Associate Professor Ramakrishnan Mani​

Director Pain@Otago, School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, NZ

Ram Mani is a Physiotherapist and an Associate Professor at the School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago. Director of Pain@Otago Research Theme and leads the Otago Pain Mechanisms and Neuromodulation (OPaMEN) Interdisciplinary Research programme.

Ram’s research programme aims to elucidate cortical mechanisms of pain and phenotypic features of central sensitisation driving pain experience. As part of the Dunedin Multi-disciplinary Longitudinal Study, Ram investigates the childhood risk factors contributing to adult musculoskeletal pain experiences. Ram tests the effectiveness of neuromodulatory and self-regulatory interventions for improving clinical outcomes in people with musculoskeletal pain.
Ram is a Stanley Paris Fellow translating research knowledge and tools to assess pain sensitivity into musculoskeletal physiotherapy practice using the Knowledge-to-Action framework.

He teaches pain to health professional students and has supervised several higher-degree (PhD) research students investigating chronic pain mechanisms and interventions.

​Weblinks:
Research Group- OPaMEN
Pain@Otago Research Theme

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Pain@Otago Early Career Researcher Showcase

Pain@Otago research theme, an innovative research platform supporting its network of researchers, is the first of its kind in New Zealand. The goal of the Pain@Otago Research Theme was to increase pain research capacity and capability to build the profile of pain research within the University of Otago. Pain@Otago supported Pain research at Otago by carrying out a range of strategic initiatives, including developing a network of early-career researchers in pain and recognised excellence among early-career researchers. Theme members achieved significant advances in pain research by pursuing Te Tiriti-led research projects and programmes supported by external funding, producing high-impact research outputs, building research students' capacity and capability, and mentoring early career researchers to develop their independent pain research. The theme members advocated greater awareness about pain, inequity in pain care and developed resources for practice, and education. We are confident that this network of early-mid career researchers will continue to develop a strong profile of pain research for Otago and produce measurable, impactful outcomes for the benefit of the communities. Webpage: https://www.otago.ac.nz/pain/pain-research-areas-of-strength.

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