Researchers from the Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research (PCPR) are playing prominent roles at the 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting of the United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP), being held March 23–26, 2026, in Philadelphia, PA.
Two PCPR investigators - Paramita Basu, PhD, MS, Research Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, and Michael S. Gold, PhD, Professor of Neurobiology - have been selected for notable honors in recognition of their leadership and contributions to the field of pain research.
Dr. Basu has been named a 2026 USASP Leadership Academy Scholar. The Academy is a competitive program designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders in pain research, clinical practice, policy, and education. Scholars participate in monthly virtual sessions and annual in-person meetings, receiving mentorship, advancing leadership competencies, and developing capstone projects. Participation in the academy supports scholars’ professional growth while advancing the mission of USASP and the broader study of pain.
Dr. Gold has been selected as a 2026 USASP Fellow, the highest level of membership within the organization. Fellowship status recognizes sustained, outstanding contributions to pain research and leadership within the field.
In addition to these honors, both investigators will present their work at the meeting:
- Dr. Gold, with collaborators from the National University of Natural Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Brown University, Portland State University, and The University of Alabama at Birmingham, will present “Bridging Identities: Lived Experience and Professional Insight in Pain Science” on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, during Symposia Block #3 (11:45 AM–1:15 PM) in Commonwealth A.
- Dr. Basu, alongside colleagues from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the University of Maryland, and the University of New England, will present “Sex-Specific Mechanisms of Central Sensitization, Opioid Use, and Placebo Analgesia in Chronic Postsurgical Pain” on Thursday, March 26, 2026, during Symposia Block #5 (10:15–11:45 AM) in Commonwealth B.