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)SEO tags
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
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Williams CM, McAuley JH, Flood 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- McAuley, JH. Improving care for low back pain. NHMRC Investigator Grant (L1. 2022 – 2027 $2,111,089
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- 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
- McAuley JH, Nicholas MK, Moseley GL, Henschke N, Refshauge K. Preventing chronic low back pain. NHMRC Project Grant 2013-2016 $509,000.
- Moseley GL, McAuley JH. Developing and testing a new treatment approach for low back pain. NHMRC Project Grant 2011-2015 $595,392
Other funding.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- McAuley JH, Gustin S, Loo C. Mindgardens. 2020-2022 $300,000
- Newtown-John T, Gustin SM, McAuley JH. SPHERE Frontiers Clinical Advisory Group. 2019-2021 $40,000
- 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
- Thom J… McAuley JH et al., UNSW Major equipment grant, Research Infrastructure Support. 2019 $500,000
- Farrell, McAuley, JH; et al., Alcohol and Other Drug Research Grant, Department of Health / Drug and Alcohol Program. 2017-2020 $8,005,000
- 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
- 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
- Williams CM, McAuley JH, Wiggers J. Coal Services Health and Safety Trust. 2016 - 2017. $102,000.
- McAuley JH National Health & Medical Research Council / Postgraduate Scholarship (Luke Parkitny) 2011-2014. $70,813
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 16 March 2021: Leon Compton, ABC Radio - Hobert. Back pain
- 24 December 2018: 3AW Breakfast
- 29 November 2017: Eastside FM. A/Prof James McAuley discusses chronic pain
- 8 August 2017: Radio 2UE
- 1 February 2016: Dr Norman Swan, ABC Radio - Health Report. Tweeting into back pain and reassuring yourself out of it (https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/healthreport/tweeting-into-back-pain-and-reassuring-yourself-out-of-it./7130662)
- 29 May 2015: 2GB
- 29 May 2015: Richard Glover, ABC Radio - National Drive
- 19 July 2014: David Murray, ABC Radio - Beyond the Lab. The World of Pain on Beyond the Lab (https://www.abc.net.au/local/programs/438-beyond-the-lab/episodes/ep-2014-07-20-4049822.htm)
- 2 May 2014: Steve Austin, ABC Radio - Good Morning Brisbane
- 10 February 2014: Barbara Chappell, Adelaide’s Coast FM. Pain – Dr James McAuley
- 9 February 2014: Radio 2UE Weekend Breakfast Show. Back pain – Dr James McAuley
- 10 January 2014: Tim Brunero, ABC Radio - Overnights
Television
- 22 December 2020: GWN7 News. Exercise for low back pain beneficial but no one agrees on why
- 7 November 2018: Christy Johns, Channel 7 News. Back in Action (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg87KRJU8mA)
- 13 June 2017: ABC Ask the Doctor. Pain (https://iview.abc.net.au/show/ask-the-doctor/series/1/video/DO1625V005S00)
- 17 November 2016: Channel 9 News. ‘No pills, no surgery’ - The revolutionary treatment for back pain (https://www.9news.com.au/national/no-pills-no-surgery-the-revolutionary-treatment-for-back-pain/471696dc-6012-46b5-8bec-394644e538b)
- 22 March 2016: Catalyst. When Pain Persists (https://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/when-pain-persists/11016358)
- 23 February 2016: SBS Insight. Placebo (https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/619589699693)
Print and Digital Articles
- 1 April 2021: Jo Hartley, The Australian Women’s Weekly. Easing a chronic problem (https://twitter.com/SylviaGustin2/status/1379800400568610818?s=20)
- 22 January 2020: Caroline Zielinski, The Sydney Morning Herald. Hypnosis for anxiety? ‘Doable’ if you have an open mind (https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/hypnosis-for-anxiety-doable-if-you-have-an-open-mind-20200120-p53t3g.html)
- 10 December 2019: Kate Aubusson, The Sydney Morning Herald. One-stop-shop: service treats mental illness, neurological, and addiction as 'brain disorders' (https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/one-stop-shop-service-treats-mental-illness-neurological-and-addiction-as-brain-disorders-20191209-p53i9j.html)
- 9 January 2019: Daniel Kolitz, GizModo. What's the worst pain? (https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2019/01/whats-the-worst-pain/)
