Pain and Rehabilitation research group

Our research

We conduct a variety of programmes of research on the science of pain and its management including:

  • Factors influencing pain sensitivity response (e.g. gender, lifespan, ethnocultural, obesity)
  • Factors influencing response to electrophysical agents (TENS, acupuncture, laser therapy, kinesiology taping)
  • Factors influencing pain perception, including the use of visual feedback and virtual reality to alleviate pain
  • Epidemiology of pain
  • Pain education for patients and for practitioners
  • Pain and injury in sport

We conduct clinical trials (phase 1-3), laboratory studies on healthy humans using experimental models of pain, and evidence syntheses (e.g. meta-analyses including Cochrane reviews).

Our partners

We currently have partnerships with academic colleagues (nationally and internationally), industry (e.g. GlaxoSmithKline), national bodies (e.g. Neuromodulation Society of the United Kingdom and Ireland).

Research degrees

We have a strong programme of studies for Research Award Students. We have supervised over 15 PhDs and are currently supervising over 10 PhDs.

Facilities

Our facilities include a purpose built Pain Research Laboratory which enables us to undertake experiments that utilise a variety of techniques including psychophysiological data acquisition, quantitative sensory testing, induction of experimentally induced pain, laser doppler imaging, tensiomyography, ultrasonography imaging, virtual reality including motion capture.

Public engagement

We have a strong track-record of public engagement activities including Royal Society Summer Exhibition and Asia Techfest.