2012 Frederick W.L. Kerr Basic Science Research Award

Kathleen Sluka, PT PhD

Kathleen A. Sluka, PT PhD, is a professor in the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science Graduate Program at the University of Iowa. She is also a member of the university’s Pain Research and Neuroscience Graduate Programs. She received a BS in physical therapy from Georgia State University and clinically treated chronic pain before obtaining a PhD in anatomy from University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston. After a completing a postdoctoral fellowship with W. D. Willis at the University of Texas Medical Branch, she joined the faculty at the University of Iowa. She has served on the council for the International Association for the Study of Pain and the board 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, numerous book chapters, and reviews, and been an invited speaker worldwide. 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.

This award and lectureship were established in 1987 in honor of Frederick W. L. Kerr, a founder of the American Pain Society, to recognize individual excellence and achievement in pain scholarship. Since then, the Kerr medallion has been presented to 25 outstanding pain professionals—researchers and clinicians—whose career achievements have made important contributions to the field of pain.