Professor James McAuley
Professor
Medicine & Health
School of Health Sciences
James McAuley, NHMRC Leadership Fellow, Professor in the School of Health Sciences at 91色情片 Sydney and Principal Research Scientist at Neuroscience Research Australia, leads a research program focusing on the prevention and management of chronic pain. His work has a strong focus on clinical trials, mechanisms, methodological rigour, implementation and consumer partnership. He has published over 350 peer reviewed publications attracting more than 31,000 citations, with an h-index of 85. He has been awarded $74M in competitive research funding, and has supervised 38 PhD students and mentored 12 postdoctoral researchers. In the past five years he has given invited presentations at 8 international and 10 national conferences and scientific meetings.
Professor McAuley is Founding Director of the Centre for Pain IMPACT at NeuRA and 91色情片 (2017-), an interdisciplinary program of around 70 researchers, clinicians and consumer partners holding $28M in funding. He is Executive member, NHMRC Australia and New Zealand Back Pain (ANZBACK) Centre for Research Excellence (2020-); Chief Investigator and Scientific Committee member, NHMRC Australia and New Zealand Musculoskeletal (ANZMUSC) Clinical Trials Network; and member, Governing Council, Maridulu Budyari Gumal (SPHERE). He was Chair, NeuRA Research Committee (2023-2024) and Co-Chair, International Low Back Pain Forum (2019-2021). He founded and chairs the Transparent Reporting of studies Emulating a Target trial *(TARGET) and A Guideline for Reporting Mediation Analyses (AGReMA) international reporting consortia.
E-mail
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
National & International competitive funding
2025
- 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 鈥 2030, $2,532,094.80
- Langford A, Lin C, Nielsen S, Ferreira G,听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 鈥 2030 $1,805,854.60 听
2024
- Williams CM,听McAuley JH,听Flood V, Kamper SJ, Buchbinder R, Tiedemann A, Williams K, Davidson S,听Cashin A,听Saragiotto B, Beard D.听The HeLP-R trial: Adaptation and implementation of an effective lifestyle program for with musculoskeletal pain in rural populations.听MRFF Maternal Health and Healthy Lifestyles听2024 鈥 2029 $1,698,725
- Williams CM,听McAuley JH,听Beard D, Passey M, Flood V, Kamper S, Randall S, Maher CG, Buchbinder R, Yoong S, Bailie J,听Cashin A,听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.听MRFF Primary Health Care Research 2024 鈥 2029:听$1,985,39
- Machado G, Williams C, Maher C, Hassett L, Lung T, Dinh M, Morphet J, Bonner C, Lin C,听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 鈥 2029; $4,789,557.60.听
- Luomajoki H, Benz T, Pfeiffer F, Silvia C, McAuley JH, Moseley GL, Wand BM, Wirz M. RESOLVE Swiss. Swiss National Science Foundation. 2024 鈥 2029 $1,300,000
- Cashin A, Traeger A, Yoong S, Machado G, Leake L, Bagg MK, Haynes A, Sharma S,听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.听MRFF Early to Mid-Career Researchers听2024 鈥 2028 $1,500,000
2023
- McAuley JH, Rizzo R, Moseley GL, Williams C, Traeger A, Cashin A, Maher C, Goodall S, Machado G, Gustin S, 听Sharpe L, Byambasuren O, McCaffery K, Yoong S. The NOTUS trial (NOn-pharmacological Treatment for chronic low back pain USing digital health technology)听Primary Health Care Digital Innovations.听2023 鈥 2028 $$1,614,405
- Moseley L,听McAuley JH, Sterling M, Wand B, Karran E, Cashin A, Rebbeck T, Stanton T, De Zoete R, Wallwork S, Harvie D, Goodall S. 听ReconNECKt: A randomised placebo-controlled trial to test the safety, clinical and cost effectiveness of a new treatment for chronic neck pain.听MRFF Clinical Trials Activity听2023 鈥 2028 $1,484,782
- Jones MJ,听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.听Effective Treatment and Therapies.听CAPACITY: A telehealth, effectiveness-implementation hybrid trial to increase physical activity in adults with chronic low back pain.听2023 鈥 2027 $1,392,856.40
- Buchbinder R, Maher C, Hinman R, March L, Harris I,听McAuley JH, Ferreira M, Hodges P, O鈥機onnor D, Billot L, Australia New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network (ANZMUSC) NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence 2023 鈥 2029 $2,500,000听
2022
- McAuley, JH. Improving care for low back pain. NHMRC Investigator Grant (L1). 2022 鈥 2027 $2,111,089
- 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 鈥 2027 $1,531,000听
- Kamper SJ, Williams CM, Nathan N, Martiniuk A, Wolfenden L,听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 鈥 2027 $1,242,433
- Klyne D, Hodges P, Humphries M,听McAuley JH,听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
2021
- Gustin S,听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.听 2021 鈥 2026 Rare Cancers Rare Diseases and Unmet Need $1,870,000
2020
- McAuley JH, Gustin S, Moseley GL, McLachlan A, Wand BM, Lamb SE, O鈥機onnell 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 2020 鈥 2024 $922,314.05
2019
- McAuley JH, Gustin S, McLachlan A, Lamb SE, Birbaumer N, Flor H, Lotze M, O鈥機onnell 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
- Maher CG, Buchbinder R, Hancock MJ, O鈥橲ulllivan P,听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听
2015
- McAuley JH, Moseley GL, Maher CM, Goodall S, Stanton T, Wand BM.听Resolve: A new treatment - sensorimotor retaining with Explaining pain - for chronic low back pain. NHMRC Project Grant 2015-2018听$970,000.
