Professor
Professor James McAuley
Medicine & Health
School of Health Sciences
Professor James McAuley is a psychologist in the School of Health Sciences. He completed his PhD at Brunel University UK in 2002 and took a post-doctoral position at the University of Sydney in 2004 and then a senior post-doctoral position at the George Institute for Global Health in 2008. He moved to NeuRA in 2010 and established the Centre for Pain IMPACT and was appointed to the department of Exercise Physiology, School of Medical Sciences in 2017.
James’ research combines experimental, clinical and translational methods to develop and test new interventions to manage low back pain. James has published >200 articles and holds over >$10M in research funding. He is regularly invited to give talks at conferences and scientific meetings. James has supervised 18 PhD students and mentored 4 postdocs.
James is the chair of the back pain group of SPHERE MSK and is a member of the Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) for the Australian and New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network (ANZMUSC). In 2015 James founded the NSW network for pain PhD students/ECRs (SPRiNG). James has supervised 18 PhD students and mentored 4 postdocs.
E-mail
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
NHMRC:
- McAuley JH, Gustin S. NHMRC Project Grant 2019-2023. $2,309,382
- McAuley JH. MRFF – Rare Cancers, Rare Diseases and Unmet Need Initiative. $992,314
- McAuley JH, Moseley GL, Maher CM, Goodall S, Stanton T, Wand BM. NHMRC Project Grant 2014-2019. $970,000
- Schabrun S, McAuley JH, Graven-Nielsen T, Nicholas MN, Henschke N, Khan A. NHMRC Project Grant 2014-2018. $814,825
- McAuley JH, Nicholas MK, Moseley GL, Henschke N, Refshauge K. NHMRC Project Grant 2013-2016. $509,00
- Moseley GL, McAuley JH. NHMRC Project Grant 2011-2015 - $595,392
Other:
- McAuley JH. Mindgardens Neuroscience Network/MNN Commonwealth Funded Research Projects. $300,000
- McAuley JH and STREAM Health collaborators. 2017-2020 $120,000
- Lee H, McAuley JH, Herbert RD, Kamper SJ, Henschke N, Williams CM. UC Berkeley Initiative for Transparency in the Social Sciences (BITSS). $28,300
- Williams CM, McAuley JH, Wiggers J. Coal Services Health and Safety Trust 2016. $102,000
- McAuley JH, Costa L, Costa L, Maher C. The University of Sydney International Project Development Fund (IPDF) 2009. $20,000
- McAuley JH. Faculty of Medicine Early Career/New Staff Award 2008. $60,000
- McAuley JH, Maher CG, Refshauge KM. Cumberland Research Grant 2007. $17,000
- 2018 SoMS Researcher of the Year award
- 2020 Inducted into the SoMS Century Club
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/
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/)
My Research Supervision
- Matt Bagg (2016 –) RTP and Deans award for top ranked application
- Aidan Cashin (2017 –) POWCS scholarship
- Edel O’Hagan (2017 –) RTP scholarship
- Rodrigo Rizzo (2019 –) International TFP scholarship
- Michael Wewege (2019 –) UPA scholarship, NHMRC postgraduate scholarship, SoMS Top-Up scholarship
- Michael Ferraro (2021 –) RTP scholarship