Dr. Marc Russo,聽MD, is the Director at Hunter Pain Specialists in Australia. His聽specialty is pain medicine and聽he聽has been in the pain field for聽 22 years. Marc has been an IASP member for the last 21 years and has attended seven World Congresses.
What has been your most significant achievement in or contribution to the pain field thus far?
Probably for others to say but I’m honoured to be elected to the position of聽President of the International Neuromodulation聽Society starting September 2021.聽 聽I’m grateful to be able to collaborate with some great minds both domestically and internationally in publishing some seminal papers and to have completed some First In Man neuromodulation studies.
What do you think is the next big 鈥渉ot topic鈥� in the pain field?
Well, have you got half an hour?聽 聽Briefly, it revolves around understanding the neuroimmune interaction of pain, understanding the “memory storage” nature of chronic pain in our nervous system and finding ways to effectively interface with the CNS/PNS and talk its language to produce effective outcomes.聽 聽It is a 20 year project but groups聽are under way with important studies.
Why did you become an IASP member?/ Why are you an IASP member?
I joined to learn and be a better pain doc.聽 聽I will stay for life because IASP is like one giant instant global family where we are all dedicated to the one pursuit – the relief of suffering of our fellow humans.
What is your favorite member benefit?
I think the World Congress is the jewel in the crown.聽 聽So many memories and such good conversations and stimulating thoughts.聽 聽It nourishes and revives my professional soul.
Are you involved with any Chapters or SIGs? What have you learned from them and what motivated you to join?
I am a member of the Neuromodulation and CRPS SIGs.聽 聽They play a vital role in deep dive education and coordinating research on a global scale.
What is your favorite鈥� sport, food, travel destination, etc?
Favourite聽sport is rugby union and watching the travails of my Wallabies (the Australian rugby union team).聽 聽Favourite food is ice cream which next to the wheel is mankind’s greatest invention although I’m eating a lot of mussels currently to increase my brain plasmalogen levels.聽 聽Favourite travel destination is Bora Bora, it has beyond magical tropical beauty.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I’m going to be parochial and say Australia because people are what makes a place special and Australians are one of the happiest most relaxed peoples聽on the planet and plus the beaches here are the best in the world.
Interested in becoming a member of IASP?
With your IASP membership, you gain access to:
- PAIN Journal
- Pain Education Resource Center (PERC)
- Access to 24 Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
- Online Career Center access
- Network of thousands of pain researchers from around the world!
Membership dues are determined by income, the rates of membership can be found at this聽page of our website.