent Research Prize 5 times from the Korean Pain Society.
She represented the Korean Pain Society for making the Consensus practice guidelines on lumbar and cervical facet joint pain interventions from a multispecialty, international working group. Dr. Moon won the Best Speaker Award from the Korean Pain Society for the field of ultrasound-guided pain medicine as well.
Her current interests are in the management of CRPS with neuromodulation, opioid safety, and ultrasound-guided pain interventions. She has delivered several lectures in WIP (New York, Budapest, Taipei, etc.), IASP (2021 online CRPS SIG), AAPM (Phoenix, San Francisco, Vancouver, Denver, and Washington D.C.), ASRA (San Francisco, Phoenix), WAPMU (Miami and Taipei), and Bengal, Chinese, Bangladesh, and Malaysian Pain Societies.
Dr Moon is a Chief Director of the International Cooperation of the Korean Pain Society and the editorial board of journals (Pain Medicine and Korean Journal of Pain). She is also concurrently the Chief Director of the Pain Center at Seoul National University Hospital.
Poitiers University Hospital
France
Professor Philippe Rigoard is Senior surgeon and coordinator of the Spine & Neuromodulation Unit within the Neurosurgical Department, at the Poitiers University Hospital, in France. He is also an Honorary Consultant at St Thomas & Guy’s Hospital, Pain clinic, in London, UK, an Anatomy conference reader at the Human Morphology Institute, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Poitiers and a Researcher at “Institut PPrime”, CNRS ISAE-ENSMA-UPR3346 (Axe PEM), and is the research program director of PRISMATICS, Predictive Research in Spine/neuromodulation Management and Cardiac Innovation Surgery in Poitiers.
He put a lot of efforts to rebuild the INS French chapter (Société Française de NeuroModulation, SFNM), which is now represented again in the global community.
In parallel of studying anatomy and morphology at National Art Institute, Beaux-Arts, Paris, from 1994-1996, Prof. Rigoard decided to enter into medicine. He received his medical degree as 1st Laureate of faculty of Medicine, Poitiers in 2006 and completed postgraduate medical training in spine surgery 2008 and a fellowship in functional neurosurgery in 2009.
From 2002-2007 he also completed his PhD of Sciences, in Poitiers as well as several degrees including in Neuromuscular Diseases, acute pain, chronic pain and pain management in emergency conditions, microsurgical techniques and surgical robotics.
His main research interest is neuromodulation and spine biomechanics. He has intensive scientific collaborations with several researchers worldwide, e.g., Prof. Kumar (Canada), Dr. Desai, Prof. North, Prof. Slavin (USA) and Dr. Al-Kaisy (UK). Prof. Rigoard is reviewer for several scientific journals. He is also a member of professional societies, including the International Association for the Study of Pain, International Neuromodulation society, European Association of Neurosurgeons, French and North American Society of Spine Surgery. Professor Rigoard has also published dozens of journal articles, abstracts, and book chapters, and has lectured at more than 100 conferences and symposia worldwide.
University of Illinois
Chicago
Dr Konstantin Slavin, MD, FAANS is Professor, Chief of Section and Fellowship Director for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).
Dr Slavin graduated from medical school in Baku, Azerbaijan in the Soviet Union and completed his neurosurgery residency in Moscow. He then completed his second neurosurgery residency at UIC and a fellowship in functional and stereotactic neurosurgery at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, OR.
Dr Slavin is the Past President of the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery and current Vice-President of the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. He is also the President-Elect of the International Neuromodulation Society (INS) and past Secretary of the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS). For many years, he was an Executive Committee member of the Joint Section on Pain of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. Among many honors and awards he is particularly proud to be an Honorary Professor of the Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute in Moscow.
Dr Slavin is published in many books and peer-reviewed journals and is an associate editor or editorial board member for a number of publications, including Neuromodulation, Neurosurgery, Brain Sciences, Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Acta Neurochirurgica and others; he is the current editor-in-chief of Progress in Neurological Surgery. His first book on Peripheral Nerve Stimulation was published in 2011; another book, co-edited with Sam Eljamel on Neurostimulation: Practice and Principles, came out in 2013; the third one, Stimulation of Peripheral Nervous System: The Neuromodulation Frontier was released in 2015. The most recent book on Neuromodulation for Facial Pain came out in 2021.
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.
