AIBN Seminar Series "Pain in 4D - what does it mean to take a cells to systems view to conceptualize pain?"

We are pleased to present Professor Mark Hutchinson to speak on "Pain in 4D - what does it mean to take a cells to systems view to conceptualize pain?"

Click here to view the Seminar.

When: April 20th 2023

Where: AIBN Level 1 Seaminr room or online via zoom https://uqz.zoom.us/j/84905769928

Time: 11:30am

Abstract:

In this presentation, attendees will learn about the concept of understanding pain in four dimensions, which involves taking a cells to systems view to conceptualize pain. The talk will introduce the audience to the complex and multifactorial journey of persistent pain in humans, which culminates in a "cancer of the soul." The talk will focus on the intersection of immunology and neuroscience, and how the peripheral and central immune-like systems can change the brain and drive behavioural changes. Attendees can expect to gain insights into recent studies in the field, including how the brain-immune processes are engaged in responses to biopsychosocial stressors. Additionally, the story of the meandering journey of the path to translational impact will be discussed and why understanding livestock welfare has profound implications for human pain management.

Bio:

Professor Hutchinson is the Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP), an Australian Research Council Future Fellow and a Professor within the Adelaide Medical School at the University of Adelaide. Mark is also President of Science and Technology Australia, the peak body in Australia that represents 105,000 scientists. Mark serves as a founding member of the Operating in Contaminated Environments Advisory Council for the DSTG CBRN STaRShot, as a Ministerial appointment to the ARC CEO Advisory Council, and is one of three eminent academics undertaking a review of the ARC legislation and function. He is a founding member of the executive of The Animal Welfare Collaborative, and the Chair of the University of Adelaide's Davies Livestock Research Centre.

Prof Hutchinson leads the Neuroimmunopharmacology Laboratory, which is a world-leading research team, whose main focus is to develop innovative technologies that allow for the early diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases. Our innovation centre focuses on translational science, developing biomarkers and wearables for real-time monitoring and precision medicine.

In his role as Director of the CNBP he is responsible for the research program of the ARC Centre of Excellence with $50M of funding headquartered at The University of Adelaide, with nodes at Macquarie University and UNSW, Sydney, the RMIT, Melbourne and Griffith University Qld. The CNBP is partnered with universities and companies in Europe, the US and China, as well as other Australian institutions.  Prof Hutchinson’s work with the CNBP is to "Discover new approaches to measure nano-scale dynamic phenomena in living systems” and allow the first minimally invasive realtime visualisations of the “other brain”. The activities of the CNBP have created in excess of $500M economic impact.