Building a Successful Research Career in Neuropathic Pain: Lessons Learned from Different Career Paths

Patrik Ernfors is head of Division of Molecular Neurobiology and Professor of Tissue biology at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. He received a PhD in neuroscience at Karolinska Institute and completed postdoctoral training at the Whitehead Institute, MIT, USA. He returned to a faculty position at Karolinska Institute in 1993. His research group studies the neural pathways in the somatosensory system, that underly our ability to sense touch, temperature, itch and pain. Ernfors laboratory combines molecular, computational and systems neuroscience to understand the key cell types and their organisation and applies this knowledge to provide insights into what causes chronic pain. His detailed classification of neurons has proven foundational for insights into how we detect environmental stimuli and their contribution to how we sense the world within and around us. He has shown a remarkable degree of conservation somatosensory cell types and their spatial organization that has enabled translation into humans of knowledge gained from decades of studies on model organisms. This has provided vital new insights into the human somatosensory system in health and disease.

Dr. Margarita Calvo Bascuñán is an Associate Professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and a leading clinician‑scientist in neuropathic pain research. Her work integrates molecular biology, preclinical models, and psychophysical studies to investigate mechanisms of small‑fiber neuropathy, dermatological pain conditions such as recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, and common neuropathies including diabetic and chemotherapy‑induced neuropathy. 

She earned her MD from UC Chile, a Master’s in Pain Management and a PhD in Neuroscience from King’s College London, and later a Master’s in Peripheral Neuropathies from the University of Milan. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at King’s College London and has held visiting and honorary research positions in Oxford and London. 

Dr. Calvo directs the Neuropathic Pain Laboratory at UC Chile, advancing translational pain science, and she serves as an IASP Councilor and member of the NeuPSIG Secretary.

Ed completed his PhD in Pharmacology at the University of Cambridge under the supervision of Prof. Peter McNaughton, where his research focused on elucidating the role of HCN2 ion channels in acute and chronic pain. After completing his PhD, he undertook postdoctoral positions in the labs of Prof. Fiona Gribble, characterizing novel SCN9A mutations linked to congenital pain phenotypes, and Prof. John Wood, where he developed innovative in vivo imaging techniques to monitor sensory neuron function.

 After his postdoctoral training, Ed transitioned to industry by joining GlaxoSmithKline’s Immunology Research Unit. There, he led the translational pain research strategy for multiple neuroimmune programs, including those targeting CCL17 and GM-CSF. Subsequently, he moved to AstraZeneca’s Translational Medicine group, where he was responsible for directing translational strategies across several neuroscience indications including pain, neurodegeneration, and migraine, spanning early preclinical to Phase 2 development stages.

 In 2025, Ed joined Grünenthal where he currently leads translational strategy for several preclinical and clinical programs to support the development of novel, non-opioid treatments for chronic pain.

Mukesh Pokharel, BPT (2017) and MPT (MSK & Sports, 2025) from Kathmandu University, is a physiotherapist and researcher from Nepal dedicated to improving physiotherapy access and care for underprivileged populations. He worked at Annapurna Neurological Hospital (ANIAS) from 2017 to 2022, gaining extensive clinical experience. His research is primarily focused on back pain, particularly chronic non-specific low back pain, including the development of culturally tailored pain-related questionnaires, and explores the biopsychosocial model, fear-avoidance beliefs, and pain education. He is currently involved with the Chaudhary Foundation as an advisory consultant for its prosthetic centre and health-related projects. Mukesh has presented his work at national and international conferences and continues to promote evidence-based, contextually relevant pain care in Nepal.