Innervate Pain Management
NSW Australia
Dr Kylie Bailey is a senior clinical psychologist who has over 20 years’ experience working in disabilities, mental health, alcohol and other drugs, private practice, supervisor (at a psychology clinic), service manager and as an academic at the University of Newcastle. Kylie utilises evidence-based practices including motivational interviewing, CBT, ACT, emotional freedom technique, relapse prevention, dialectical behaviour therapy, schema therapy and is patient-centred. Kylie has a Bachelor degree in psychology, a Master in Clinical Psychology and a PhD (Psychiatry) at the University of Newcastle. She has developed, written and delivered training programs for health workers; developed treatment and supervision programs; presented in webinars / lectures; and published over 40 articles.
Abbott
VIC Australia
Adele Barnard is currently Senior Manager in Global Clinical Research at Abbott. She graduated with a PhD in Immunology and Neurobiology from Monash University in Melbourne and started her career in academia before moving to pharmaceutical and medical device Phase I-III clinical trials, working across both the public and private health sectors. She was pivotal in building a chronic pain research business in Melbourne, where she gained experience with new therapies across most of the neuromodulation device companies. With a publication record across RFN, SCS and DRG therapies she transitioned to industry, with multiple appointments across various neuromodulation companies and is currently responsible for the Asia Pacific emerging markets clinical research strategy, managing investigational and new indication clinical trials, and holds cross functional leadership team appointments and commercial scientific support roles.
Elgin Pain Management
VIC Australia
Frank Buchanan is a Melbourne based anaesthetist and interventional pain medicine physician. He is a founder of Elgin Pain Management which is based in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne and predominantly focused on female chronic pelvic pain. He is actively involved in anaesthetic and pain teaching and research with an interest in influences of the menstrual cycle on anaethesia state and pain sensitivity and has published peer-reviewed research in this field. He has previously spoken widely on neuromodulation and chronic pelvic pain and been an invited speaker on the topic at the annual scientific meeting of the Australian Gynaecological and Endoscopic Society. He is also a senior lecturer at the Melbourne Clinical School of Notre Dame University of Australia and actively involved in pain teaching to final year medical students. When not involved in pain management, he is busy being a father, life coach and designated driver to three children and Essendon Football Club tragic.
The Austin Hospital
VIC Australia
Originally from Tasmania, Ms Adele Burgess (BMedSci, MBBS (Hons), FRACS) undertook Medical School in Tasmania and then moved to Melbourne.
Her General Surgical Training took place at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne and Post-Fellowship training in Colorectal Surgery through the CSSANZ at the Austin Hospital in 2008.
In 2009 she was awarded The Murray and Unity Pheils Travel Fellowship from the Royal Australian College of Surgeons and completed a year post-fellowship training in Colorectal Surgery at The Cleveland Clinic, USA, under the mentorship of Dr Victor Fazio in 2009/10.
She has been Head of Colorectal Surgery at The Austin Hospital since 2011.
She has a subspecialty interest in Faecal Incontinence and is part of the International Continence Society Working Group on Male Anorectal Dysfunction.
She also is a Medical Advisor and Educator for Medtronic’s Pelvic Floor Division and their Device Research and Development Department.
Pain Specialists Australia
VIC Australia
Dr Rajiv Chawla is full time Pain specialist who has completed his postgraduate specialist training from the UK and achieved a dual Anaesthetic fellowship (London and Dublin). He underwent advanced Pain training in the UK at The Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Liverpool leading to FFPMRCA (London UK).
Before moving to Australia in 2021, Rajiv practiced as a Consultant in Pain Medicine at The Walton Centre in Liverpool, U.K. for 11 years. Rajiv setup and headed the first MDT Pelvic Pain Service in the northwest of the UK, providing care to over 3 million people. He also led the Pain Management Programme (pain rehabilitation treatments) offering support and guidance to help people with chronic pain manage pain more effectively, and in doing so, help improve their overall quality of life.
Rajiv's specialist clinical interests include spinal pain, neuromodulation for pain & other neurological conditions, spinal interventions for persistent pain, pelvic pain and facial pain.
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.
RMIT University
VIC Australia
Rob is a senior media and communications specialist with extensive experience in broadcasting, multimedia journalism and news management.
He is a former commercial radio news director, news commentator and corporate communications manager. Rob is a life member and former board member of the Melbourne Press Club and Chair of RMIT University Journalism Program Advisory Committee.
