Researcher

My Expertise

  • Evidence-based management of low back pain 
  • Development of new treatment approaches for low back pain

Fields of Research (FoR)

Clinical Sciences, Rehabilitation and Therapy (excl. Physiotherapy)

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Biography

James McAuley is NHMRC Leadership Fellow (L1) and Professor at the Faculty of Medicine at UNSW. He is a global leader in the prevention and management of chronic pain. His research program is accommodated within the Centre for Pain IMPACT (Investigating Mechanisms of Pain to Advance Clinical Translation), which he founded and leads. The Centre supports inter-disciplinary researchers, clinicians and consumers and holds $28M. Prof McAuley is...view more

James McAuley is NHMRC Leadership Fellow (L1) and Professor at the Faculty of Medicine at UNSW. He is a global leader in the prevention and management of chronic pain. His research program is accommodated within the Centre for Pain IMPACT (Investigating Mechanisms of Pain to Advance Clinical Translation), which he founded and leads. The Centre supports inter-disciplinary researchers, clinicians and consumers and holds $28M. Prof McAuley is Executive member on the NHMRC Australia New Zealand Back Pain (ANZBACK) Centre for Research Excellence (2019-2025) and Chief Investigator and Scientific committee member of the NHMRC Australia New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network (ANZMUSC) Centre for Research Excellence. He sits on the governing council of SPHERE “Maridulu Budyari Gumal”. Professor McAuley has published >320 articles, his H-index is 80 and he is ranked (Scopus) the third most productive researcher in his field. He has been awarded over $53M in research funding and in the last 5 years has given invited presentations at 12 international and 15 national conferences and scientific meetings. James has supervised 27 PhD students and mentored 5 postdocs.


