Navigating the path to pain relief: The latest breakthroughs in pain management
The University of Arizona Arthritis Center Living Healthy with Arthritis Lecture Series
About the lecture:
Join us for an enlightening session with internationally-recognized pain management experts Mohab M. Ibrahim, MD, PhD and Todd W. Vanderah, PhD, as they share the latest research and breakthroughs in this complex field. Explore cutting-edge advances and innovations made at the University of Arizona that offer new hope in the battle against acute and chronic pain.
The green LED light therapy connection: Ibrahim's research into the mitigating effects of green LED light exposure on pain has garnered significant national interest. Discover how this spectrum of light may naturally enhance endogenous opioids in the body that inhibit pain and decrease inflammation, offering a fresh perspective on non-pharmaceutical methods to achieve relief.
Ibrahim will also provide an overview of current, traditional treatments for chronic pain.
Natural pathways to pain management: Vanderah has dedicated years to the search for innovative analgesics. Learn about how he and his colleagues are finding promise in specific classes of naturally-derived chemical compounds, including cannabinoids. His forward-thinking approach aims at offering potent, sustained pain relief solutions without the risks associated with opioids.
Ibrahim is a professor in the Departments of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Neurosurgery. He holds the position of director at the Banner Pain Management Clinic and serves as program director for the Pain Management Fellowship at UArizona. He is also the medical director of the UArizona's Comprehensive Pain and Addiction Center. His academic background includes a bachelor's degree in biochemistry and a master's and doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology, all from the University of Arizona. He earned his medical degree from the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson, followed by a surgical internship at the UArizona. He completed his residency in anesthesiology, perioperative and pain medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. He followed that with a clinical pain medicine fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School's largest teaching hospital and biomedical research facility.
Vanderah has made significant contributions to the fields of pharmacology and pain research. He began his academic career at the University of Arizona, earning a bachelor of science in molecular and cellular biology and a doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology. His interest in neuro-electrophysiology and molecular pharmacology led him to post-doctoral fellowships at both the University of Colorado and the University of Arizona.
Vanderah has held various professional roles that reflect his expertise. Among his positions, he currently serves as a Regent’s Professor at the University of Arizona and has directorial duties at the Comprehensive Pain and Addiction Center. His dedication to the field has resulted in recognition, such as the Alumnus of the Year award from the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson, and a role on the Pain Research Coordinating Committee of the National Institutes of Health.