Pain Exchange is a monthly podcast sponsored by the International Association for the Study of Pain that highlights global innovations in pain research and amplifies the diverse voices of pain science. Designed for researchers, clinicians, and engaged learners, this forum will serve to inform, inspire, and connect us all together as a global pain community. Covering topics such as recent results in pain research, upcoming events for pain professionals, and much more, we are here to help you learn what is going on in the world of pain.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IASP.
This podcast is produced by Peter DelGobbo, who also composed the theme music. If you have feedback or suggestions, we'd love to hear from you! Please don't hesitate to reach out to publications@iasp-pain.org.
What is Painhack? with Marie-Eve Hoeppli and Saül Pascual-Diaz
Oftentimes, pre-conference events offered for large meetings such as the 2026 World Congress on Pain are a series of lectures, provided at an extra cost and not designed for mass audience participation. Our guests for this episode, Marie-Eve Hoeppli and Saül Pascual-Diaz set out to change that with the advent of Painhack, a two-day hackathon-based event that aims to foster interdisciplinary collaborations, bring together diverse perspectives, and push the boundaries of pain research and management. Featuring two separate tracks to participation – Project and Early Career Development – the event promises to be the intensive, work-based learning opportunity that early career pain professionals have been searching for.
In this episode, Marie and Saül tell us what they aim to accomplish with Painhack, what participants of the program may expect, and the Project Leaders give us brief overviews of the problems they are attempting to tackle during the program!
The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IASP. This episode was produced by Peter DelGobbo, who also composed the theme music.
Additional Resources
More information on the Painhack can be found here: https://bit.ly/49LLMfO
11 May 2026
Behind the 2026 WCP Scientific Program with Kirsty Bannister
Bringing together more than 5,000 pain professionals, the IASP World Congress on Pain will be held this coming October in the vibrant city of Bangkok, Thailand. The event is the largest gathering of pain professionals in the world, hosting scientists, clinicians, healthcare providers, and advocates across disciplines to discuss the cutting edge of pain science. Ranging from plenary lectures to topical workshops to refresher courses and poster sessions, the event is sure to have something to offer any professional interested in pain. Embarking on the difficult task of compiling a scientific program combining all of these varied interests, our guest for this episode is none other than Dr. Kirsty Bannister (Imperial College London), the chair of the Scientific Program Committee. In this episode, Kirsty speaks with us about her new policy for speaker institutions, repeated speakers, and her focus on encouraging perspectives from a wide range of career levels. The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IASP. This episode was produced by Peter DelGobbo, who also composed the theme music.
Additional Resources
WCP 2026 Full Scientific Program - https://bit.ly/42WDfms
13 Apr 2026
Meet the 2026 IASP President-Elect with Mary Cardosa
Every two years, at the World Congress on Pain, IASP welcomes a new organization President, elected by our members. This year, we are excited to welcome in Dr. Mary Sum Cardosa, a consultant pain specialist who has served for more than 30 years in the Ministry of Health in Malaysia, to fill this role.
In this episode of Pain Exchange, our host Dr. Renee Chasse speaks with Mary about her many accomplishments in pain management and care, as well as her passion for IASP and her plans for the IASP presidency.
The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IASP. This episode was produced by Peter DelGobbo, who also composed the theme music.
Additional Resources
Multidisciplinary Pain Center Toolkit https://www.iasp-pain.org/resources/toolkits/pain-management-center/
9 Mar 2026
Artificial Intelligence in Pain Management with Joletta Belton and Daniel Buchman
This past year, the availability of artificial intelligence technology within the healthcare industry has increased exponentially, and the field of pain is certainly feeling its effects.
In this episode of Pain Exchange, our host Dr. Renee Chasse speaks with bioethicist, Dr. Daniel Buchman, and dedicated patient advocate, Joletta Belton, about various ways artificial intelligence is making an impact on the field of pain research and management, as well as potential pitfalls to look out for while exploring this new technology.
