Dr Nahian Chowdhury is a research fellow at Neuroscience Research Australia, Conjoint Lecturer at UNSW and Head of Neurostimulation at the NeuroRecovery Research Hub, School of Psychology UNSW. Dr Chowdhury’s work involves the use of non-invasive brain stimulation to understand the neural mechanisms for, and to treat pain. Dr Chowdhury is passionate about translating research into clinical practice, with the aim of finding brain biomarkers for pain that will be used diagnostically or be used as targets for therapies such as repetitive brain stimulation.
Chattopadhyay A; Majumder S; Chandak C; Chowdhury N, 2014, 'Constructive Reversible Logic Synthesis for Boolean Functions with Special Properties', in Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer International Publishing, pp. 95 - 110, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08494-7_8
Journal articles | 2025
Chang WJ; Chiang A; Chowdhury N; Adie S; Naylor JM; Finn H; Rizzo RRN; Gorgon E; O'Hagan E; Schabrun SM, 2025, 'Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as an adjunct to quadriceps strengthening exercise in knee osteoarthritis: A pilot randomised controlled trial', BMJ Open, 15, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-097293
Journal articles | 2025
Chowdhury NS; Bi C; Furman AJ; Chiang AKI; Skippen P; Si E; Millard SK; Margerison SM; Spies D; Keaser ML; Da Silva JT; Chen S; Schabrun SM; Seminowicz DA, 2025, 'Predicting Individual Pain Sensitivity Using a Novel Cortical Biomarker Signature', JAMA Neurology, 82, pp. 237 - 246, http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2024.4857
Journal articles | 2025
Chowdhury NS; Bi C; Seminowicz DA, 2025, 'Concern About Predictive Performance of a Pain Sensitivity Biomarker-Reply', JAMA Neurology, 82, pp. 968 - 969, http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.2354
Journal articles | 2025
Chowdhury NS; Chang WJ; Cheng D; Manivasagan N; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2025, 'The effect of prolonged elbow pain and rTMS on TMS-evoked potentials: A TMS-EEG study', Imaging Neuroscience, 3, http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/IMAG.a.7
Journal articles | 2025
Chowdhury NS; Cheng D; Chang WJ; Hesam-Shariati N; Quide Y; da Cunha PHM; da Silva Lapa JD; Kubota GT; dos Santos KDA; Coelho DN; de Andrade DC; Gustin S, 2025, 'The cortical mechanisms underlying the analgesic effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis', Systematic Reviews, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13643-025-02983-0
Journal articles | 2025
Chowdhury NS; Millard SK; De Martino E; Larsen DB; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM; De Andrade DC; Graven-Nielsen T, 2025, 'Posterior-superior insula repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation reduces experimental tonic pain and pain-related cortical inhibition in humans', Pain, 166, pp. 1314 - 1327, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003488
Journal articles | 2025
Chowdhury NS; Taseen KJ; Chiang AKI; Chang WJ; Millard SK; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2025, 'A 5-day course of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation before pain onset ameliorates future pain and increases sensorimotor peak alpha frequency', Pain, 166, pp. 1382 - 1394, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003484
Journal articles | 2025
Millard S; Chiang A; Chowdhury N; Chang WJ; Furman A; De Martino E; Graven-Nielsen T; Schabrun S; Seminowicz D, 2025, 'Peak Alpha Frequency Is Not Significantly Altered by Five Days of Experimental Pain and Repetitive Transcranial Stimulation of the Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex', European Journal of Neuroscience, 62, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ejn.70219
Journal articles | 2025
Wasinger VC; Bustamante S; Najib N; Diwan A; Jayasena T; Chowdhury NS; Beretov J; Schabrun S, 2025, 'Enzymes Drive Glutathione Shunt to Explain Oxidative State Using an In-Parallel Multi-Omic Method', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms26083632
Journal articles | 2024
Chowdhury NS; Chang WJ; Cavaleri R; Chiang AKI; Schabrun SM, 2024, 'The reliability and validity of rapid transcranial magnetic stimulation mapping for muscles under active contraction', BMC Neuroscience, 25, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12868-024-00885-w
Journal articles | 2024
McNally KR; Summers S; Stanton TR; McAuley J; Chang WJ; Chowdhury N; Cavaleri R, 2024, 'Exploring whether home-based neuromodulation can boost the analgesic effects of exercise in people with knee osteoarthritis: protocol for a double-blinded, pilot randomised controlled trial', BMJ Open, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-090523
