Chronic pain circuits

Chronic pain is a major global health burden, affecting nearly 20% of the Australian population. This debilitating condition results in hypersensitivity to sensory input so a normally innocuous stimulus can be painful (allodynia) or a moderately noxious stimulus causes excessive pain (hyperalgesia). Many chronic pain states are linked to neural circuit dysfunction, which can be traced back to the spinal level in the majority of cases. Our projects involve investigating neuronal populations and sensory processing within the spinal cord using a range of experimental approaches. Depending on the specific research question, techniques may include immunohistochemical labelling, microscopy, molecular or genetic approaches, and analysis of changes associated with experimental models of pain. Specific project aims, methods, and scope will be determined in discussion with the supervisor and will depend on current research priorities, available resources, and the student’s interests. PhD students can only enrol if they have been awarded a scholarship.