My Grants

Nationally Competitive Funding

  1. Langford A, Lin C, Nielsen S, Ferreira G, McAuley JH, Billot L, Reeve E, Albarqo L, Holiday S, Ademi Z. Sandhu H, Hayes C, Allinan, H. Improving the Wellbeing of people with Opioid Treated Chronic Pain in Australia (I-WOTCH-AU). MRFF Integrated Multidisciplinary Models of Primary Care. 2025 – 2030 $1,805,854.60
  2. McAuley JH, Cashin AC, Wand BE, Maher C, Bagg M, Gustin SM, Refshauge K, Lin C, Williams C, Traeger A, Zambelli R, Jennings M, Goodall S, Marsh S, Jones M, The CRONOS trial: Graded sensorimotor retraining compared to supervised exercise for chronic low back pain. MRFF Clinical Trials Activity 2025 – 2030, $2,532,094.80
  3. Machado G, Williams C, Maher C, Hassett L, Lung T, Dinh M, Morphet J, Bonner C, Lin C, McAuley JH, Coombes D, Adbel Shaheed C, Traeger A, Billot L, Mace K. SMART-ED: a sequential multiple assignment trial in emergency departments testing optimal implementation strategies of back pain. MRFF Clinical Trials Activity 2024 – 2029; $4,789,557.60.
  4. Luomajoki H, Benz T, Pfeiffer F, Silvia C, McAuley JH, Moseley GL, Wand BM, Wirz M. Resolve Swiss. Swiss National Science Foundation. 2024 – 2029 $1,300,000
  5. Williams CM, McAuley JH, Beard D, Passey M, Flood V, Kamper S, Randall S, Maher CG, Buchbinder R, Yoong S, Bailie J, Cashin A, McLennan V, Bailie R, Hamiduzzaman M. Healthy Back: building capacity and safe access to integrated primary care support options for people living in rural areas with chronic back pain and healthy lifestyle risks. MRFF Primary Health Care Research 2024 – 2029: $1,985,39
  6. Cashin A, Traeger A, Yoong S, Machado G, Leake L, Bagg MK, Haynes A, Sharma S, McAuley JH, Moseley L, Stanton T, Wand B, Ferreira M, Williams C, Maher C. RESOLVE-D, Implementing new and effect treatments for low back pain. MRFF Early to Mid-Career Researchers 2024 – 2028 $1,500,000
  7. Williams CM, McAuley JHFlood V, Kamper SJ, Buchbinder R, Tiedemann A, Williams K, Davidson S, Cashin A, Saragiotto B, Beard D. The HeLP-R trial: Adaptation and implementation of an effective lifestyle program for with musculoskeletal pain in rural populations. MRFF Maternal Health and Healthy Lifestyles 2024 – 2029 $1,698,725
  8. Buchbinder R, Maher C, Hinman R, March L, Harris I, McAuley JH, Ferreira M, Hodges P, O’Connor D, Billot L, Australia New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network (ANZMUSC) NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence 2023 – 2029 $2,500,000
  9. Moseley L, McAuley JH, Sterling M, Wand B, Karran E, Cashin A, Rebbeck T, Stanton T, De Zoete R, Wallwork S, Harvie D, Goodall S.  ReconNECKt: A randomised placebo-controlled trial to test the safety, clinical and cost effectiveness of a new treatment for chronic neck pain. MRFF Clinical Trials Activity 2023 – 2028 $1,484,782
  10. Jones MJ, McAuley JH, Stamatakis E, Schutte A, Moseley GL, Refshauge K, Smith L, Williams C, Traeger A, Parmenter B, Cashin A, Ferreira M, Peters R, Goodall S. Effective Treatment and Therapies. CAPACITY: A telehealth, effectiveness-implementation hybrid trial to increase physical activity in adults with chronic low back pain. 2023 – 2027 $1,392,856.40
  11. McAuley JH, Rizzo R, Moseley GL, Williams C, Traeger A, Cashin A, Maher C, Goodall S, Machado G, Gustin S,  Sharpe L, Byambasuren O, McCaffery K, Yoong S. The NOTUS trial (NOn-pharmacological Treatment for chronic low back pain USing digital health technology) Primary Health Care Digital Innovations. 2023 – 2028 $$1,614,405
  12. Kamper SJ, Williams CM, Nathan N, Martiniuk A, Wolfenden L, McAuley JH, Hestbaek L, Rogers K, Angell B, Pate J, Thompson K, Swain M. Pain Smart: Integrating education and clinical care for adolescents with pain. 2022 – 2027 $1,242,433
  13. Klyne D, Hodges P, Humphries M, McAuley JH, Nicholas MK, van den Hoorn W, Smith S, Suri P, Hunter D, Smits E, Riddick R, Ferreira M. What causes low back pain to flare: Has a major opportunity to understand back pain been missed? US NIH. 2022 - 2029 $3,874,508
  14. McAuley JH, Moseley GL, Gustin SM, Smeets R, Flor H, Goodall S, Stanton T, Giummarra, M, Cashin AC. Improving the lives of people with phantom limb pain; the TITAN trial. Rare Cancers Rare Diseases and Unmet Need 2022 – 2027 $1,531,000
  15. McAuley, JH. Improving care for low back pain. NHMRC Investigator Grant (L1. 2022 – 2027 $2,111,089
  16. Maher CG, Buchbinder R, Hancock MJ, O’Sulllivan P, McAuley JH, Blythe F, Jorm L, Collie A, McCaffery K, Hayes A. Low Back Pain Centre for Research Excellence. NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence 2019-2024 $2,499,990
  17. Gustin S, McAuley JH, Middleton J, Lin Chin-Teng, Jensen M, Craig A, Glare P, Newton-John T, Moseley GL, Hesam-Shariati N. StoPain: A randomised placebo-controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of an advanced interactive brain-computer interface neuromodulation treatment for spinal cord injury neuropathic.  2021 – 2026 Rare Cancers Rare Diseases and Unmet Need $1,870,000
  18. McAuley JH, Gustin S, Moseley GL, McLachlan A, Wand BM, Lamb SE, O’Connell NE. MEMOIROZ: A multi-site placebo-controlled trial of memantine and graded motor imagery for complex regional pain syndrome Rare Cancers Rare Diseases and Unmet Need 2019 – 2023 $922,314.05
  19. McAuley JH, Gustin S, McLachlan A, Lamb SE, Birbaumer N, Flor H, Lotze M, O’Connell NE, Lee H. MEMOIR: A multi-national randomised factorial placebo-controlled trial with embedded mechanism evaluation of memantine and graded motor imagery for complex regional pain syndrome. NHMRC Project Grant 2019-2025 $2,309,000
  20. McAuley JH, Moseley GL, Maher CM, Goodall S, Stanton T, Wand BM. Resolve: A new treatment - sensorimotor retaining with Explaining pain - for chronic low back pain. NHMRC Project Grant 2015-2018 $970,000.
  21. Schabrun S, McAuley JH, Graven-Nielsen T, Nicholas MN, Henschke N, Khan A. Understanding pain where it resides; in the brain.  NHMRC Project Grant 2014-2018 $814,825
  22. McAuley JH, Nicholas MK, Moseley GL, Henschke N, Refshauge K. Preventing chronic low back pain. NHMRC Project Grant 2013-2016 $509,000.
  23. Moseley GL, McAuley JH.  Developing and testing a new treatment approach for low back pain. NHMRC Project Grant 2011-2015 $595,392

