The Pain, Mind and Movement Special Interest Group (SIG) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Best Pain, Mind and Movement Publication Award. This annual award recognizes outstanding papers by early career researchers reporting on work that integrates pain, mind, and movement.听
The award supports the professional visibility of emerging scholars by honoring their contributions, facilitating networking, and providing opportunities to share their research with the global IASP community. The first-place recipient is awarded $1,000 USD and an invitation to present in a . Two additional researchers received honorable mentions and $250 USD each.听
First Prize 鈥� Erin MacIntyre
PhD Student
Persistent Pain Research Group, University of South Australia
Erin MacIntyre is a clinician-researcher in the final year of her PhD at the Persistent Pain Research Group within the University of South Australia. Her work explores the intricate links between pain, movement, and visuospatial perception in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. In addition to identifying perceptual distortions, her research emphasizes the development and clinical implementation of technologies, such as virtual reality, that leverage visual feedback to reduce pain and improve exercise engagement.听
Her award-winning publication was recognized for its rigorous methodology and innovative contributions to interdisciplinary pain science. Erin presented her work in a .听
Honorable Mention 鈥� Nils Runge
PhD Candidate
Vrije Universiteit Brussel and KU Leuven, Belgium
Nils Runge is a doctoral researcher affiliated with Vrije Universiteit Brussel and KU Leuven. He investigates the connection between sleep disturbances and chronic musculoskeletal pain. More specifically, his research examines the consistency of terminology and definitions used to describe sleep issues in this context, the relationships between subjective and objective sleep parameters and pain, and the effects of sleep interventions on pain management.听
Honorable Mention 鈥� Mark Vorensky, PT, DPT
Assistant Professor
Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences, Rutgers University
Mark Vorensky is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences at the Rutgers University School of Health Professions. He received his Doctor of Physical Therapy from Ithaca College and his PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from New York University. His research examines how social and contextual factors influence persistent musculoskeletal pain. He also examines physical therapists鈥� decision-making when working with individuals with persistent widespread pain.听
IASP congratulates Erin MacIntyre, Nils Runge, and Mark Vorensky for their exceptional contributions. Their research reflects the spirit and mission of the Pain, Mind and Movement SIG: to promote interdisciplinary approaches to pain science and improve the lives of those affected by pain.听
To learn more about the Pain, Mind and Movement SIG or how to become involved, visit the IASP Special Interest Groups.听