We are requesting support for travel stipends to encourage the participation of young investigators at the annual meeting of the American Pain Society (APS). These young investigators are beginning their careers in basic and clinical research in pain. The APS is a multidisciplinary community that brings together a diverse group of scientists, clinicians and other professionals to increase knowledge about pain and to transform public policy and clinical practice in order to reduce pain-related suffering. The annual APS meeting provides a unique forum for disseminating cutting-edge advances in evidence-based pain research and treatment in a setting that optimizes the interactions between scientists and clinicians. The annual meeting integrates basic, experimental and clinical pain research, and encourages cross-fertilization among the participants. This bidirectional translational interchange between clinicians who diagnose and manage clinical pain and pre-clinical scientists who are elucidating pain mechanisms is the cornerstone of improved pain therapy and advances in pain management. We seek funds solely for the purpose of providing travel awards for young investigators who have submitted an abstract which has been accepted for presentation at our meeting by our peer review process and therefore are engaged in research. These young investigators may be from any research training background (basic or clinical science, psychology, medicine, or biostatistics) and may be at any level in training, including students, residents, pre-doctoral trainees, postdoctoral fellows, or those who have completed their postdoctoral training within the last 3 years. All applicants must be APS members. Collectively, the APS Young Investigator Travel Awards program is designed to facilitate the mentoring and nurturing of the next generation of pain researchers.
Pain, both acute and chronic, affects the lives of more that 100 million adult Americans (Institute of Medicine Report, 2011), and is a major Public Health problem. The annual APS meeting provides a unique forum for disseminating cutting edge advances in evidence based pain research and treatment in a setting that optimizes the interactions between scientists and clinicians. In art through the Young Investigators Travel Award, APS contributes to the training and creative development of the next generation of scientists who will drive pain research and treatment forward. The meeting gives trainees an opportunity to participate in the excitement of cutting-edge research and to interact with senior scientists and clinicians. Ultimately, these interaction will improve the management of pain.
