Over $4 million for international collaborations into chronic pain research

Four Australian based lead investigators and their teams will share in the funding administered under the NHMRC’s international collaboration with the Network of European Funding for Neuroscience Research (NEURON).

The 2025 NHMRC-NEURON funding call supports Australian participation and collaboration in transnational research projects on ‘Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Neuroscience of Pain’.

Dr Yann Quidé from the University of New South Wales will study how brain circuits that predict and respond to threats are altered in those experiencing chronic pain and anxiety with the aim to improve personalised treatments, reduce disability, and support better care and policy for chronic pain and mental health.

A project led by Professor Luke Henderson of The University of Sydney will combine both animal and human studies and use a wide range of tools to look at the brain, nerves, behaviour, sleep, and more to find patterns and changes which can help guide the development of new treatments for chronic pain.

Established under the Network of European Funding for Neuroscience Research (ERA-NET) scheme of the European Commission, NEURON aims to coordinate and optimise research efforts and funding programs in the field of mental, neurological and sensory disorders.

Full details of the researchers and projects funded are available to download on NHMRC’s outcomes of funding rounds page.

Quotes attributable to NHMRC CEO, Professor Steve Wesselingh:

• "Research breakthroughs are rarely the result of one individual. They are a result of multiple researchers collaborating to address health challenges such as the neuroscience of pain.
• "NHMRC is always proud to support Australian based researcher’s involvement and collaboration with leading international research funding agencies – well done to the successful lead investigators and their teams on today’s announcement."