Other funding.

  1. Rizzo R, Cashin A, Traeger A, Batista G, McAuley JH, McBride J. AID-Back feasibility trial: a co-created Artificial Intelligence chatbot for Decision-making to improve back pain management in primary care. SPHERE Musculoskeletal CAG Seeding Grant. 2024-2026 $38,450 
  2. Cavaleri R, Summers S, McAuley JH, Stanton T. Home-based neuromodulation: Preventing the transition from acute to chronic pain. HCF Research Foundation. 2024 – 2026 $170,353
  3. Cavaleri R, McAuley JH, Stanton T Summers S, Chang WJ, Chowdhury N. tDCS and exercise for knee pain. Arthritis Australia Grant in Aid 2024-2026 $19,974
  4. Rizzo R, McAuley JH, Batista G, McBride J. Supporting evidence-based decision making for low back pain through artificial intelligence. ANZBACK Research network Seeding Grant. 2024 – 2025 $19,930
  5. Davidson S, Williams C, Kamper S, Wolfenden L, Tideman A, Flood V, Robinson E, McAuley JH, et al. HCF Research Foundation Translational Research Grants. 2024 – 2027 $312,765
  6. David Klyne…McAuley JH. What causes low back pain to flare: Has a major opportunity to understand back pain been missed? US NIH. 2022 $3,874,508
  7. Eisman J, Center J, White C,…McAuley J. Public Health and Chronic Disease Program: Osteoporosis Consumer Awareness Osteoporosis Consumer Awareness Grant GO3113. 2020-2022 $500,000
  8. McAuley JH, Gustin S, Loo C. Mindgardens. 2020-2022 $300,000
  9. Newtown-John T, Gustin SM, McAuley JH. SPHERE Frontiers Clinical Advisory Group. 2019-2021 $40,000
  10. Lappin J, Draker B, Sharma S, Brydon L, Darke S, Shand F, Dear B, McAuley JH, Neilssen O, Titov N. Mindgardens Neuroscience Network Clinical Translation Program. 2019-2022 $150,000
  11. Thom J… McAuley JH et al., UNSW Major equipment grant, Research Infrastructure Support. 2019 $500,000
  12. Farrell, McAuley, JH; et al., Alcohol and Other Drug Research Grant, Department of Health / Drug and Alcohol Program. 2017-2020 $8,005,000
  13. McAuley JH and STREAM Health collaborators. The development and testing of a social media campaign to promote self-management for people with low back pain. SPHERE. 2017 – 2020 $120,000
  14. Lee H, McAuley JH, Herbert RD, Kamper SJ, Henschke N, Williams CM. Development of a reporting guideline for mediation studies. UC Berkeley Initiative for Transparency in the Social Sciences (BITSS) & Center for Effective Global Action and the Laura and John Arnold Foundation. 2015-2017 $28,300
  15. Williams CM, McAuley JH, Wiggers J. Coal Services Health and Safety Trust. 2016 - 2017. $102,000.
  16. McAuley JH National Health & Medical Research Council / Postgraduate Scholarship (Luke Parkitny) 2011-2014. $70,813
  17. Nicholas MK, Pearce G, Linton SJ, Main C, Shaw W, Smeets R, Maher C, McAuley JH, Blyth F, Cameron I, McGarity A. Trial of early screening and intervention for health workers with soft tissue injuries at risk of long-term disability. NSW Ministry of Health & EML Insurance. 2013-2015. $337,000
  18. McAuley JH, Costa L, Costa L, Maher C.  Cross cultural translation and adaptation of low back pain questionnaires. The University of Sydney International Project Development Fund (IPDF). 2009. $20,000
  19. McAuley JH. Faculty of Medicine Early Career/New Staff Award The validity of portable devices to measure sleep outcomes in patients with low back pain. 2008. $60,000
  20. McAuley JH, Maher CG, Refshauge KM. The prognosis of chronic low back pain Cumberland Research Grant. 2007. $17,000