- 23 December 2018: Liam Mannix, The Sydney Morning Herald. The 'mythbusters' of back pain believe they can treat it - with words (https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-mythbusters-of-back-pain-believe-they-can-treat-it-with-words-20181217-p50msa.html)
- 9 November 2018: Retail Pharmacy Magazine. Back pain treatment challenged (https://retailpharmacymagazine.com.au/back-pain-treatment-challenged/)
- 7 November 2018: Health Times. Researchers challenge guidelines for treating acute low back pain (https://healthtimes.com.au/hub/pain-management/44/news/nc1/researchers-challenge-guidelines-for-treating-acute-low-back-pain/3721/)
- 12 October 2018: James Hutton, The Beast Magazine. Local bloke – James McAuley from Randwick (https://thebeast.com.au/people/local-bloke-james-mcauley-randwick/)
- 1 October 2018: NeuRA HEADS at Work. How does chronic back pain affect mental wellness? (https://talks.neura.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Mental-Wellness-in-the-workplace.pdf)
- 30 September 2018: Liam Mannix, The Sydney Morning Herald. A difficult position: Experts question whether ergonomics holds up (https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/a-difficult-position-experts-question-whether-ergonomics-holds-up-20180910-p502w5.html)
- 23 May 2018: Senior Australian News and Research. Hypnosis transforms treatment for low back pain (http://www.seniorau.com.au/7981-hypnosis-transforms-treatment-for-low-back-pain)
- 16 May 2018: NeuRA Media Release. Hypnosis transforming chronic pain treatment (https://www.neura.edu.au/news/hypnosis-transforming-chronic-pain-treatment/)
- 10 August 2017: Newcastle Star. Landmark long-term study shows opioids no good for back pain (https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4846032/landmark-long-term-study-shows-opioids-no-good-for-back-pain/?cs=24)
- 1 September 2015: NeuRA Magazine, Spring Issue 14. It’s time to see the back of pain (https://www.neura.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/NeuRA-Magazine-Issue-14-Spring-2015.pdf)
- 21 March 2014: Ara Sarafian, The Conversation. It’s harder to fake a sickie if the doctor’s a machine (https://theconversation.com/its-harder-to-fake-a-sickie-if-the-doctors-a-machine-24631) (https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/its-harder-to-fake-a-sickie-if-the-doctors-a-machine/3LRDT2HBZSKJFI7AFESB4EQJXA/)
- 26 February 2014: Ara Sarafian, The Conversation. Phantom menace: augmented reality eases missing limb pain (https://theconversation.com/phantom-menace-augmented-reality-eases-missing-limb-pain-23479)
- September 2012: Men’s Health Magazine
Blogs
- 28 November 2018: Ellice Mol, The NeuRA Blog. Patient education does not help recovery from back pain (https://blog.neura.edu.au/2018/11/patient-education-not-help-recovery-back-pain/)
- 25 July 2018: James McAuley, The NeuRA Blog. Pain Free and Drug Free (https://blog.neura.edu.au/2018/07/pain-free-drug-free/)
- 21 May 2018: James McAuley, The NeuRA Blog. Hypnosis can help treat chronic low back pain (https://blog.neura.edu.au/2018/05/hypnosis-helps-treat-chronic-low-back-pain/)
- 27 July 2016: James McAuley, The NeuRA Blog. Two new ways to treat back pain (https://blog.neura.edu.au/2016/07/new-ways-treat-back-pain/)
- 26 February 2016: James McAuley, The NeuRA Blog. Talking about Placebo on Insight (https://blog.neura.edu.au/2016/02/talking-about-placebo-on-insight/)
- 6 January 2014: Flavia Di Petro & James H McAuley, The Conversation. Understanding pain: can the brain provide all the answers? (https://theconversation.com/understanding-pain-can-the-brain-provide-all-the-answers-18278)
Podcasts
- 12 March 2020: Dr Joe Tatta, The Healing Podcast (USA). The Latest Evidence for Managing Low Back Pain with James McAuley (https://www.integrativepainscienceinstitute.com/latest_podcast/the-latest-evidence-for-managing-low-back-pain-with-james-mcauley-phd/)
- 11 August 2019: Jack Chew, The Physio Matters Podcast (UK). James McAuley on LGBT safety at WCPT Congress in the UAE (https://www.facebook.com/TPMPodcast/videos/633370950485620/)
- 31 January 2019: NeuRA Podcasts. Low back pain with A/Prof James McAuley (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ep-38-low-back-pain-with-a-prof-james-mcauley/id910053098?i=1000428836129)
- 30 August 2015: Sandy Hilton and Cory Blickenstaff, Pain Science and Sensibility Podcast (USA).
- Revisiting Self-Efficacy with James McAuley (https://ptpodcast.com/pain-science-and-sensibility-episode-4-revisiting-self-efficacy-with-james-mcauley/)