Journal articles | 2024
Tran DMD; Chowdhury NS; Harris JA; Livesey EJ, 2024, 'The effect of staircase stopping accuracy and testing environment on stop-signal reaction time', Behavior Research Methods, 56, pp. 500 - 509, http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/s13428-022-02058-1
Journal articles | 2023
Chowdhury NS; Chiang AKI; Millard SK; Skippen P; Chang W-J; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2023, 'Combined transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography reveals alterations in cortical excitability during pain', eLife, 12, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.88567.3
Journal articles | 2023
Chowdhury NS; Chiang AKI; Millard SK; Skippen P; Chang WJ; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2023, 'Combined transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography reveals alterations in cortical excitability during pain', Elife, 12, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.88567
Journal articles | 2023
Chowdhury NS; Skippen P; Si E; Chiang AKI; Millard SK; Furman AJ; Chen S; Schabrun SM; Seminowicz DA, 2023, 'The reliability of two prospective cortical biomarkers for pain: EEG peak alpha frequency and TMS corticomotor excitability', Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 385, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109766
Journal articles | 2023
Loomes M; Tran DMD; Chowdhury NS; Birney DP; Harris JA; Livesey EJ, 2023, 'Is cortical inhibition in primary motor cortex related to executive control?', Cortex, 160, pp. 100 - 114, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2022.12.013
Journal articles | 2023
Schabrun SM; Si E; Millard SK; Chiang AKI; Chen S; Chowdhury NS; Seminowicz DA, 2023, 'Intramuscular injection of nerve growth factor as a model of temporomandibular disorder: nature, time-course, and sex differences characterising the pain experience', Neurobiology of Pain, 13, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ynpai.2023.100117
Journal articles | 2022
Chang WJ; Adie S; Naylor JM; Chowdhury N; Finn H; Rizzo RRN; O'Hagan E; Schabrun SM, 2022, 'Feasibility and safety of combining repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and quadriceps strengthening exercise for chronic pain in knee osteoarthritis: A study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial', BMJ Open, 12, pp. e062577, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-062577
Journal articles | 2022
Chowdhury NS; Chang WJ; Millard SK; Skippen P; Bilska K; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2022, 'The Effect of Acute and Sustained Pain on Corticomotor Excitability: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Group and Individual Level Data', Journal of Pain, 23, pp. 1680 - 1696, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2022.04.012
Journal articles | 2022
Chowdhury NS; Rogasch NC; Chiang AKI; Millard SK; Skippen P; Chang WJ; Bilska K; Si E; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2022, 'The influence of sensory potentials on transcranial magnetic stimulation – Electroencephalography recordings', Clinical Neurophysiology, 140, pp. 98 - 109, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2022.05.015
Journal articles | 2022
He JL; Hirst RJ; Puri R; Coxon J; Byblow W; Hinder M; Skippen P; Matzke D; Heathcote A; Wadsley CG; Silk T; Hyde C; Parmar D; Pedapati E; Gilbert DL; Huddleston DA; Mostofsky S; Leunissen I; MacDonald HJ; Chowdhury NS; Gretton M; Nikitenko T; Zandbelt B; Strickland L; Puts NAJ, 2022, 'OSARI, an Open-Source Anticipated Response Inhibition Task', Behavior Research Methods, 54, pp. 1530 - 1540, http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/s13428-021-01680-9
Chowdhury NS; Livesey EJ; Blaszczynski A; Harris JA, 2021, 'Motor cortex dysfunction in problem gamblers', Addiction Biology, 26, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/adb.12871
Journal articles | 2021
Chowdhury NS; Luu W; Palmisano S; Ujike H; Kim J, 2021, 'Spatial presence depends on ‘coupling’ between body sway and visual motion presented on head-mounted displays (HMDs)', Applied Ergonomics, 92, pp. 103355, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2021.103355
Journal articles | 2020
Chowdhury NS; Livesey EJ; Harris JA, 2020, 'Stop signal task training strengthens gaba-mediated neurotransmission within the primary motor cortex', Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 32, pp. 1984 - 2000, http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_01597