His strengths include media liaison, crisis management, leading and managing change, problem solving, communications strategies and engagement with stakeholders at the highest level.
Rob has strong professional relationships with news leaders and journalists across radio, print, digital and TV news and current affairs.
Rob lectures in Journalism and Media Law and Ethics at Deakin University. He is a judge of the prestigious Quill Awards for excellence in journalism. He is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators.
Rob is also on the board of a disability services provider in the not-forprofit sector.
Monash University
VIC Australia
Dr Michael Eller is an Australian trained neurologist that specialises in the management of movement disorders and headache disorders such as migraine and trigeminal autonomic cephalgias (TACs) such as cluster headache. In 2012-2014, Dr Eller was on the faculty at University of California San Francisco, attached to the UCSF Headache Centre working with Professor Peter Goadsby where he conducted clinical and functional neuroimaging research and maintained a headache clinic. He has previously worked as a visiting specialist at Royal Darwin Hospital. He is a lecturer at Monash University and works at Monash Medical Centre.
Boston Scientifc
USA
Dr Rosana Esteller received her B.Sc. in EE and M.Sc. in BE from Simon Bolivar University, and her Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. She was principal and founder of IntelliMedix Inc., which later merged with NeuroPace Inc., where her contributions were pivotal for the RNSTM seizure detection built-in algorithms and where she led critical clinical studies that led to the pre- market approval of the first closed loop implantable neuromodulation device. Since 2016, she has worked with Boston Scientific, where she is now Associate Director and Scientific Fellow in the Neuromodulation Research and Advanced Concepts (NRAC) group. In NRAC, she leads and manages research scientists with the primary goal of designing novel and future neuromodulation technologies to treat neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s, chronic pain, and others. She has 25+ years of industry experience in neuromodulation, mostly in closed loop medical devices, algorithm development, and clinical studies, areas where her leadership experience has motivated expert teams to achieve at the highest levels. She has over 50 journal and conference publications, three chapter-books, and over 40+ patents.
Monash University
VIC Australia
Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon is a Senior Research Fellow at Monash University within the School of Public Health and Preventative Medicine. Bernadette’s research program has been dedicated to taking a lifespan approach to understanding the relationship between neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms of pain experience and how these can be harnessed to advance the application of non-invasive brain stimulation to treat persistent pain as well as related symptoms in various chronic illnesses.
She has received several awards for her research including being invited to give the 2021 Tess Cramond Lecture at the Australasian Pain Society Meeting and the 2018 Australasian Brain Stimulation Society Early Career Award, with her broader scientific contributions recognised through a Young Tall Poppy Science Award from the Australian Institute of Policy and Science and her selection into the VESKI inspiring women STEM side-by-side program.
Bernadette was also the inaugural Chair (2017-2021) of the Brain Science Network, an initiative of the Australian Academy of Science and Australian Brain Alliance to establish a platform for early-to-mid career brain scientists to develop into future leaders and to drive Australian brain science forward.
Medtronic Australasia Pty Ltd
NSW Australia
Dr Abi Franke (PhD, EMBA) is currently a Clinical Research Program Manager within the Pain Therapies group in the Neuromodulation Business at Medtronic. She is passionate about expanding patient access, improving outcomes, and increasing clinical adoption of therapies that restore quality-of-life, through high-quality clinical evidence. Abi has been involved in Medical Device Research & Development since 2004 and in the design and execution of Clinical Trials for over 10 years. Abi has a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and an executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology.
St Vincent?s Hospital
VIC Australia
Dr Mina Ghaly is a movement disorders Neurologist. He completed his Neurology specialty training in tertiary Melbourne Hospitals, Australia. After his general neurology training, Dr Ghaly subsequently completed a movement disorders fellowship at St Vincent’s Hospital and a dedicated deep brain stimulation fellowship at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
He is one of a few neurologists globally using high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) to treat movement disorders.
Dr Ghaly’s expertise and interest are focused on managing tremors, dystonia, and Parkinson’s disease (PD), with a patient-centred approach using neuromodulation and advanced treatment technique to treat his patient.
He is active in Parkinson’s research, patient advocacy and public education in this field. Dr Ghaly holds a position as a Movement Disorders Specialist at St Vincent’s Hospital and has private appointments at multiple tertiary hospitals in Melbourne.
