Editor’s note: The North American Pain School (NAPS) took place 19-24 June 2022, in Montebello, Québec City, Canada. NAPS – an educational initiative of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) and Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translations, Innovations, Opportunities, and Networks (ACTTION), and presented by the Quebec Pain Research Network (QPRN) – brings together leading experts in pain research and management to provide trainees with scientific education, professional development, and networking experiences. This year’s theme was “Controversies in Pain Research.” Five of the trainees were also selected to serve as PRF-NAPS Correspondents, who provided firsthand reporting from the event, including interviews with NAPS’ Visiting Faculty members and Patient Partners, summaries of scientific sessions, and coverage on social media.
In the podcast below, PRF-NAPS Correspondent Joseph Lesnak, a PhD candidate at the University of Iowa, US, spoke with NAPS Visiting Faculty member Rajesh Khanna, a professor of molecular pathobiology and the director of New York University’s Pain Research Center in the US. His research focuses on the functions of voltage-gated ion channels and the discovery of novel biologics and small molecules targeting pain and neurodegenerative diseases (see related PRF news article). Lesnak and Khanna discussed targeting Nav1.7 for pain relief, the challenge of moving a pharmacologic through the regulatory process, and a serendipitous finding that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joseph Lesnak, DPT, is a PhD candidate at the University of Iowa, US. You can follow him on Twitter – @LesnakJoe.