In his inspiring talk, Prof. Basbaum presented cutting-edge approaches to visualizing pain-related neural activity, offering valuable insights into the molecular and circuit-level mechanisms of pain and itch processing.

During his visit, Prof. Basbaum engaged in lively scientific discussions with principal investigators and early career scientists of the ResolvePAIN team, exploring opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange. He also visited some of the unit’s laboratories, gaining an overview of ongoing translational pain research projects at Würzburg.

Prof. Basbaum began his research in pain at McGill University. He earned his PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania and conducted postdoctoral research with in London. His current research focuses on the peripheral and central nervous system mechanisms that contribute to chronic pain following tissue or nerve injury.

A distinguished scientist and leader in the pain research field, Prof. Basbaum is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in the United Kingdom. He is also a former Editor-in-Chief of PAIN, the journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).

His visit highlights the ongoing commitment of the ResolvePAIN to advancing translational pain research through international collaboration and scientific exchange.

This year’s congress is of special significance for our research community: Prof. Heike Rittner, MD, Scientific Coordinator of KFO 5001 ResolvePAIN, serves, together with Dr. Thomas Dresler (University of Tübingen), as President of the 2025 congress.

Curiosity as a driving force

Under the theme “Neugier auf Neuland”, the congress invites participants to embrace curiosity as a driving force of human discovery. As described in the official congress theme, “Curiosity is a catalyst for human understanding. It reflects the inherent urge to explore the unknown, to leave familiar paths, and to overcome established ways of thinking. The Pain Congress offers an opportunity to explore this ‘new territory’ not only theoretically, but also practically — with exciting contributions from various disciplines and countries.”

As one of the central figures shaping the scientific program, Prof. Rittner emphasizes the importance of collaborative and translational research in understanding and resolving chronic pain. Together with Dr. Dresler, she welcomes participants to this year’s congress in their official greeting, which you can read on the conference website (in German).

Five decades for pain research

This year’s meeting also marks a special milestone: the 50th anniversary of the German Pain Society (Deutsche Schmerzgesellschaft e.V.), a fitting occasion to celebrate decades of commitment to improving pain research, education, and patient care.

Contributions from the KFO

Researchers from our KFO 5001 will be actively represented at the congress, contributing with poster presentations and scientific talks that showcase the breadth and depth of our ongoing research efforts.

We are proud to see our work so prominently represented and look forward to the exchange of ideas that will continue to drive innovation in pain research.

Learn more about the congress here: https://deutscherschmerzkongress.de/

Dr. Anna-Lena Wießler, Postdoctoral Researcher in Project 3 of the Clinical Research Unit KFO5001, has been awarded a Trainee Professional Development Award (TPDA) by the Society for Neuroscience (SfN). The recognizes outstanding early-career scientists, including graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, who demonstrate scientific merit and research excellence. 

Recipients of the TPDA receive financial support to offset costs of attending the SfN annual meeting, and the opportunity to present their research in a dedicated TPDA poster session. They also gain access to professional development workshops during the meeting and continued engagement in a cohort-based online development program after the meeting. 

Attending Neuroscience in San Diego

Dr. Wießler will travel to San Diego in November to attend Neuroscience 2025 (SfN annual meeting), present two posters on autoantibody-mediated mechanisms, and take part in professional development events.

Wießler's research focus: Autoantibodies against Caspr2

Her work is rooted in Project NP3 “Anti-Caspr2 Autoantibody Effects”. In NP3, the team investigates how autoantibodies against Caspr2, a protein associated with voltage-gated potassium channel complexes, contribute to neuropathic pain. Although many individuals carry anti-Caspr2 autoantibodies, only a subset develop chronic pain, and outcomes vary. The project explores mechanisms such as immune complex interactions with nociceptive neurons and transcriptomic changes in dorsal root ganglion neurons, aiming to uncover molecular pathways that drive neuronal hyperexcitability and identify therapeutic targets. 

In her talk, Prof. Calvo shared new insights into the mechanisms underlying small fiber neuropathy, highlighting translational approaches that connect experimental research with patient care.
Prof. Calvo’s visit spanned Monday and Tuesday, during which she engaged in scientific discussions with the ResolvePAIN team, fostering interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration. 

