Keynote speakers
Our Pain Science in Motion congress invites four internationally renowned keynote speakers. Each keynote speaker is a leading scientist in their respective field and will deliver a keynote lecture as well as a “meet-the-expert” session.
PROF. DR. LORIMER MOSELEY
"Extending modern pain science education to other chronic overprotection disorders."
Lorimer is Distinguished Professor in Clinical Neuroscience and Foundation Chair in Physiotherapy at the University of South Australia. He has authored 430 scientific articles and eight books. His foundational discoveries around ‘how pain works’, development of new interventions to treat chronic pain, and communication of pain and neuroscience to diverse audiences, have been recognised by awards in 18 countries and world peak bodies in several fields. His research has transformed practice in chronic pain care internationally, including UK’s National Health Service, Australia and the USA’s Vetarans’ Affairs. In 2020, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia, that country’s second highest civilian honour, for ‘distinguished service in the fields of pain and its management, science communication, education and physiotherapy, to humanity at large.’ His education videos have over 25 million views. He lives and works on Kaurna Land in Adelaide, South Australia.
PROF. DR. CAROL J CLARK
"Women's health in the context of pain"
Carol is Professor in Physiotherapy in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences at Bournemouth University (BU). Her research is aimed at improving the lives of those who experience pain in a variety of contexts and conditions. More broadly her research interests are aimed at empowering people to lead healthier lives and by informing the design of strategies that better support self-management. One theme is the translation of pain management knowledge to better support women to self-manage their pain during early labour. Another theme is using digital tools and behavioural theories to support management of pain and enhance engagement in exercise/physical activity. She has presented her work internationally and received more than £3 million in research funding.
Carol is committed to supporting clinical academic careers of health care professionals through from undergraduate to post-doctoral opportunities. She is the BU representative on the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funded Applied Research Collaboration Wessex Training Committee, she is the BU lead for the NIHR funded INSIGHT programme which aims to build research capacity of early career clinicians and promote leadership.
Carol has worked as a physiotherapist in UK, Qatar, Oman, and Nigeria in governmental, voluntary, and private sectors. She continues to work with colleagues in India, Oman, Nepal, Canada, and Mauritius. She was the founder member of the Physiotherapy BSc (Hons) programme at BU. She is a strong advocate of applied research that enables faster translation of research into practice, implementation of new pathways of care and demonstrating impact.
PROF. DR. COLETTE RIDEHALGH
"Advances in nerve-related Musculoskeletal pain: a Physiotherapist’s slant"
Colette is an academic and MSK Physiotherapist with a special interest in nerve related musculoskeletal pain. She has published widely in the area, working in collaboration with many experts in the field of neuropathic pain. She has presented her work at many national and international conferences. She is Research Officer and Vice Chair for the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP). She was previously course leader for the MSc Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy course at the University of Brighton in the UK where she nurtured Physiotherapists specialising in MSK Physiotherapy and leading to membership of the MACP. She regularly teaches mechanisms, pathophysiology, assessment and management strategies of neuropathic pain supported by the latest scientific evidence to postgraduate students both in the UK and overseas.
She currently works as a Physiotherapy lecturer at King’s College London where she continues to teach pre-registration Physiotherapy and undertakes research in neuropathic pain as well as pedagogic research. She strongly supports contemporary teaching and learning strategies, developing independent and critical thinking in the students she mentors.
PROF. DR. MICHEL MERTENS
"When the shoulder tells a bigger story: Rethinking musculoskeletal pain from a systemic perspective."
Michel is a (sports) physical therapist and human movement scientist, holding a PhD in medical sciences. He currently serves as a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy at the University of Antwerp. With over a decade of clinical experience as a physiotherapist, Michel transitioned into academia to pursue his passion for research and teaching.
His research focuses on musculoskeletal disorders and their underlying mechanisms, with a particular focus on frozen shoulder, chronic shoulder pain and (shoulder) pain oncologic populations. He has expertise in prognostic modeling, pain mechanisms, and rehabilitation outcomes. Michel has authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications, contributed to several academic books, and is internationally recognized, ranking among the top global experts in bursitis on Expertscape.com.
Beyond research, Michel is an active educator and science communicator. He has presented at numerous national and international conferences, delivered over 20 courses to clinicians and athletes, and held various committee roles within academia. He supervises PhD and master’s students, serves on examination and doctoral committees, and contributes to international research collaborations and scientific events.
Michel is a committed member of the Pain in Motion research consortium and the CarEdOn research group, where he continues to advance interdisciplinary approaches to pain and rehabilitation science.
