NeuPSIG LEADERSHIP
Executive Committee听
- Chair: Patrick Dougherty
University of Texas, USA - Vice Chair: Theodore Price
University of Texas at Dallas, USA - Past Chair: Simon Haroutounian
Washington University, USA - Treasurer: David Bennett
University of Oxford, UK - Secretary: Margarita Calvo
Pontificia Universidad Cat贸lica de Chile, Chile听
Management Committee Members听
- Lesley Colvin
University of Dundee, UK - Sulayman Dib-Hajj
Yale University, USA - Angelika Lampert
RWTH Aachen University, Germany - Franziska Denk
King鈥檚 College London, UK - Jan Vollert
University of Exeter, UK - Julia Forstenpointner
Christian-Albrecht University Kiel, Germany - Pall Karlsson
University Hospital Aarhus, Denmark - Qiufu Ma
Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
Honorary Members
- Blair H Smith
University of Dundee, UK听 - Raja N Srinivasa
Johns Hopkins University, USA听 - Rolf-Detlef Treede
Germany听 - Jonathan Dostrovsky
Canada听 - Robert H. Dworkin
USA - Troels Jensen
Denmark听 - Chris Wells
UK听 - Turo Nurmikko
UK 听 - Edmond Charlton
UK
CONTACT NeuPSIG
What is Neuropathic Pain?
Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain condition caused by damage to the somatosensory nervous system, leading to abnormal pain signals.听
Approximately 7-10% of the general population are affected, with prevalence increasing with age and certain medical conditions such as diabetes and post-herpetic neuralgia.听
However, neuropathic pain is still inadequately treated, thus highlighting the urgent need for continued research and the development of more effective therapies.听
NeuPSIG Mission and Vision
NeuPSIG鈥檚 mission is to advance the understanding of neuropathic pain mechanisms, assessment, prevention, and treatment, and to disseminate this knowledge to our global community of members and partners.
The NeuPSIG vision is to:
- Strive to be the main global听community for neuropathic pain researchers, clinicians, and people with neuropathic pain.
- Educate our members, other clinicians, scientists and the public on neuropathic pain. We will do so via The International Congress on Neuropathic Pain, via workshops, symposia and satellite meetings at the IASP World Congress on Pain, via additional international and local meetings, and via the IASP website and other online activities.
- Foster collaboration between basic and clinical researchers on neuropathic pain, with a particular focus on early career professionals, to support the education and professional development of future leaders in this field.
- Synthesize and disseminate the latest state-of-the art information about assessment, treatment and prevention of neuropathic pain.
- Work with the wider pain research community to address common challenges and improve best practices.
NeuPSIG Initiatives:
From 4 鈥� 6 September 2025, NeuPSIG held the 9th International Congress on Neuropathic Pain (NeuPSIG 2025) in Berlin, Germany.
Revising Guidelines for Neuropathic Pain Assessment
In 2022-2023, NeuPSIG was instrumental in revising the guidelines for neuropathic pain assessment as part of a joint effort with the European Academy of Neurology and the European Pain Federation.
NeuPSIG is currently working on another initiative to develop guidelines for investigating chemotherapy-induced pain (CIPN) in preclinical animal models and in the clinic. We are asking for volunteers for this essential work. Interested members can contact Dr. Lesley Colvin and read more about our plans here.
NeuPSIG and its members have led or taken part in many similar important initiatives in the past decade. Here are just a few select publications that have arisen from this:
Scholz J, Finnerup NB, Attal N, Aziz Q, Baron R, Bennett MI, Benoliel R, Cohen M, Cruccu G, Davis KD, Evers S, First M, Giamberardino MA, Hansson P, Kaasa S, Korwisi B, Kosek E, Lavand始homme P, Nicholas M, Nurmikko T, Perrot S, Raja SN, Rice ASC, Rowbotham MC, Schug S, Simpson DM, Smith BH, Svensson P, Vlaeyen JWS, Wang SJ, Barke A, Rief W, Treede RD. Pain. 2019 Jan;160(1):53-59- .
Finnerup NB, Haroutounian S, Baron R, Dworkin RH, Gilron I, Haanpaa M, Jensen TS, Kamerman P, McNicol E, Moore A, Raja SN, Andersen NT, Sena ES, Smith BH, Rice ASC, Attal N. Pain. 2018 Nov;159(11):2339-2346 - .
Finnerup NB, Haroutounian S, Kamerman P, Baron R, Bennett DLH, Bouhassira D, Cruccu G, Freeman R, Hansson P, Nurmikko T, Raja SN, Rice ASC, Serra J, Smith BH, Treede R-D, Jensen TS. Pain. 2016 Aug;157(8):1599-1606 - .
van Hecke O, Kamerman PR, Attal N, Baron R, Bjornsdottir G, Bennett DL, Bennett MI, Bouhassira D, Diatchenko L, Freeman R, Freynhagen R, Haanpaa M, Jensen TS, Raja SN, Rice AS, Seltzer Z, Thorgeirsson TE, Yarnitsky D, Smith BH. Pain. 2015 Nov;156(11):2337-2353
Kamerman PR, Wadley AL, Davis KD, Hietaharju A, Jain P, Kopf A, Meyer AC, Raja SN, Rice AS, Smith BH, Treede RD, Wiffen P. Pain. 2015 May;156(5):793-797- .
Finnerup NB, Attal N, Haroutounian S, McNicol E, Baron R, Dworkin RH, Gilron I, Haanpaa M, Hansson P, Jensen TS, Kamerman PR, Lund K, Moore A, Raja SN, Rice ASC, Rowbotham M, Sena E, Siddall P, Smith BH, Wallace M. Lancet Neurol. 2015 Feb;14(2):162-73
Backonja MM, Attal N, Baron R, Bouhassira D, Drangholt M, Dyck PJ, Edwards RR, Freeman R, Gracely R, Haanpaa MH, Hansson P, Hatem SM, Krumova EK, Jensen TS, Maier C, Mick G, Rice AS, Rolke R, Treede RD, Serra J, Toelle T, Tugnoli V, Walk D, Walalce MS, Ware M, Yarnitsky D, Ziegler D. Pain. 2013 Sep;154(9):1807-1819
NeuPSIG History:
NeuPSIG was founded in 1999 by Chris Wells and Ed Charlton. It is one of IASP's largest SIGs. Over the years, it has had a newsletter and its own website and runs a large biennial congress.
Neuropathic Pain Definition
In 1994, the IASP defined neuropathic pain as pain caused by a dysfunction or lesion in the nervous system. In 2008, NeuPSIG proposed a new definition that excluded the term "dysfunction". The IASP Taxonomy Committee accepted a slightly modified version of this definition.
Grading System Evaluation
As part of the 2015 Global Year Against Neuropathic Pain, NeuPSIG established a committee to critically evaluate the use of the grading system seven years after its publication, assess its usefulness and limitations, and update it if necessary for improved application in clinical and research settings.
NeuPSIG Meetings听听
- NeuPSIG Satellite Event at the IASP 2024 World Congress on Pain in Amsterdam.
- 2023 NeuPSIG Congress in Lisbon听
- 8 Plenary lectures/debates听
- 24 Topical Workshops听
- 253 Posters听
- 2 Hands-on workshops (QST and Skin Biopsy)听
- $35,000 allocated to bursaries for trainee/ECR attendance听
- Trainee Reception听
- 2019 NeuPSIG Congress in London听
- 2015 Global Year Against Neuropathic Pain听
NeuPSIG Resources:
More Resources Coming Soon