Journal articles | 2020
Nikitenko T; Chowdhury N; Puri R; He JL, 2020, 'Response inhibition in humans: a whistle stop review', Journal of Neurophysiology, 123, pp. 861 - 864, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00572.2019
Journal articles | 2020
Seminowicz D; Bilska K; Chowdhury N; Skippen P; Millard S; Chiang AKI; Chen S; Furman A; Schabrun S, 2020, 'A novel cortical biomarker signature for predicting pain sensitivity: protocol for the PREDICT longitudinal analytical validation study', , http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.18.20024695
Journal articles | 2020
Seminowicz DA; Bilska K; Chowdhury NS; Skippen P; Millard SK; Chiang AKI; Chen S; Furman AJ; Schabrun SM, 2020, 'A novel cortical biomarker signature for predicting pain sensitivity: Protocol for the PREDICT longitudinal analytical validation study', Pain Reports, 5, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PR9.0000000000000833
Journal articles | 2020
Tran DMD; Chowdhury NS; McNair NA; Harris JA; Livesey EJ, 2020, 'Linking cortical and behavioural inhibition: Testing the parameter specificity of a transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol', Brain Stimulation, 13, pp. 1381 - 1383, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2020.07.010
Journal articles | 2019
Chowdhury N; Livesey E; Harris J, 2019, 'Erratum to the abstract, “The relationship between short interval intra-cortical inhibition and stopping ability” (Brain Stimulation (2019) 12(2) (445), (S1935861X18308623), (10.1016/j.brs.2018.12.443))', Brain Stimulation, 12, pp. 832, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2019.02.024
Journal articles | 2019
Chowdhury N; Livesey E; Harris J, 2019, 'The relationship between short interval intra-cortical inhibition and stopping ability', Brain Stimulation, 12, pp. 445 - 445, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2018.12.443
Journal articles | 2019
Chowdhury NS; Livesey EJ; Harris JA, 2019, 'Contralateral and Ipsilateral Relationships between Intracortical Inhibition and Stopping Efficiency', Neuroscience, 415, pp. 10 - 17, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.07.013
Chowdhury NS; Livesey EJ; Blaszczynski A; Harris JA, 2018, 'Variations in response control within at-risk gamblers and non-gambling controls explained by GABAergic inhibition in the motor cortex', Cortex, 103, pp. 153 - 163, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2018.03.004
Journal articles | 2017
Chowdhury NS; Livesey EJ; Blaszczynski A; Harris JA, 2017, 'Pathological Gambling and Motor Impulsivity: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis', Journal of Gambling Studies, 33, pp. 1213 - 1239, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10899-017-9683-5
Journal articles | 2017
Chowdhury NS; Marlow PJ; Kim J, 2017, 'Translucency and the perception of shape', Journal of Vision, 17, pp. 17 - 17, http://dx.doi.org/10.1167/17.3.17
Tan K, 2016, 'Corrigendum to: Image statistics and the fine lines of material perception [i-Perception, 7, 4, (2016) (1-11)] DOI: 10.1177/2041669516658047', I Perception, 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2041669516686457
Preprints | 2025
Chowdhury N; Chang W-J; Shariati NH; Quide Y; Cunha PHMD; Lapa JDDS; Kubota GT; Santos KDAD; Coelho DN; de Andrade DC; Gustin S, 2025, The cortical mechanisms underlying the analgesic effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, http://dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5567805/v1
Preprints | 2025
De Martino E; Bach MM; Jakobsen A; Couto BN; Chowdhury NS; Ingemann-Molden S; Casali A; Graven-Nielsen T; de Andrade DC, 2025, Lower pre-treatment TMS-evoked cortical reactivity and alpha-band oscillatory dynamics predict efficacy of primary motor cortex neuromodulation for chronic pain, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.11.25337793
Preprints | 2025
Millard SK; Chiang AKI; Humburg P; Chowdhury N; Rehan R; Furman AJ; Mazaheri A; Schabrun SM; Seminowicz DA, 2025, Effects of nicotine compared to placebo gum on sensitivity to pain and mediating effects of peak alpha frequency, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.91933
Preprints | 2025
Millard SK; Chiang AKI; Humburg P; Chowdhury N; Rehan R; Furman AJ; Mazaheri A; Schabrun SM; Seminowicz DA, 2025, Effects of nicotine compared to placebo gum on sensitivity to pain and mediating effects of peak alpha frequency, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.91933.2
Preprints | 2024
