Professor James McAuley
Professor
Medicine & Health
School of Health Sciences
James McAuley is NHMRC Leadership Fellow and Professor in the School of Health Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine at UNSW. He is a leader in the prevention and management of chronic pain. His research program is accommodated within the Centre for Pain IMPACT (Investigating Mechanisms of Pain to Advance Clinical Translation), which he founded and leads. The Centre supports inter-disciplinary researchers, clinicians and consumers and holds $28M in funding. Prof McAuley is Executive member on the NHMRC Australia New Zealand Back Pain (ANZBACK) Centre for Research Excellence (2019-2025) and Chief Investigator and Scientific committee member of the NHMRC Australia New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network (ANZMUSC) Centre for Research Excellence. He sits on the governing council of SPHERE “Maridulu Budyari Gumal”. Professor McAuley has published >320 articles, his H-index is 80 and he is ranked (Scopus) the third most productive researcher in his field. He has been awarded over $53M in research funding and in the last 5 years has given invited presentations at 12 international and 15 national conferences and scientific meetings. James has supervised 27 PhD students and mentored 5 postdocs.
E-mail
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
National and International competitive funding
- Langford A, Lin C, Nielsen S, Ferreira G, McAuley JH, Billot L, Reeve E, Albarqo L, Holiday S, Ademi Z. Sandhu H, Hayes C, Allinan, H. Improving the Wellbeing of people with Opioid Treated Chronic Pain in Australia (I-WOTCH-AU). MRFF Integrated Multidisciplinary Models of Primary Care. 2025 – 2030 $1,805,854.60
- McAuley JH, Cashin AC, Wand BE, Maher C, Bagg M, Gustin SM, Refshauge K, Lin C, Williams C, Traeger A, Zambelli R, Jennings M, Goodall S, Marsh S, Jones M, The CRONOS trial: Graded sensorimotor retraining compared to supervised exercise for chronic low back pain. MRFF Clinical Trials Activity 2025 – 2030, $2,532,094.80
- Machado G, Williams C, Maher C, Hassett L, Lung T, Dinh M, Morphet J, Bonner C, Lin C, McAuley JH, Coombes D, Adbel Shaheed C, Traeger A, Billot L, Mace K. SMART-ED: a sequential multiple assignment trial in emergency departments testing optimal implementation strategies of back pain. MRFF Clinical Trials Activity 2024 – 2029; $4,789,557.60.
- Luomajoki H, Benz T, Pfeiffer F, Silvia C, McAuley JH, Moseley GL, Wand BM, Wirz M. Resolve Swiss. Swiss National Science Foundation. 2024 – 2029 $1,300,000
- Williams CM, McAuley JH, Beard D, Passey M, Flood V, Kamper S, Randall S, Maher CG, Buchbinder R, Yoong S, Bailie J, Cashin A, McLennan V, Bailie R, Hamiduzzaman M. Healthy Back: building capacity and safe access to integrated primary care support options for people living in rural areas with chronic back pain and healthy lifestyle risks. MRFF Primary Health Care Research 2024 – 2029: $1,985,39
- Cashin A, Traeger A, Yoong S, Machado G, Leake L, Bagg MK, Haynes A, Sharma S, McAuley JH, Moseley L, Stanton T, Wand B, Ferreira M, Williams C, Maher C. RESOLVE-D, Implementing new and effect treatments for low back pain. MRFF Early to Mid-Career Researchers 2024 – 2028 $1,500,000
- Williams CM, McAuley JH, Flood V, Kamper SJ, Buchbinder R, Tiedemann A, Williams K, Davidson S, Cashin A, Saragiotto B, Beard D. The HeLP-R trial: Adaptation and implementation of an effective lifestyle program for with musculoskeletal pain in rural populations. MRFF Maternal Health and Healthy Lifestyles 2024 – 2029 $1,698,725
- Buchbinder R, Maher C, Hinman R, March L, Harris I, McAuley JH, Ferreira M, Hodges P, O’Connor D, Billot L, Australia New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network (ANZMUSC) NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence 2023 – 2029 $2,500,000
