American Pain Society Presents 2017 Achievement Awards

PITTSBURGH, May 18, 2017 – The American Pain Society (APS), www.americanpainsociety.org, today announced recipients of its prestigious achievement awards during the organization’s annual scientific meeting. APS recognizes 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.

2017 American Pain Society Achievement Award Recipients

Wilbert E. Fordyce Clinical Investigator Award

This APS award recognizes career achievement in clinical research and was presented to Robert Kerns, PhD. Dr. Kerns is professor of psychiatry, neurology and psychology at Yale University. He recently retired from the VA after 37 years, which included serving as the first VA National Program Director for Pain Management. Dr. Kerns has published more than 250 articles, chapters and monographs and two books in the fields of behavioral medicine and pain management. He also has served on the Institute of Medicine Committee on Advancing Pain Research and Education, the HHS National Pain Strategy Oversight Panel and the Federal Interagency Workgroup on Prevention of Adverse Drug Events.

Frederick W.L. Kerr Basic Science Research Award

Honors individual excellence and achievements in clinical pain scholarship and is named in honor of an APS founder, Frederick W.L. Kerr. It is awarded to Robert Gereau, Ph.D., professor of anesthesiology and director of the Washington University Pain Center in St. Louis. Dr. Gereau’s laboratory conducts extensive research to understand mechanisms of maladaptive plasticity underlying development of chronic pain. His studies include development of new enabling technologies for wireless measurement and manipulation of neural function, and his work has been supported by NIH for more than 20 years.

Jeffrey Lawson Award

In recognition of the longstanding APS interest in promoting improved pain management in pediatric health care settings, the 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 Carl von Baeyer, PhD. He is professor emeritus, University of Saskatchewan and now holds faculty appointments in clinical psychology and pediatrics at University of Manitoba. Dr. von Baeyer has authored or coauthored more than 100 publications on pain and his current research is focused on assessment of children’s pain by self reports. He also is president of the Special Interest Group on Pain in Childhood for the International Association for the Study of Pain.

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 Linda Kitlinski. Former senior director for clinical affairs at Endo Pharmaceuticals, Ms. Kitlinski is a strong proponent of innovative partnerships and learning approaches. She was instrumental in establishing the APS interdisciplinary Fundamentals of Pain Management course, and has worked to help mitigate safety risks associated with prescription opioids.

Distinguished Service Award

This award honors outstanding and dedicated service to APS. The 2016 recipient is Roger B. Fillingim, PhD. Dr. Fillingim is professor of psychology at the University of Florida and director, University of Florida Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence. He has an active research program investigating individual difference on pain based on gender, ethnicity and age. He has published more than 250 scientific articles, edited three books and authored one on pain. Dr. Fillingim has belonged to APS from more than 30 years and served as the organization’s president from 2012-14.

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 recipient is Linda Porter, PhD. IN 2012, Dr. Porter became director, Office of Pain Policy at NIH, which was established in response to recommendations in the 2011 Institute of Medicine report on pain. Dr. Porter co-chaired development of the National Pain Strategy and now co-chairs the implementation committee. She earned her Ph.D. degree in neuroscience at Boston University School of Medicine.

John C. Liebeskind Early Career Scholar Award

This award recognizes early career achievement in pain scholarship. It is awarded to Burel R. Goodin, PhD. Dr. Goodin is assistant professor of psychology, anesthesiology and perioperative medicine at University of Alabama Birmingham, and received his Ph.D. degree in clinical psychology in 2010 from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Dr. Goodin’s lab conducts research on disparities in experimental and clinical pain as well as pain related disability. He has published more than 40 peer-reviewed manuscripts and and is past recipient of the APS Future Leaders in Pain Research Grant.

About the American Pain Society

Based in Chicago, the American Pain Society (APS) is a multidisciplinary community that brings together a diverse group of scientists, clinicians and other professionals to increase the knowledge of pain and transform public policy and clinical practice to reduce pain-related suffering. APS is the professional home for investigators involved in all aspects of pain research including basic, translational, clinical and health services research to obtain the support and inspiration they need to flourish professionally. APS strongly advocates expansion of high quality pain research to help advance science to achieve effective and responsible pain relief. For more information on APS, visit www.americanpainsociety.org.