Korea University Anam Hospital
South Korea
Jae Chul Koh, MD. PhD. is a professor of pain medicine, computer scientist and programmer. He has contributed to the academic development of pain medicine through active treatment and research achievements in various fields (neuromodulation, epiduroscopy, etc.) as well as anatomy and animal research. Although he received his PhD in neuroanatomy, he also has world-class skills in artificial intelligence and virtual/augmented reality development as a computer scientist and programmer. Recently, he has been accumulating various research and achievements for the development and application of these technologies. He recently developed the first augmented reality guided navigation system for procedures and successfully conducted clinical trials. He is also utilizing his self-made spinal cord stimulation simulator to train doctors as well as pre- and intra-procedural simulation/guidance.
UAMS Medical Center
USA
Erika Petersen, M.D., FAANS, FACS is the Director of the Section of Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery, Vice-Chair for Education, and Residency Program Director in the Department of Neurosurgery at UAMS Medical Center. She is a professor whose clinical practice focuses on neuromodulation, treating movement disorders, spasticity, and chronic pain. Dr Petersen's research interests focus on developing new devices, indications, and methods for treating chronic pain using neuromodulation. Dr Petersen served on the Joint Section on Pain of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) and sits on the Executive Board of the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience where she is President. She is the first female Neurosurgeon named Professor in Arkansas.
National Spine & Pain Centers
USA
Dr Peter Staats completed his residency and fellowship training at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he also received his MBA. After completion of his fellowship, he founded the Division of Pain Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. In this capacity he became the university’s youngest division chief and the first academic anesthesiologist granted privileges to implant spinal cord stimulators and intrathecal pumps. Dr Staats is internationally recognized for his work developing a unified theory of pain, inventing, developing, and implementing minimally invasive procedures and therapeutics for chronic pain, COVID, as well as other medical disorders.
He is currently Past President of the World Institute of Pain (WIP), the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS), the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP), the New Jersey Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, and the Southern Pain Society. He is currently Founder and Chair of the Vagus Nerve Society.
Abbott
Europe
Bram Blomme is from Europe and is a Senior Clinical Researcher for Abbott. He was heavily involved in the recent Gemini study (an Australian Study) as one of the authors on the upcoming manuscript. NSANZ is a great opportunity for him to connect with some of the Australian physicians who were involved. Bram was the lead scientist for EU Eterna™ System approval and wrote the manuscript for ROAM study with Virtual Clinic.
Bionics Institute
VIC Australia
Professor James Fallon (BSc, BE Hons, PhD - Monash), is the is Chief Technology Officer at the Bionics Institute and head of the Medical Bionics Department at the University of Melbourne.
Professor Fallon has a 25-year track record of leading research in the translation of bionic devices utilising chronic stimulation to manage health conditions. He does this by forging expert teams of bioengineers, neuroscientists and clinicians who translate research into clinically meaningful outcomes.
He is a world concept leader on in vivo models of chronic stimulation and has often progressed research findings to early-stage clinical use to improve the quality of life of patients. His work has generated over 100 research publications and more than 10 patent families/applications, including several granted patents under license to medical technology companies.
Monarch Mental Health Group
NSW Australia
Associate Professor Bernadette Fitzgibbon is the Deputy Director of Research within the Monarch Mental Health Group, and an Associate Professor at the Australian National University (ANU). Her research program is dedicated to advancing next-step treatment services for people living with chronic pain and/or mental illness, including through the application and optimization of non-invasive brain stimulation and psychedelic therapies. She has successfully led her own and is/has been an investigator on a number of clinical trials, several of which have already been translated into practice.
Bernadette has published >75 journal articles, 3 book chapters, and has been awarded >2.5 million in research funding. Her work has been recognised through several awards 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. She has presented her work at more than 60 conferences and events including the 2022 Neuromodulation Society of Australia & New Zealand 15th Annual Scientific Meeting.
Bernadette is also passionate about the advancement of brain sciences within Australia, as reflected in role as Chair of the Australian Brain Alliance EMCR Network (2017-2021) and an Executive Member of the Australian Brain Alliance (2017-2021), an initiative of the Australian Academy of Science to bring together strategic brain research across Australia. She was also an executive member of the Australasian Brain Stimulation Society (2019-2023) and has contributed to conversation on gender imbalances within brain stimulation (eLIFE, 2021).
Boston Scientific
VIC Australia
Brittany Gardner is a Field Clinical Engineer at Boston Scientific in Neuromodulation. She works in Deep Brain Stimulation, Spinal Cord Stimulation and Radiofrequency Ablation. Brittany has a Biomedical Engineering degree with Honours from The University of Sydney and has a degree in Project Management. She is currently completing a Graduate Diploma in Psychology at The University of Adelaide. She is based in Melbourne, Australia.
Concord Hospital
NSW Australia
Dr Tejas (TJ) Kanhere is a Specialist Pain Medicine Physician working in Sydney NSW at Concord Hospital and has recently co-founded the Central Pain Clinic in Redfern. He has prior qualifications in computer systems engineering with experience in programming and complex systems modelling including artificial intelligence simulation. Dr Kanhere has an interest in integrating technological solutions to optimise patient outcomes, including virtual reality and artificial intelligence.
