This year, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) hosted their biannual congress in the Dutch capital, Amsterdam. 2024 marked the 50th anniversary of IASP and the international conference brought together clinicians and researchers from all corners of the world. The message was clear, that though we have come a long way in understanding pain science over the last 50 years, the research is slowly uncovering how much we actually are yet to discover. Here are a few highlights from the South African Delegation that attended:
Gill Bedwell presenting one of her two posters, entitled The role of Immune reactivity in Promoting Pain After Neural and Immune Provocations.
Congratulations to Prof Peter Kamerman, who was awarded the prize for Excellence in pain Research and Management in Developing Countries. Well done Peter. You fly our green and gold flag high and we are blessed in South Africa for all your work in the Pain Arena.
Prof Tory Madden presenting in the session entitled: “The Burden of pain in Infectious Diseases: Historical Perspective and New Evidence”. Prof Madden’s lecture was entitled: “The Evolution, Characteristics and Significance of Pain in People Living with HIV”
Prof Peter Kamerman presenting in the pain Epidemiology in Low/Middle Income Countries – Challenges and Opportunities session. His lecture was entitled: “Seeking Opportunities: Epidemiological Research on Pain in South Africa”
Prof Tory Madden presents her poster entitled: “The Missing Link? Inflammatory Reactivity as a Mediator Between Distress and persistent Pain in HIV”
Prof Romy Parker presenting her poster entitled: “Improving perioperative pain management in South Africa: Is it feasible to implement a bundle approach to care in a middle-income country?”
Lecture by Nobel Laurette, Prof Ardem Patapoutian, who’s laboratory identified the molecules that sense temperature and pressure, involved in touch, pain and regulating blood pressure. He is the 2021 Nobel prize winner in Physiology. His lecture was entitled: “May the Force be with You! Piezo Channels in Sensory Physiology and Disease”
Prof Sean Chetty actively engaging in discussions around his poster presentation, entitled: “Improving Perioperative Pain Management in South Africa: Does a bundle approach to care improve postoperative pain in a middle-income country?”
The plenary hall at this year’s conference could accommodate over 6000 delegates.
Below find a few pictures of some of the South African delegation that attended:
