Select Page

EFIC Pain School on Translational Pain Research

General information

16 – 20 June 2026
Krakow, Poland

Course Organisers: Barbara Przewłocka (Poland), Katarzyna Starowicz-Bubak (Poland), Luis Villanueva (France), Ryszard Przewłocki (Poland), Magdalena Kocot-Kępska (Poland) Przemysław Bąbel (Poland).

EFIC Faculty: Nadine Attal (France); Przemysław Bąbel (Poland); Didier Bouhassira (France); Franziska Denk (UK); Herta Flor (Germany); Luis Garcia-Larrea (France); Per Hansson   (Sweden/Norway); Eija Kalso  (Finland); Ilona Obara (UK); Ester Pogatzki-Zahn (Germany); Joanna Maria Zakrzewska (UK); Johan Vlaeyen (Belgium); Luis Villanueva (France)

Local Faculty (workshops)

Katarzyna Starowicz-Bubak, Joanna Mika, Katarzyna Pawlik, Wiola Makuch, Katarzyna Ciapała, Agata Ciechanowska, Aleksandra Bober, Katarzyna Popiołek-Barczyk, Magdalena Białoń, Elżbieta A. Bajcar, Aleksandra Budzisz, Amelia Jankowska, Joanna Kłosowska, Izabela Łaska, Daryna Rubantes

Focus of this EFIC Pain School:

The course runs for 4–5 days and includes basic research on the mechanisms underlying pain processes, as well as the assessment, diagnosis, and comprehensive management of patients with pain.

Please see the preliminary programme here. 

Main Topics:

  • Pain mechanisms and neurobiology: Understanding anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of nociceptive, neuropathic and nociplastic pain.
  • Bio-psycho model: Integrating biological and psychological factors in chronic pain.
  • Assessment and measurement: Conducting physical, sensory, and psychological pain evaluations in animals and humans.
  • Pharmacological management: Rational use of analgesics, opioids, neuropathic drugs, and polytherapy strategies.
  • Psychological interventions: Implementing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapies in chronic pain care.
  • Interventional procedures: Performing invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation and targeted injections.
  • Implementation in practice: Translating knowledge into clinical care. In each lecture, the possibilities and difficulties of translation will be discussed.
Target Audience

The Translational Pain School is a course aimed at early-career European medical doctors and allied health professionals, as well as early career basic scientists, who are interested in further developing their knowledge of pain mechanisms and their expertise in the field of pain management.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the EFIC Pain School on Translational Pain Research, participants will be able to:

  • Explain the anatomical, physiological, and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying nociceptive, neuropathic, and nociplastic pain, based on current basic and translational research.
  • Apply the bio-psycho-social model to the assessment and management of chronic pain in both clinical and research contexts.
  • Select and interpret appropriate physical, sensory, and psychological pain assessment tools used in animal models and human subjects.
  • Critically evaluate pharmacological treatment strategies for pain, including the rational use of analgesics, opioids, neuropathic agents, and combination therapies.
  • Describe and integrate psychological interventions, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic approaches, into comprehensive pain management plans.
  • Understand the indications, mechanisms, and limitations of invasive and non-invasive interventional pain procedures, including neuromodulation and targeted injections.
  • Discuss translational challenges and opportunities in transferring findings from basic pain research into clinical practice.
  • Communicate scientific and clinical insights effectively, including presenting translational perspectives derived from the course and reflecting on their relevance to future research or clinical work.
How to apply

Application for this EFIC Pain School will open in 2026. Please check back soon.

  • Please note that for this pain school, your level of English needs to be at least C1 or higher according to the CEFR standard.
  • EFIC offer 15 places for this Pain School free of charge via a grant. For the chosen 15 applicants, all teaching and related activities are provided free of charge, along with accommodation and meals. The only significant cost these applicants should expect to pay is their travel.
  • Participation in the school is also possible as self-paying attendee. The fee is 1.000€ and includes lectures, Hotel, meals during breaks, lunches and dinner. Please contact Lidia Radwan radwan@gmail.com to find out more.
  •  As EFIC Pain Schools aim to focus specifically on interprofessionalism, applications from nurses and physiotherapists are especially encouraged.
  • All applications are evaluated by the European Pain Federation EFIC® Committee on Education and approved by the Executive Board.
MENU