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 and Professor in the School of Health Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine at UNSW. He is a 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...view more

James McAuley is NHMRC Leadership Fellow and Professor in the School of Health Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine at UNSW. He is a 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 in funding. 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

National and International 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 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
  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 (Chief investigator A)
  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 competitive 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. 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 
  7. McAuley JH, Gustin S, Loo C. Mindgardens. 2020-2022 $300,000 
  8. Newtown-John T, Gustin SM, McAuley JH. SPHERE Frontiers Clinical Advisory Group. 2019-2021 $40,000
  9. 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
  10. Thom J… McAuley JH et al., UNSW Major equipment grant, Research Infrastructure Support. 2019 $500,000
  11. Farrell, McAuley, JH; et al., Alcohol and Other Drug Research Grant, Department of Health / Drug and Alcohol Program. 2017-2020 $8,005,000
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. Williams CM, McAuley JH, Wiggers J. Coal Services Health and Safety Trust. 2016 - 2017. $102,000.
  15. 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
  16. 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 
  17. 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 
  18. 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, International RTP

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, International RTP

Michael Wewege*         2019 – 2023, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship

Edel O’Hagan*              2017 – 2023, APA

Luke Jenkins                 2017 – 2021, Western Sydney U Scholarship

Aidan Cashin*               2017 – 2021, POWCS Scholarship

Matthew Bagg*              2015 – 2021, APA

Ian Skinner*                   2014 – 2018, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship

Valentina Buscemi         2014 – 2018, NHMRC Project Grant

Wei-Ju Chang                2014 – 2018, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship

Emma Karan                 2012 – 2018 Dawes Scholarship, Adelaide Hospital

Tania Gardner               2011 – 2018 self-funded (part time)

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, self-funded (part time)

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


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ORCID as entered in ROS

orcid_icon https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0550-828X

UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia Telephone +61 2 93851000
Authorised by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)
UNSW CRICOS Provider Code: 00098G ABN: 57 195 873 179

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