Chowdhury N; Millard S; de Martino E; Larsen DB; Seminowicz D; Schabrun S; Andrade DCD; Graven-Nielsen T, 2024, POSTERIOR-SUPERIOR INSULA REPETITIVE TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION REDUCES EXPERIMENTAL TONIC PAIN AND PAIN-RELATED CORTICAL INHIBITION IN HUMANS, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.05.14.594260
Preprints | 2024
Chowdhury NS; Bi C; Furman AJ; Chiang AK; Skippen P; Si E; Millard SK; Margerison SM; Spies D; Keaser ML; Da Silva JT; Chen S; Schabrun SM; Seminowicz DA, 2024, A novel cortical biomarker signature predicts individual pain sensitivity., http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.06.16.24309005
Preprints | 2024
Chowdhury NS; Chang W-J; Cheng D; Manivasagan N; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2024, The effect of prolonged elbow pain and rTMS on cortical inhibition: A TMS-EEG study., http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.26.625334
Preprints | 2024
Chowdhury NS; Taseen K; Chiang A; Chang W-J; Millard SK; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2024, A 5-day course of rTMS before pain onset ameliorates future pain and increases sensorimotor peak alpha frequency., http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.06.11.598596
Preprints | 2024
Millard S; Chiang AKI; Chowdhury N; Chang W-J; Furman A; De Martino E; Graven-Nielsen T; Schabrun S; Seminowicz D, 2024, Peak alpha frequency is not significantly altered by five days of experimental pain and repetitive transcranial stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.06.14.599003
Preprints | 2023
Chowdhury NS; Chiang AK; Millard SK; Skippen P; Chang W-J; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2023, Alterations in cortical excitability during pain: A combined TMS-EEG Study., http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2023.04.20.537735
Preprints | 2023
Chowdhury NS; Chiang AKI; Millard SK; Skippen P; Chang W-J; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2023, Alterations in cortical excitability during pain: A combined TMS-EEG Study, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.88567.1
Preprints | 2023
Chowdhury NS; Chiang AKI; Millard SK; Skippen P; Chang W-J; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2023, Alterations in cortical excitability during pain: A combined TMS-EEG Study, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.88567.2
Preprints | 2023
Millard S; Chiang A; Humburg P; Chowdhury N; Rehan R; Furman A; Mazaheri A; Schabrun S; Seminowicz D, 2023, Effects of nicotine compared to placebo gum on sensitivity to pain and mediating effects of peak alpha frequency, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2023.08.11.552723
Preprints | 2023
Millard SK; Chiang AKI; Humburg P; Chowdhury N; Rehan R; Furman AJ; Mazaheri A; Schabrun SM; Seminowicz DA, 2023, Effects of nicotine compared to placebo gum on sensitivity to pain and mediating effects of peak alpha frequency, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.91933.1
Preprints | 2022
Chowdhury N; Skippen P; Si E; Chiang A; Millard S; Furman A; Chen S; Seminowicz D; Schabrun S, 2022, The reliability of two prospective cortical biomarkers for pain: EEG peak alpha frequency and TMS corticomotor excitability, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.03.06.22271797
Preprints | 2022
Schabrun SM; Si E; Millard SK; Chiang AKI; Chen S; Chowdhury NS; Seminowicz DA, 2022, Intramuscular injection of nerve growth factor as a model of temporomandibular disorder: nature, time-course, and sex differences characterising the pain experience, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.12.13.520244
Preprints | 2021
Chowdhury N; Rogasch N; Chiang A; Millard S; Skippen P; Chang W-J; Bilska K; Si E; Seminowicz D; Schabrun S, 2021, The influence of somatosensory and auditory evoked potentials on concurrent transcranial-magnetic stimulation – electroencephalography recordings, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.17.469035
Chowdhury N; Chang W-J; Millard S; Skippen P; Bilska K; Seminowicz D; Schabrun S, 2020, The Influence of Experimental Pain on Primary Motor Cortex Function: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, http://dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-33009/v1
Preprints | 2020
Seminowicz D; Bilska K; Chowdhury N; Skippen P; Millard S; Chiang AKI; Chen S; Furman A; Schabrun S, 2020, A novel cortical biomarker signature for predicting pain sensitivity: protocol for the PREDICT longitudinal analytical validation study, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.18.20024695
2025. Chowdhury, N.S. A novel transcranial direct current stimulation treatment for neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury. Joan Hume Fellowship. 9500 AUD.