My Awards

  • 2018 SoMS Researcher of the Year award
  • 2020 Inducted into the SoMS Century Club
  • 2023 SoHS Supervisor of the year
  • 2024 SoHS SoHS Researcher of the year

My Research Activities

James leads a multidisciplinary translational research program of 30 researchers focused on improving the management of chronic pain.

https://www.neura.edu.au/staff/dr-james-mcauley/

https://www.neura.edu.au/research-centre/impact-pain-research/


My Research Supervision


Supervision keywords


Areas of supervision

James' research is focused on low back pain, a major global health problem and the leading cause of disability worldwide. The burden of low back pain is rising more rapidly than for any other health condition. In Australia costs management and work loss are projected to increase by 60% over the next 10yrs.

My research program is focused on developing and testing new approaches to manage low back pain. These approaches are informed by findings from neuroscience research and clinical research on psychological and physical activity contributions chronic pain. My vision for my research program is to develop, test and implement in clinical practice new effective treatment approaches to reduce the burden of low back pain. 


Currently supervising

PhD supervision

* Denotes primary supervisor

*Mia Ryan

2026 – 2030

RTP

*Shouvik Das

2026 – 2030

RTP

*Filipe Souza

2025 – 2029

IRTP

*Isha Mistra

2025 – 2029

RTP

*Jackson Linke

2024 – 2028

RTP

Andrew Natoli

2024 – 2028

RTP

Emily Walker

2024 – 2028

RTP

*Jack Devonshire

2022 – 2026

RTP

*Yannick Gilyani

2022 – 2026

RTP

*Harrison Hansford

2021 – 2025

NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship

*Sam Williams

2022 – 2026

RTP

Nell Norman-Nott

2020 – 2024

RTP

*Michael Ferraro

2020 – 2025

RTP

*Rodrigo Rizzo

2019 – 2023

IRTP

*Michael Wewege

2019 – 2023

NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship

*Edel O’Hagan

2017 – 2023

APA

Luke Jenkins

2017 – 2021

WSU Scholarship

*Aidan Cashin

2017 – 2021

POWCS scholarship,  

*Matthew Bagg

2015 – 2021

APA, UNSW Excellence Award

*Ian Skinner

2014 – 2018

NHMRC Postgrad Scholarship,  

Valentina Buscemi

2014 – 2018

NHMRC Project grant supported

Wei-Ju Chang

2014 – 2018

NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship

Emma Karan

2012 – 2018 (p/t)

Dawes Scholarship, Adelaide Hospital

Tania Gardner

2011 – 2018 (p/t)

Self-funded

*Audrey Wang

2012 – 2017

Australian Pain Society Scholarship,

*Hopin Lee

2014 – 2017

NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship,

*Adrian Traeger

2013 – 2016

NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship,

John Breckenridge

2011 – 2018 (p/t)

Self-funded

*Flavia di Pietro

2010 – 2014

APA

*Luke Parkitny

2010 – 2014

NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship,

Christopher Williams

2009 – 2012

NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship

*Saad Alsaadi

2009 – 2013

Saudi Arabian Government Scholarship

Luciola Costa

2011 – 2007

USyd International Scholarship

Steve Kamper

2006 – 2010

NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship

Luciana Macedo

2006 – 2010

USyd International Scholarship

Mark Hancock

2004 – 2007

NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship

Nick Henschke

2003 – 2007

NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship


My Engagement

Radio

Television

Print and Digital Articles

Blogs

Podcasts

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