Saluda Medical
NSW
Dean M Karantonis graduated with the BE (Hons) degree in computer engineering and the MBiomedE degree in biomedical engineering from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia. He completed a PhD degree with the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering at UNSW in collaboration with industry partner Ventracor, with the research focussed on simulation and real-world control of an implantable rotary blood pump.
Pain Specialist Perth
WA
Emma Manuel has been a Registered nurse since graduating from Edith Cowan university in 2001. She has worked in a variety of hospital settings, most notably she spent 17 years at St John of God Subiaco working as a Clinical Nurse on both the Neurosurgical ward and the Acute Pain Service.
After completing her Master of Nursing in 2021, with a subspeciality in pain, she now works with Dr Feizerfan at Pain Specialists Perth and at the Neurospine Institute where she is the Nurse Practitioner for Neurosurgeons Dr Andrew Miles and Dr Michael Kern, Spinal Surgeons Dr Paul Taylor and Dr Greg Cunningham, and Pain Specialist Dr David Hamilton.
She has thoroughly enjoyed both roles and is proud of the difference she makes for people on their journey.
Persistent Pain Service
TAS Australia
Dr Frank Meumann is a specialist general practitioner working at the Persistent Pain Service in Hobart, Tasmania. He is the coordinator and facilitator of its PAIN ECHO program.
Dr Meumann has been CEO and Senior Medical Educator for General Practice Training Tasmania. He has a special interest in clinician-patient communication and medical education.
Specialists in Pain
QLD Australia
Dr Michelle O’Brien 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 in both public (The Prince Charles Hospital) and private practice.
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 radiofrequency neurotomy, pulsed radiofrequency and Spinal Cord Stimulation. She is the current NSANZ President.
PainMedSA
SA Australia
Rebekah has been a part of the team at PainMedSA since 2018. With post graduate qualifications in Oncology & Haematology, Rebekah’s special interests were in chronic malignant pain and cancer survivorship.
Under the guidance of Dr Matthew Green, Rebekah successfully completed her Masters of Nurse Practitioner in 2020, and has since extended her special interests to include neuromodulation and medication management. Since her transition to an independent role, Rebekah’s qualifications have allowed us to build on the services we currently provide here at PainMedSA through dedicated patient education sessions, offering increased supports for patients through any phase of their pain journey, and by bridging the gap between specialist and primary healthcare.
Rebekah currently splits her time between dedicated patient consults, post-operative patient management, clinical research and teaching / supporting the next generation of Nurses.
University of New South Wales
NSW Australia
A/Professor Mohit Shivdasani is an Associate Professor in Bionics and Neuromodulation in the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of New South Wales. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, a Master’s degree in Electronic Engineering and PhD in Neuroscience.
Over his career, Shivdasani has gained high expertise and has built a significant track record in medical bionic device development, including electrode design, electrode materials, principles of electrical stimulation, electrophysiology, preclinical testing and clinical evaluation of devices in patients. He began his neuromodulation career in the field of artificial hearing, developing an auditory brainstem implant for his PhD, after which he undertook a postdoctoral stint at the Bionics Institute in Melbourne. There, he worked in a large multidisciplinary team for 8 years developing Australia’s first bionic eye for artificial vision, that went from concept to first-in-human trials in 3 years, followed by development of a second-generation device which also progressed to clinical trials.
In 2018, Shivdasani joined UNSW’s Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering (GSBmE) and currently leads several research programs that aim to develop next generation neuromodulation technologies. These new technologies are geared towards therapies for vision loss, through a combination of optogenetics and electrical stimulation, chronic pain through electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves, and more recently, inflammatory bowel disease, through development of the world’s first implantable sensor to detect cytokines related to inflammation. Shivdasani also co-ordinates and teaches a course in GSBmE called “Bionics and Neuromodulation” that is taken by postgraduate engineering students.
Precision Brain, Spine & Pain Centre
VIC Australia
Professor Peter Teddy is Emeritus Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery, Royal Melbourne Hospital/ The University of Melbourne and Emeritus Fellow St Peter’s College, Oxford, UK.
After schooling in Wales and obtaining a 1st Class Hons degree in Physiology he obtained in 1973, as MRC and Clinical Medicine Scholar, a DPhil in neurophysiology and qualified BM, BCh at the University of Oxford with prizes both in Medicine and Surgery. Surgical and Neurosurgical training was pursued in Oxford, Bristol, Birmingham, Cape Town, and Zurich and in 1981 he was appointed Consultant Neurosurgeon in Oxford, eventually becoming head of the department at The Radcliffe Infirmary and Director of Clinical Studies, University of Oxford Clinical School, Hon Sen Lecturer, and Deputy Editor Brit J Neurosurgery.
