EMBL Forum Science and Society Seminar: Rohini Kuner

Why time does not heal all wounds: Chronic Pain - Rohini Kuner 14 February 2017

Pain is simultaneously an angel and a tormentor! At the heart of an expanding and dynamic area in biomedical sciences lies the question about how normal 'pain', which is considered a protective body function in everyday life, can change into a severely debilitating chronic disease that ruins the quality of life in a large fraction of the world's population. What happens when a physiological pain reaction turns into a self-sustained activity of the nervous system? Which molecular cascades come into play, and importantly, can this knowledge be employed to reverse pathological pain?

Established in 1998, the principal aim of the Science and Society initiative at EMBL is to promote a better and broader understanding of the growing social and cultural relevance of the life sciences. The EMBL Forum serves as an arena for multidisciplinary events and activities highlighting the ways in which recent developments within the life sciences in general, and within molecular biology in particular, are having a profound impact on people, their societies as well as their cultures. We invite speakers – experts within various disciplines of science and the humanities – on a regular basis to the EMBL to give public lectures on topics of interest.

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This is fascinating. I have studied chronic pain from Dr. McCarberg 30 years ago, which introduced me to the emotional angle. I got interested in and began to use "energy medicine" which is considered quantum physics, for the last 15 years. I was able to largely conquer my emotional pain in that time but now that I have spinal pain it's another challenge. Thank you for this information to get me thinking along these lines again. I'm determined to continue to get better.