The Burnout Project
TAS Australia
Dr Amy Imms is a medical doctor, founder of The Burnout Project, author of 'Burnout: your first ten steps', and mother of 5. Since her own experience of burnout in 2016, she has been raising awareness of burnout and assisting individuals and organisations to prevent and manage burnout well so that employees can have fulfilling and sustainable careers. Amy has assisted doctors with managing burnout right across the spectrum: from medical students through to experienced specialists. She advocates for a broad, comprehensive approach to burnout which includes the complex organisational factors. Amy wants everyone with burnout to know: you are not weak, you are not a failure, this is not your fault, and there is something you can do about it.
Paul Manohar Urology
VIC Australia
Dr Paul Manohar is a Urologist based in South-Eastern Melbourne. He has extensive experience in minimally invasive urological surgery and a special interest in urological pain management.
Royal Melbourne Hospital
VIC Australia
Dr Semira Mollica is a Neurosurgery Doctor at Royal Melbourne Hospital with a strong interest in Pain Medicine. Dr Mollica completed her medical degree at University of Notre Dame Sydney, and has spent her post-graduate years training at Royal Melbourne Hospital in Surgery. Dr Mollica’s research is largely centred around advancement of technical skills in placement of neuromodulators, and their success in patients with chronic pain.
Saluda Medical
NSW Australia
Dave Mugan, Vice President, Scientific Affairs, has spent his career in health technology with over a decade of experience in neurostimulation. Dave has held various clinical leadership roles in previous companies including; Medtronic, St Jude Medical and Spinal Modulation.
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.
University of Technology, Sydney
NSW Australia
Professor Toby Newton-John is currently the acting Head of the Graduate School of Health at the University of Technology Sydney. He leads an academic and professional staff team of 95, and is responsible for the post-graduate training of 350 students in a range of allied health professions including clinical psychology, physiotherapy, pharmacy, speech pathology, genetic counselling and orthoptics. He has published over 85 peer reviewed articles and book chapters on the psychological management of chronic physical illness, with a focus on the management of chronic pain. He is on the Editorial boards of the Canadian Journal of Pain and the Australian Psychologist, and currently supervises 6 PhD students.
Toby is also a Senior Clinical Psychologist, having worked in a variety of mental health settings (public and private hospitals, inpatient and outpatient services) for over 20 years prior to entering academia. He continues to work at the Northern Pain Centre in Sydney on a very part time basis.
Workplace Physiotherapy
NSW Australia
Scott Peisley completed his undergraduate Physiotherapy Degree at the University of Newcastle in 2014 where he pursued a career in musculoskeletal Physiotherapy in the Mid North Coast before relocating back to Newcastle. Scott has a strong interest in musculoskeletal injuries and has been practicing in general musculoskeletal, work-related injuries, chronic pain, and stimulator rehabilitation for approximately 8 years. Scott is currently completing his Master of Science in Medicine (Pain Management) at the University of Sydney. Scott has completed the following post-graduate certificates:
Scott enjoys Brazilian jiujitsu, surfing and strength and conditioning and is the Vice President of Australian Powerlifting Union during his spare time.
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.
PainCare
WA Australia
Dr John Salmon has been a Pain Medicine specialist in private practice, PainCare Perth, WA since 1990. Originally from the United Kingdom, he received medical training at Guy’s Hospital London and anaesthetic training at the Westminster Hospital and King’s College Hospital London.
Special interests include implanted neuromodulation therapy, particularly cervical, upper-body and whole-body neuromodulation applications and also integrated interventional and multidisciplinary biopsychosocial pain management treatment.
Dr Salmon’s research interests include contributions to numerous published multicentre neuromodulation studies and reviews and several sole investigator studies and also contribution to neuromodulation training programs.
He has experience with CBT programme treatment including training from Professors Michael Nicholas and Amanda Williams at the Input program St Thomas’s Hospital London and ongoing collaboration with the Prof Nicholas and the Adapt program at the Royal North Shore Hospital Sydney resulted in medical directorship of the Achieve intensive CBT programme in Perth which treated injured workers and motor vehicle accident patients for several years in the early 2000’s .
Royal North Shore Hospital
NSW Australia
Dr Jane Standen is a Dual qualified Consultant Anaesthetist and Specialist Pain Medicine Physician.
Dr Standen is a consultant Pain specialist at Royal North Shore Hospital. She works privately with Sydney Pain Specialists and is appointed at the Sydney Adventist Hospital, Norwest Private Hospital and the Mater Hospital in North Sydney.
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.