- Moseley L, McAuley JH, Sterling M, Wand B, Karran E, Cashin A, Rebbeck T, Stanton T, De Zoete R, Wallwork S, Harvie D, Goodall S. ReconNECKt: A randomised placebo-controlled trial to test the safety, clinical and cost effectiveness of a new treatment for chronic neck pain. MRFF Clinical Trials Activity 2023 – 2028 $1,484,782
- Jones MJ, McAuley JH, Stamatakis E, Schutte A, Moseley GL, Refshauge K, Smith L, Williams C, Traeger A, Parmenter B, Cashin A, Ferreira M, Peters R, Goodall S. Effective Treatment and Therapies. CAPACITY: A telehealth, effectiveness-implementation hybrid trial to increase physical activity in adults with chronic low back pain. 2023 – 2027 $1,392,856.40
- McAuley JH, Rizzo R, Moseley GL, Williams C, Traeger A, Cashin A, Maher C, Goodall S, Machado G, Gustin S, Sharpe L, Byambasuren O, McCaffery K, Yoong S. The NOTUS trial (NOn-pharmacological Treatment for chronic low back pain USing digital health technology) Primary Health Care Digital Innovations. 2023 – 2028 $$1,614,405 (Chief investigator A)
- Kamper SJ, Williams CM, Nathan N, Martiniuk A, Wolfenden L, McAuley JH, Hestbaek L, Rogers K, Angell B, Pate J, Thompson K, Swain M. Pain Smart: Integrating education and clinical care for adolescents with pain. 2022 – 2027 $1,242,433
- Klyne D, Hodges P, Humphries M, McAuley JH, Nicholas MK, van den Hoorn W, Smith S, Suri P, Hunter D, Smits E, Riddick R, Ferreira M. What causes low back pain to flare: Has a major opportunity to understand back pain been missed? US NIH. 2022 - 2029 $3,874,508
- McAuley JH, Moseley GL, Gustin SM, Smeets R, Flor H, Goodall S, Stanton T, Giummarra, M, Cashin AC. Improving the lives of people with phantom limb pain; the TITAN trial. Rare Cancers Rare Diseases and Unmet Need 2022 – 2027 $1,531,000
- McAuley, JH. Improving care for low back pain. NHMRC Investigator Grant (L1. 2022 – 2027 $2,111,089
- Maher CG, Buchbinder R, Hancock MJ, O’Sulllivan P, McAuley JH, Blythe F, Jorm L, Collie A, McCaffery K, Hayes A. Low Back Pain Centre for Research Excellence. NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence 2019-2024 $2,499,990
- Gustin S, McAuley JH, Middleton J, Lin Chin-Teng, Jensen M, Craig A, Glare P, Newton-John T, Moseley GL, Hesam-Shariati N. StoPain: A randomised placebo-controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of an advanced interactive brain-computer interface neuromodulation treatment for spinal cord injury neuropathic. 2021 – 2026 Rare Cancers Rare Diseases and Unmet Need $1,870,000
- McAuley JH, Gustin S, Moseley GL, McLachlan A, Wand BM, Lamb SE, O’Connell NE. MEMOIROZ: A multi-site placebo-controlled trial of memantine and graded motor imagery for complex regional pain syndrome Rare Cancers Rare Diseases and Unmet Need 2019 – 2023 $922,314.05
- McAuley JH, Gustin S, McLachlan A, Lamb SE, Birbaumer N, Flor H, Lotze M, O’Connell NE, Lee H. MEMOIR: A multi-national randomised factorial placebo-controlled trial with embedded mechanism evaluation of memantine and graded motor imagery for complex regional pain syndrome. NHMRC Project Grant 2019-2025 $2,309,000
- McAuley JH, Moseley GL, Maher CM, Goodall S, Stanton T, Wand BM. Resolve: A new treatment - sensorimotor retaining with Explaining pain - for chronic low back pain. NHMRC Project Grant 2015-2018 $970,000.
- Schabrun S, McAuley JH, Graven-Nielsen T, Nicholas MN, Henschke N, Khan A. Understanding pain where it resides; in the brain. NHMRC Project Grant 2014-2018 $814,825
- McAuley JH, Nicholas MK, Moseley GL, Henschke N, Refshauge K. Preventing chronic low back pain. NHMRC Project Grant 2013-2016 $509,000.
