Members

I have conducted research on pain and its management for over 30 years. Areas of interest include response to electrophysical agents, individuality and pain, perceptual embodiment, epidemiology, pain education, pain and art, community-support-programmes for pain, and painogencity (health promotion). Methodologies include evidence syntheses (e.g., Cochrane reviews, meta-ethnography), human response to stimuli (quantitative sensory testing) and clinical trials. I have a long-standing interest in transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and deliver a distance learning MSc module on Foundation Neuromodulation (implantable devices).

My research focuses on understanding the brain mechanisms that underpin human sensorimotor function. My research utilises a range of approaches, including state-of-the-art MR imaging and spectroscopy, magnetoencephalography, and non-invasive brain stimulation to investigate the pathophysiology of common mental/brain health conditions. A key focus is developing the next generation of novel therapeutic approaches for mental/brain health conditions based on wearable technology and non-invasive brain stimulation. To this end I am a founding Non-Executive Director, and Chief Scientific Officer, of Neurotherapeutics Ltd.

Electrical stimulation therapies represent nonpharmacologic treatment options for chronic pain management. However, we do not understand how these therapies work and this knowledge gap continues to limit the success of these technologies. Therefore, our research group implements a patient-specific approach that integrates detailed clinical mechanistic testing with computational models. We believe that this systematic approach will improve our scientific understanding of neurostimulation for chronic pain and provide scientific guidance to individualize and optimize several components of these neurostimulation technologies.

My research focuses on the neurobiology of decision-making and learning. I use multimodal neuroimaging and neurostimulation methods to uncover the roles of multiple areas in the brain, predominantly the prefrontal cortex. Recently, I have shown that transcranial ultrasound neuromodulation can safely change neural activity in precise parts of the brain, both in non-human primates and humans. I am now working towards bringing this technology forward and apply it to mental health challenges.