2025. Chang, W., Pelicioni, P, Lee, M. Quite, Y., Chowdhury, N.S., Humberg, P., Schabrun, S. Identify novel cortical biomarkers for movement-evoked pain – A fNIRS study. UNSW SoHS Seed funding. 5000 AUD
2025. Chowdhury, N.S. Optimising Brain Stimulation Protocols for Treatment of Neuropathic Pain Following Spinal Cord Injury. June and Doris Cather Postdoctoral Award. 30000 AUD
2025 – 2028 - Schabrun, S.M., Seminowicz, D.A., Chowdhury, N.S. & Espin Garcia, O. Unravelling the mechanistic architecture of motor behaviour in pain. Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant, 570000 AUD
2025 – 2028 - Schabrun, S.M., Seminowicz, D.A., Chowdhury, N.S. & Espin Garcia, O. Unravelling the mechanistic architecture of motor behaviour in pain. Research Excellence Award. University of Western Ontario. 87000 AUD
2024 - Cavaleri, R., Summers, S., Chang, W.J., Chowdhury N.S. Efficacy of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation on knee osteoarthritis. Arthritis Australia Project Grant. 20000 AUD
2024 - Chowdhury, N.S. Alterations in cortical excitability during acute pain. Brainbox Research Challenge Award. BrainBox Initiative. Lab equipment loan.
2025 - Joan Hume Fellowship for Spinal Cord Injury Research
2025 - NeuRA Publication Excellence Award
2025 - June and Doris Cather Postdoctoral Award
2024 - IASP Travel Award
2022 - Brainbox Research Challenge Award
2021 - Faculty of Science Prize for Outstanding Thesis (Psychology), University of Sydney
2021 - Tasman Lovell Medallion for Best Thesis in Psychology, University of Sydney
2020 – Australiasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Emerging Researcher Award
2019 – Sydney University Publication Prize
2018- International Graduate Accommodation award for the 3rd International Meeting of the Psychonomic Society
2017 – Travel award for Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society (ACNS) Conference
2017 – Sydney University PsychFEST Best Presentation
2016 – Sydney Postgraduate Psychology Conference Best Presentation
2015 – The University Medal
1. Using Combined TMS-EEG to identify biomarkers for development of chronic pain and for the response to rtms intervention
2. Determining the underlying mechanism behind the analgesic effects of rTMS treatments for chronic pain
3. Effectiveness of home-based brain stimulation treatments for chronic neuropathic pain following a spinal cord injury (Neurostim trial)
4. Investigating homeostatic neuroplasticity in individuals who have a spinal cord injury with and without neuropathic pain
5. Validation of a home based EEG neurofeedback device for treatment of chronic pain
6. Enigma chronic pain (currently a co chair for the EEG arm) - a world wide initiative to understand the eeg correlates of chronic pain
My Research Supervision
1 Honours Student (validation of an EEG device used for neurofeedback therapy for chronic pain)
2 PhD Students (1 running an RCT for chronic pain and the other optimising combined TMS EEG methodologies)