- Moseley GL, McAuley JH. Developing and testing a new treatment approach for low back pain. NHMRC Project Grant 2011-2015 $595,392
Other competitive funding
- Rizzo R, Cashin A, Traeger A, Batista G, McAuley JH, McBride J. AID-Back feasibility trial: a co-created Artificial Intelligence chatbot for Decision-making to improve back pain management in primary care. SPHERE Musculoskeletal CAG Seeding Grant. 2024-2026 $38,450
- Cavaleri R, Summers S, McAuley JH, Stanton T. Home-based neuromodulation: Preventing the transition from acute to chronic pain. HCF Research Foundation. 2024 – 2026 $170,353
- Cavaleri R, McAuley JH, Stanton T Summers S, Chang WJ, Chowdhury N. tDCS and exercise for knee pain. Arthritis Australia Grant in Aid 2024-2026 $19,974
- Rizzo R, McAuley JH, Batista G, McBride J. Supporting evidence-based decision making for low back pain through artificial intelligence. ANZBACK Research network Seeding Grant. 2024 – 2025 $19,930
- Davidson S, Williams C, Kamper S, Wolfenden L, Tideman A, Flood V, Robinson E, McAuley JH, et al. HCF Research Foundation Translational Research Grants. 2024 – 2027 $312,765
- Eisman J, Center J, White C,…McAuley J. Public Health and Chronic Disease Program: Osteoporosis Consumer Awareness Osteoporosis Consumer Awareness Grant GO3113. 2020-2022 $500,000
- McAuley JH, Gustin S, Loo C. Mindgardens. 2020-2022 $300,000
- Newtown-John T, Gustin SM, McAuley JH. SPHERE Frontiers Clinical Advisory Group. 2019-2021 $40,000
- Lappin J, Draker B, Sharma S, Brydon L, Darke S, Shand F, Dear B, McAuley JH, Neilssen O, Titov N. Mindgardens Neuroscience Network Clinical Translation Program. 2019-2022 $150,000
- Thom J… McAuley JH et al., UNSW Major equipment grant, Research Infrastructure Support. 2019 $500,000
- Farrell, McAuley, JH; et al., Alcohol and Other Drug Research Grant, Department of Health / Drug and Alcohol Program. 2017-2020 $8,005,000
- McAuley JH and STREAM Health collaborators. The development and testing of a social media campaign to promote self-management for people with low back pain. SPHERE. 2017 – 2020 $120,000
- Lee H, McAuley JH, Herbert RD, Kamper SJ, Henschke N, Williams CM. Development of a reporting guideline for mediation studies. UC Berkeley Initiative for Transparency in the Social Sciences (BITSS) & Center for Effective Global Action and the Laura and John Arnold Foundation. 2015-2017 $28,300
- Williams CM, McAuley JH, Wiggers J. Coal Services Health and Safety Trust. 2016 - 2017. $102,000.
- Nicholas MK, Pearce G, Linton SJ, Main C, Shaw W, Smeets R, Maher C, McAuley JH, Blyth F, Cameron I, McGarity A. Trial of early screening and intervention for health workers with soft tissue injuries at risk of long-term disability. NSW Ministry of Health & EML Insurance. 2013-2015. $337,000
- McAuley JH, Costa L, Costa L, Maher C. Cross cultural translation and adaptation of low back pain questionnaires. The University of Sydney International Project Development Fund (IPDF). 2009. $20,000
- McAuley JH. Faculty of Medicine Early Career/New Staff Award The validity of portable devices to measure sleep outcomes in patients with low back pain. 2008. $60,000
- McAuley JH, Maher CG, Refshauge KM. The prognosis of chronic low back pain Cumberland Research Grant. 2007. $17,000
- 2018 SoMS Researcher of the Year award
- 2020 Inducted into the SoMS Century Club
- 2023 SoHS Supervisor of the year
- 2024 SoHS SoHS Researcher of the year
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
PhD supervision
* Denotes primary supervisor
Mia Ryan* 2026 – 2030, RTP
Shouvik Das* 2026 – 2030, RTP
Filipe Souza* 2025 – 2029, International RTP
Isha Mistra* 2025 – 2029, RTP
Jackson Linke* 2024 – 2028, RTP
Andrew Natoli 2024 – 2028, RTP
Emily Walker 2024 – 2028, RTP
Jack Devonshire* 2022 – 2026, RTP
Yannick Gilyani* 2022 – 2026, RTP
Harrison Hansford* 2021 – 2025, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Sam Williams* 2022 – 2026, RTP
Nell Norman-Nott 2020 – 2024, RTP
Michael Ferraro* 2020 – 2025, RTP
Rodrigo Rizzo* 2019 – 2023, International RTP
Michael Wewege* 2019 – 2023, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Edel O’Hagan* 2017 – 2023, APA
Luke Jenkins 2017 – 2021, Western Sydney U Scholarship
Aidan Cashin* 2017 – 2021, POWCS Scholarship
Matthew Bagg* 2015 – 2021, APA
Ian Skinner* 2014 – 2018, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Valentina Buscemi 2014 – 2018, NHMRC Project Grant
Wei-Ju Chang 2014 – 2018, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Emma Karan 2012 – 2018 Dawes Scholarship, Adelaide Hospital
Tania Gardner 2011 – 2018 self-funded (part time)
Audrey Wang* 2012 – 2017, Australian Pain Society Scholarship
Hopin Lee* 2014 – 2017, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Adrian Traeger* 2013 – 2016, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
John Breckenridge 2011 – 2018, self-funded (part time)
Flavia di Pietro* 2010 – 2014, APA
Luke Parkitny* 2010 – 2014, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Christopher Williams 2009 – 2012, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Saad Alsaadi* 2009 – 2013, Saudi Arabian Government Scholarship
Luciola Costa 2011 – 2007, USyd International Scholarship
Steve Kamper 2006 – 2010, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Luciana Macedo 2006 – 2010, USyd International Scholarship
Mark Hancock 2004 – 2007, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Nick Henschke 2003 – 2007, NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship