APS announces recipients of prestigious achievement awards

The American Pain Society (APS), www.ampainsoc.org, today announced the recipients of its prestigious achievement awards during the organization's annual scientific meeting. APS rewards excellence in pain management with awards for career achievement, pain scholarship, education and public service, advocacy on behalf of children, outstanding service to APS, early career achievements and journalism.

The Wilbert E. Fordyce Clinical Investigator Award recognizes career achievement in clinical research and is awarded to Jennifer Haythornthwaite, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of the Center for Mind-Body Research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Haythornthwaite's scientific contributions have focused on the study of psychosocial aspects of pain, particularly the impact of negative emotions and pain-coping strategies on pain and pain-related disability. Her recent work has examined the impact of negative emotions and pain-coping strategies on neuropathic pain. Dr. Haythornthwaite's current research projects are focused on developing innovative treatments for reducing catastrophizing and investigating biobehavioral factors that increase risk for persistent pain. She has served in several leadership positions for the American Pain Society, including service on the Board of Directors.

The Frederick W.L. Kerr Basic Science Research Award honors individual excellence and achievements in clinical pain scholarship and is named in honor of the founder of APS, Frederick W.L. Kerr. It is awarded this year to Kathleen Sluka, PT, PhD, professor in the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science Graduate Program at the University of Iowa. Dr. Sluka is also a member of the university's Pain Research and Neuroscience Graduate Programs. Dr. Sluka's research focuses on the neurobiology of musculoskeletal pain and the mechanisms and effectiveness of nonpharmacological pain treatments commonly used by physical therapists. She has served on the council for the International Association for the Study of Pain and the Board of Directors of the American Pain Society, as well as on numerous committees for these organizations. She also serves as a section editor for the Journal of Pain and editorial board manager for Physical Therapy. Dr. Sluka has published more than 130 original research articles and numerous book chapters and reviews.

In recognition of the longstanding APS interest in promoting improved pain management in pediatric health care settings, the Jeffrey Lawson Award recognizes advocacy efforts to improve pain management in children. It was established in 1996 in memory of Jeffrey Lawson and in recognition of his mother, Jill, for her efforts to end the practice of performing surgery and other procedures on children without anesthesia. This year's recipient is Elliot Krane, MD. Dr. Krane was the first chief of anesthesia and pain management at Stanford University's Packard Children's Hospital, where he furthered his interest in pediatric anesthesia and the treatment of pain in children. Dr. Krane has quadrupled the size of the pediatric pain management clinic, founded an outpatient pain rehabilitation center and an inpatient pain rehabilitation center, and raised more than $1 million to endow the pain program.

The Elizabeth Narcessian Award recognizes outstanding educational achievements in pain management. Dr. Narcessian was an educator known for her lifelong interests in the appropriate use of opioids, patient assessment and approaches to rehabilitating patients with chronic pain. The awardee is Charles Argoff, MD, professor of neurology at Albany Medical College and director of the Comprehensive Pain Center at Albany Medical Center in New York. Dr. Argoff serves on the editorial board of the Clinical Journal of Pain and as a reviewer for the Journal of Pain, Brain, JAMA, Neurology, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, and the Clinical Journal of Pain. He is coeditor of the Neuropathic Pain Section of Pain Medicine. He is one of the founders of and chairperson of the steering committee for the Fundamentals of Pain Management Course for residents held annually and sponsored by the American Pain Society.

The Distinguished Service Award for outstanding and dedicated service to APS is awarded to Edward Michna, MD, staff anesthesiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Michna is board certified in anesthesia, pain management and palliative care medicine. Prior to earning his medical degree, he trained as a pharmacist at Rutgers University and later attended law school and practiced law as a medical malpractice trial attorney. Dr. Michna is involved in clinical research and lectures nationally on the legal aspects of pain management. He is active in many national pain societies and is former chairman of the Pain Care Coalition and former chair of the American Pain Society's Public Policy Committee.

The John and Emma Bonica Public Service Award pays tribute to this couple for their leadership in the pain-treatment movement. It recognizes contributions by an individual or organization through public education, public service or other vehicles to communicate information about pain. The 2012 recipient is Ann O'Mara, PhD, head of palliative research in the Division of Cancer Prevention at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Dr. O'Mara manages a portfolio of symptom management and palliative and end-of-life care research projects, and she has conducted research on end-of-life care and educating nurses and physicians about palliative care. Her publications have focused primarily on quality-of-life issues facing patients with cancer and their families. Dr. O'Mara is has been a member of the Journal of Clinical Oncology editorial board, and is the recipient of numerous NIH merit awards recognizing her efforts in promoting symptom management and quality-of-life research.

To recognize early career achievement in pain scholarship, APS created the John C. Liebeskind Early Career Scholar Award. It is awarded to David Seminowicz, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Neural and Pain Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. Dr. Seminowicz's work has focused on the cognitive aspects of pain, individual differences in the response to pain, and the consequence of chronic pain on brain structure and function. His studies have clarified how pain-and cognitive-related brain activity interact and how passive and active pain-coping strategies affect these types of activities.

The Kathleen M. Foley Journalist Award recognizes excellence in reporting pain-related topics. The award is designed to honor the work of journalists whose coverage of events, scientific discoveries, patient care, issues and policies contribute to furthering public awareness and understanding of pain and pain-related issues. Rita Rubin is this year's recipient for her article published in the July 2011 issue of Woman's Day magazine, "Living with Chronic Pain." Ms. Rubin's article provides a thorough review and guide for patients seeking to learn how to manage chronic pain. She covered the role medication should play and advised that some physicians are hesitant about prescribing narcotic analgesics. There also is an informative section in the article describing the distinctions between dependence and addiction.