UNE brings leading scientists, congressional leaders and national media to Maine for summit on pain and opioid crisis

On August 3, 2016, the nation’s leading researchers, clinicians, educators and policy advisors gathered at the University of New England’s campus in Biddeford, Maine to explore the devastating and complex world of pain. UNE also invited the public, including those directly impacted by chronic pain, to attend this daylong conference that tackled the challenges faced by an estimated 100 million Americans every year. The conference discussed the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Pain Strategy and integrated approaches to managing pain.  The topics of opioid pain medications, abuse liability and addiction were also covered by experts working with people who have chronic pain and those who have substance misuse disorders.

Keynote Speakers included Drs. Sean Mackey of Stanford University, Linda Porter of the National Institutes of Health and Daniel Carr of Tufts University. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Jon Hamilton of NPR News also engage dthe audience in discussion on these timely topics.

Edward Bilsky, Ph.D., Vice President for Research and Scholarship and co-organizer of the pain summit said, “Millions of Americans are suffering as a result of the epidemics of chronic pain and opioid misuse, abuse and addiction, two diseases that are distinct but can overlap in some individuals. Solutions will require bold action and leadership. Through this summit, the University of New England aims to facilitate a conversation between those who are impacted by these diseases and the people who have the power to affect change through research, policy and access to treatment.”

UNE is a leader in pain research and education. In 2012 the university received a $10 million grant funded by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institutes of Health to create the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence for the Study of Pain and Sensory Function (COBRE). Headed by Center Director Ian Meng, Ph.D., and Center Co-Director Ed Bilsky, Ph.D., both professors in the Department of Biomedical Sciences in UNE’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM), COBRE was established with the aim of significantly contributing to the scientific understanding of the neurobiology of chronic pain by facilitating the discovery and development of new treatments. The primary focus of the center is to provide support to several junior scientists as they establish independent, extramurally funded research programs.

“Through our COBRE-funded research, we are working toward a more solid understanding of why people suffer from chronic pain and using this information to advance new treatments,” said Meng. “When coupled with UNE’s commitment to educating future health care providers about alternative treatments and responsible prescribing practices, the university is well positioned to lead this critical conversation about pain.”