The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IASP. This episode was produced by Peter DelGobbo, who also composed the theme music.
Additional Resources
Belton and Darlow: "Do We Trust Patients in Pain? What Would Happen If We Did?" https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2025.13725
Buchman: "AI and the ethics of techno-solutionism in pain management" https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003389
Ethics and governance of artificial intelligence for health. Guidance on large multi-modal models. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2024. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/375579/9789240084759-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Katz, Graham, and Buchman: "The need for epistemic humility in AI-assisted pain assessment" https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-025-10264-9
Valor: The AI Mirror: How to Reclaim Our Humanity in an Age of Machine Thinking https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-ai-mirror-9780197759066
9 Feb 2026
An Introduction to the 2026 Global Year on Neuropathic Pain with Andrew Rice, Angelika Lampert, and Neil O'Connell
Every year, the International Association for the Study of Pain chooses a particular aspect of pain to bring awareness to, in the form of a Global Year campaign. In 2026, the association's current president, Dr. Andrew Rice, has chosen the field of neuropathic pain.
In this episode of Pain Exchange, our host Dr. Renee Chasse speaks with Dr. Rice, as well as Global Year co-chairs, Drs. Angelika Lampert (Germany) and Neil O'Connell (United Kingdom) about the goals of the campaign, provide a general overview of neuropathic pain, and discuss the challenges currently facing the field today.
Use #GlobalYear2026 on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram to be part of the conversation.
The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IASP. This episode was produced by Peter DelGobbo, who also composed the theme music.
Additional Resources
Andrew Rice: https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/a.rice
Angelika Lampert: https://www.ukaachen.de/en/clinics-institutes/institute-of-physiology/research/lampert-lab/lab-members/prof-angelika-lampert-1/
Neil O'Connell: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/people/neil-oconnell
IASP 2026 Global Year Homepage: https://www.iasp-pain.org/advocacy/global-year/neuropathic-pain-2026/
Soliman at al. (2025): "Pharmacotherapy and non-invasive neuromodulation for neuropathic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis". https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(25)00068-7
Neuropathic Pain SIG (NeuPSIG): https://www.iasp-pain.org/membership/special-interest-groups-sigs/neuropathic-pain-neupsig/
Methodology, Evidence Synthesis, and Implementation SIG (MESISIG): https://www.iasp-pain.org/membership/special-interest-groups-sigs/methodology-evidence-synthesis-and-implementation-mesisig/
The Cochrane Collaboration Pain, Palliative Care and Supportive Care Collaborative Review Group: https://doi.org/10.1080/j354v16n02_07
2026 World Congress on Pain Plenary Speakers: https://worldcongressonpain.secure-platform.com/a/page/Programing/plenary-speakers
PAIN 2026 Global Year Collection: https://journals.lww.com/pain/pages/collectiondetails.aspx?TopicalCollectionId=29
PAIN Reports 2026 Global Year Collection: https://journals.lww.com/painrpts/pages/collectiondetails.aspx?TopicalCollectionID=31
2026 World Congress Global Year Symposia: https://worldcongressonpain.secure-platform.com/a/page/Registration-root/Pre-Congress/SIG-Symposia-Sessions#sig5
Smart, Gylfadottir, and Fundaun: "An Overview of Neuropathic Pain and Its Impact" https://www.iasp-pain.org/resources/fact-sheets/an-overview-of-neuropathic-pain-and-its-impact/
2026 Global Year Webinars: https://perc.iasp-pain.org/2026-global-year
12 Jan 2026
SIG Spotlight: Pain, Mind, and Movement with Anabela Silva and Felipe Reis
As a global organization serving many different types of pain professionals, IASP strives to help its members build community. IASP Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are networks of members dedicated to specific topics or interests within the study of pain. Through 24 SIGs members share experiences, discussions, and developments that directly impact their practice or research.
In this episode of Pain Exchange, our host Dr. Renee Chasse speaks with two of the leaders of IASP's Pain, Mind, and Movement SIG: Drs. Anabela Silva (Portugal) and Felipe Reis (Brazil). In their wide-ranging conversation, the three discuss the reciprocal relationship between physical movement and mental processes, how pain professionals can incorporate their patients' thoughts about their pain into treatment plans, and how the SIG is working to help achieve those goals.
The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IASP. This episode was produced by Peter DelGobbo, who also composed the theme music.
8 Dec 2025
The Future of PAIN – Part 2: Conversations with Jane Ballantyne and Kathleen Sluka
In this episode of Pain Exchange, join our host and IASP's Publications Manager/Editorial Assistant for PAIN, Dr. Renee Chasse, as she speaks with Drs. Jane Ballantyne and Kathleen Sluka, about the past 50 years of pain research in the journal PAIN. From a new article type, to tributes to the past Editors-in-Chief of the journal, and a custom painting from a former Section Editor adorning the cover, the journal is greatly appreciative of the hard work that the Editorial Board has done to elevate the journal to the prestigious position it is in now.
The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IASP. This episode was produced by Peter DelGobbo, who also composed the theme music.
10 Nov 2025
Member Moment: A Conversation with Le Thi Cuc (Daisy)
In this episode of Pain Exchange, our host, Dr. Renee Chasse, is joined by IASP's Manager of Global Programs and Communications, Javier Ubrí, to speak about the organization's current Global Year theme: Pain Management, Education and Research in Low- and Middle-Income Settings. Each year, the organization's Global Year campaign focuses on a special aspect of pain to increase awareness within the pain community and beyond. The 2025 Global Year examines pain management and education beyond low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to include low-income settings and priority populations such as aboriginal people, culturally diverse groups, and refugees in high-income countries. Join Renee and Javier as they speak with one member currently benefitting from this focus from Vietnam, Le Thi Cuc (Daisy), originally a nurse, who was unsure about her PhD thesis topic upon entering graduate school. After attending IASP conferences and workshops, she finally found the direction she needed. With support from IASP's financial aid, she was even able to present part of her findings in a poster at the World Congress on Pain. Listen to the full conversation to hear how her professional journey started from a very personal experience with pain and the path she intends to take in the field.
The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IASP. This episode was produced by Peter DelGobbo, who also composed the theme music.
13 Oct 2025
The Future of PAIN: A Conversation with Karen Davis
In this episode of Pain Exchange, our host and IASP's Publications Manager/Editorial Assistant for PAIN, Dr. Renee Chasse, speaks with Dr. Karen Davis, Editor-in-Chief of PAIN, about the 2025 supplemental issue highlighting the 50th Anniversary of the journal. In this commemorative supplement, Karen decided to forgo looking into the past 50 years and, instead, look ahead at the next 50 years of the field, recruiting some of the field's top minds to hear their thoughts on the future of pain research. Listen to this episode to hear more about the supplemental issue, Karen's view on the future of the journal, and some of the most powerful innovations at the journal thus far.
The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IASP. This episode was produced by Peter DelGobbo, who also composed the theme music.
15 Sept 2025
De-Stigmatizing Lipedema: A Conversation with Jonathan Kartt
In observance of #PainAwarenessMonth, this inaugural episode of Pain Exchange follows IASP's Publications Manager, Dr. Renee Chasse, as she speaks with Jonathan Kartt, the CEO of the Lipedema Foundation, about the disease and the Foundation's work in spreading awareness about lipedema. Lipedema is a chronic medical condition, primarily affecting women, characterized by symmetric, often painful, buildup of adipose tissue (fat) in the legs, and sometimes the arms and lower mid-section of the body. Although the condition was first described in the 1940's, many research questions remain unanswered. Listen to this episode to hear more about this under-studied disorder, its connection to the pain field, and what researchers can do to incorporate lipedema research into their current programs. This episode was produced by Peter DelGobbo. The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IASP.
More information about the Lipedema Foundation is available on their website: https://www.lipedema.org/ (https://www.lipedema.org/)
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