Background and Aims

The Irish Pain Research Network (IPRN) is a special interest group (SIG) of the Irish Pain Society. This exciting initiative aims to bring together all active pain researchers on the island of Ireland (North and South) for the purposes of sharing research results and ideas and facilitating cross-institutional collaboration in the area of pain research. The IPRN was launched formally by Professor Rolf Detlef-Treede, President of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), at the 15th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Irish Pain Society on Saturday 26th September 2015.

The idea to establish the IPRN arose from the fact that while a number of academic institutions and hospitals in Ireland currently have a cluster or centre of pain researchers, there is currently no forum that brings all of these groupings together specifically for the purpose of discussing pain research and advancing collaborative pain research within Ireland. It was felt that the establishment of an all-inclusive research network would facilitate closer dialogue and collaboration between all active pain researchers based either in academic institutions, hospitals, other healthcare practices, or industry.

The first meeting and inaugural research symposium of the IPRN was held during the 2015 IPS Scientific Meeting. Researchers from the various pain research groups across the country presented short 5 minute presentations, followed by a round table discussion of collaborative opportunities and the future of IPRN.

How to Join the IPRN

If you are active in pain research within Ireland then we would like to extend a very warm invitation to you to join IPRN. The aim is to have strong representation from every major pain research grouping across the Island. Pain researchers at any level of seniority are welcome to join, and we particularly welcome students and early-career researchers. Membership of the IPS is a requirement for those who wish to join IPRN (click here to join the IPS); all registered delegates at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the IPS will automatically become members of the IPS for the subsequent year and are therefore eligible to join IPRN if they wish).  There is no additional fee to join IPRN.

If you wish to join IPRN, please complete the short Application Form and email it to Mrs Juliana Davis Gonzalez (info@irishpainsociety.ie). Please put “IPRN” in the subject field of your e-mail.

We look forward to very fruitful collaborative interactions with you as part of this exciting new pain research initiative.

Please download here the IPRN Application Form (Word)

IPRN Committee Members

Membership Table

Database of members, their research interests and contact details.

Please download database HERE (PDF last updated 20/08/2016)

Events & News

IPRN 2016 Datablitz Symposium

All presenter’s below:

  • Alan Ochana Presentation
  • Angeline Traynor Presentation
  • Brian McGuire Presentation
  • Emer Power Presentation
  • Hannah Durand Presentation
  • John Hurley Presentation
  • Máire Bríd Casey Presentation
  • Ray Kelly Presentation

Please download the PDF with the presentations summary HERE

IPRN 2015 Inaugural Symposium

The inaugural symposium chaired by Prof. David Finn (NUI Galway) saw researchers from various pain research groups across the country present short 5-minute presentations of the key pain research projects and areas of focus within their institutions and was followed by a discussion of collaborative opportunities and the future of IPRN.