He was neurosurgeon to The Oxford Regional Pain Relief Unit and to The National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and Senior Research Fellow at St Peter’s College. His first clinical experience with neuromodulation (SCS for pain) was in the early 1970s and there followed a career-long interest and extensive work in the field with Prof ER Hitchcock, Prof Jean Siegfried, Dr R Edgar, Dr B Nashold, and Prof Sir Giles Brindley.
In 2004, he moved to Melbourne - becoming Professorial Fellow then Clinical Professor in Neurosurgery, gaining FRACS and FFPMANZCA and working with Dr Malcolm Hogg in the establishment of the Pain Management Service at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, being awarded The RMH prize for clinical excellence in 2006.
Having retired from operative neurosurgery in 2022, he continues with academic and research work in neuromodulation and audit while pursuing (very) amateur outside interests in volcanology and astronomy/cosmology.
Australian Pain Society
TAS Australia
Mr Sinan Tejani moved to Australia from Mumbai in 2015 to pursue a Master’s in Clinical Physiotherapy. Upon completing his Masters, he moved to Burnie, a regional city on the northwest coast of Tasmania. Living and working in Burnie exposed Sinan to the challenges regional communities face in receiving best practice care, especially when it comes to the management of persistent pain. To that end, he has been involved with Pain Revolution as a Local Pain Educator (LPE) and a mentor to other LPE’s. Sinan is extremely passionate about improving the knowledge and standards of pain care amongst allied health professionals and strongly advocates for the recognition of social determinants of health in outcomes related to pain. Sinan currently works at InBalance, a multi-disciplinary allied health practice in Launceston, Tasmania. He is a co-writer and co-facilitator of Tame Your Pain, a Pain Management and Education program. Sinan also works as a consultant and coach for BOOST Recovery, an online program for the management of persistent pain. He is currently pursuing his Master of Science in Medicine (Pain Management) from the University of Sydney.
QPain
QLD Australia
Dr Thomas sees patients with all types of pain and specialises in minimally invasive procedures to relieve or reduce pain. He has a particular interest in the application of neuromodulation, i.e., spinal cord stimulation and dorsal root ganglion stimulation, in the management of back pain, sciatica, abdominal pain, pelvic pain, painful diabetic neuropathy, and complex regional pain syndromes (CRPS).
Dr Thomas can provide advice on medications and minimally invasive procedures in pain control, as well as psychological and physical therapies in pain management.
Dr Thomas graduated with distinction from the University of Otago in 1992. Since training in anaesthesia and pain medicine he has held specialist positions at Wellington Hospital, The Royal Brisbane Hospital and as Director of The Persistent Pain Service at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane from 2011 to 2013. He has been working in private practice at QPain since 2011.
Clinical Psychology Assessment & Consultancy
NT Australia
Northern Pain Centre
NSW Australia
Dr Andrew Weiss is an Pain Medicine Specialist, with supplementary training in Paediatric Pain Management. Dr Weiss specialises in minimally invasive interventions for the treatment of persistent pain with the goal of relieving pain and improving function and quality of life provided as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Dr Weiss has a keen interest in teaching and academia, having co-authored numerous manuscripts and abstracts for publication. As well as practising at the Northern Pain Centre he is appointed as a Pain Medicine Specialist at the Michael J Cousins Pain Management and Research Centre, Royal North Shore Hospital and with the Murrumbidgee Local Health District.
Hunter Pain Specialists
NSW Australia
Rachel is the Nursing Manager at Hunter Pain Specialists in Newcastle, NSW, where her role involves caring for patients with chronic pain, while also managing the daily routines of the nursing team. Prior to working in chronic pain, Rachel has worked across various acute care specialities such as medical, surgical and intensive care units, and also has experience working in General Practice where she ran a successful Women’s Health Clinic. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Critical Care Nursing, Sexual and Reproductive Health and is currently completing her Masters in Nursing Management.
She is the president of the Allied Health & Nursing Neuromodulation Special Interest Group (AHNNSIG), after having served previously as Scientific Chair. Rachel was directly involved in the development of AHNNSIG and is passionate about its mission to support and educate nurses and allied health professionals working within the neuromodulation field.
Rachel has had the privilege of presenting at various conferences and enjoys the opportunity to facilitate education and networking among her peers. She sees her professional affiliations and continuing education as an asset in providing quality nursing care for patients with chronic pain.
Alfred Hospital
VIC Australia
Zoe Brady (BSc (Hons), PhD, CMPS, MACPSEM) is currently the Chief Physicist (Diagnostic Imaging) and Radiation Safety Officer at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. She has worked as a clinical physicist for more than 15 years and has research interests in the risks from low dose ionising radiation exposure and the implications for current medical policy and practice. Zoe holds an honorary research position at the School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne where she is involved in one of the largest paediatric cohort studies worldwide to publish risks relating to exposures from computed tomography scans in childhood and adolescence. Additionally, she holds a teaching appointment in the Department of Radiology at the University of Melbourne and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer position with the Department of Neuroscience, Monash University. Zoe is an Associate Editor for the British Journal of Radiology and sits on a number of national Advisory Committees.