Prof. Calvo is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Biological Sciences and the Medical School of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and a dedicated pain physician. She received her PhD in Neuroscience from King’s College London, where she trained extensively in mechanisms of neuropathic pain. Her research focuses on understanding the complexities of neuropathic pain through diverse experimental models, ranging from transgenic mice to human psychophysical studies.

An active member of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), Prof. Calvo serves as a Councillor and is also Secretary of the Neuropathic Pain Special Interest Group (NeuPSIG). Her visit reflects the ongoing commitment of the ResolvePAIN Clinical Research Unit to advance translational pain research through international partnerships and knowledge sharing.
 

Organized by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) Special Interest Group on Neuropathic Pain, NeuPSIG brings together clinicians, researchers, and industry partners to exchange the latest scientific findings and explore new approaches to understanding and managing neuropathic pain.
Members of KFO 5001 ResolvePAIN actively contributed to the congress with scientific presentations and discussions. Their work added valuable insights into the mechanisms of pain resolution and innovative strategies for translational research. We are especially proud that Dr. Julia Grüner (Postdoctoral Researcher, Project 2) was awarded a Poster Prize. This recognition highlights both the scientific quality of her project and the overall visibility of our research within the international pain community.
The congress also provided an important platform for networking and for strengthening collaborations within the international pain research community. KFO 5001’s presence at NeuPSIG 2025 highlights once again the group’s commitment to advancing knowledge in neuropathic pain and to fostering dialogue between basic science and clinical practice.
 

During this scientific event, five applicants presented their translational research projects, addressing topics such as biomarkers of pain resolution, advanced imaging diagnostics, and clinical intervention studies.

All candidates made a positive impression on the selection committee, composed of senior researchers from KFO5001, with their scientific quality, clinical relevance, and commitment to bridging patient care and research. They have now been officially accepted into the program, including one advanced Clinician Scientist continuing from the first funding period.

The selected Clinician Scientists are (in alphabetical order):

• Anna Ryskal, Department of Neuroradiology
• Friedrich Krepiev, Department of Anesthesiology
• Dr. med. Magnus Schindehütte, Department of Neuroradiology (Advanced Clinician Scientist)
• Regina Pistorius, Department of General, Visceral, Transplant, Vascular and Pediatric Surgery (Chirurgie I)
• Xinyu Zhang, Department of Neuroradiology

Integration of healthcare and research

The Clinician Scientist Program is part of the Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF) Würzburg and plays a key role in fostering academic careers for physician-scientists at the interface of patient care and biomedical research. Within KFO5001, the program is instrumental in promoting and strengthen clinical perspectives in basic research and ensures that patient-relevant questions are addressed through interdisciplinary collaboration.

We warmly congratulate all newly accepted Clinician Scientists and look forward to an exciting second funding period together!

Over the course of two days, consortium members and invited guests gathered to reflect on the achievements of the first funding period and to exchange ideas on future directions in the interdisciplinary study of pain resolution.

We were especially honored to welcome two distinguished keynote speakers:

• Prof. Dr. Yiheng Tu (Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing), who provided fascinating insights into the neural representations and modulations of pain in humans, and
• Prof. Dr. Niels Eijkelkamp (University Medical Center Utrecht), who presented his latest work on the role of inhibitory receptors and the immune system in pain resolution.

A further highlight was the presentation by Prof. Dr. Paul Geha (University of Rochester Medical Center, NY), who continues his engagement with KFO5001 as a Mercator Fellow. His contributions in the area of cranial fMRI promise to enrich the translational scope of the consortium’s research.

The meeting also offered the opportunity to welcome new members to the consortium and fostered a productive environment for team building and scientific networking across disciplines and institutions.

In a warm and appreciative gesture, we also bid farewell to the Clinician Scientists of the first funding period, acknowledging their significant contributions to the success of the program and wishing them the very best for their future careers.

In addition, the newly elected Steering Board, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Junior Council were announced and will support the strategic development and collaborative spirit of the consortium over the coming years.

We thank all speakers and participants for their valuable contributions and are looking forward to a successful second funding period.