2014
- Schabrun S,听McAuley JH, Graven-Nielsen T, Nicholas MN, Henschke N, Khan A. Understanding pain where it resides; in the brain. 听NHMRC Project Grant 2014-2018 $814,825
2013
- McAuley JH,听Nicholas MK, Moseley GL, Henschke N, Refshauge K. Preventing chronic low back pain. NHMRC Project Grant 2013-2016 $509,000.
2011
- Moseley GL,听McAuley JH.听 Developing and testing a new treatment approach for low back pain. NHMRC Project Grant听2011-2015 $595,392
听
Other competitive funding
听
- 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听听
- Cavaleri R, Summers S, McAuley JH, Stanton T. Home-based neuromodulation: Preventing the transition from acute to chronic pain. HCF Research Foundation.听2024 鈥 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 鈥 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 鈥 2027 $312,765
- Eisman J, Center J, White C,鈥McAuley J. Public Health and Chronic Disease Program: Osteoporosis Consumer Awareness Osteoporosis Consumer Awareness Grant GO3113.听2020-2022 $500,000听
- McAuley JH, Gustin S, Loo C. Mindgardens.听2020-2022 $300,000听
- 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.听Mindgardens Neuroscience Network Clinical Translation Program.听2019-2022 $150,000
- Thom J鈥 McAuley JH et al., 91色情片 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.听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 鈥 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) &听Center for Effective Global Action and the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.听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.听听Cross cultural translation and adaptation of low back pain questionnaires.听The University of Sydney International Project Development Fund (IPDF). 2009. $20,000听
- McAuley JH.听Faculty of Medicine Early Career/New Staff Award听The validity of portable devices to measure sleep outcomes in patients with low back pain. 2008. $60,000听
- McAuley JH, Maher CG, Refshauge KM.听The prognosis of chronic low back pain听Cumberland Research Grant. 2007. $17,000
听
听
| 2025 | Publication of the Year, 91色情片 School of Health Sciences. |
| 2025 | Publication Excellence Award, NeuRA. |
| 2025 | Editor's Pick, IASP Pain Research Forum. |
| 2024 | Researcher of the Year, School of Health Sciences, 91色情片. |
| 2024 | Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year (Finalist). |
| 2024 | Research Quality Award, NeuRA听 |
| 2023 | HDR Supervisor of the Year, School of Health Sciences, 91色情片. |
| 2023 | Paxinos Publication Prize, Neuroscience Research Australia. |
| 2023 | Paper of the Year, Journal of Physiotherapy. |
| 2022 | HDR Supervisor of the Year, School of Health Sciences, 91色情片. |
| 2022 | Best Research Team Award, 91色情片 Faculty of Medicine & Health听 |
| 2020 | Inducted into the School of Medical Sciences Century Club, 91色情片. |
| 2020 | Citation Classic Award, School of Medical Sciences, 91色情片. |
| 2019 | NHMRC Warren & Marshall Innovation Award (shortlisted). |
| 2018 | Researcher of the Year, School of Medical Sciences 91色情片. |
| 2016 | Publication Excellence Award, NeuRA听 |
James leads听a multidisciplinary translational research program of 30 researchers focused on improving the management of chronic pain.
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 ()
- 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 ()
- 2 May 2014: Steve Austin, ABC Radio - Good Morning Brisbane
- 10 February 2014: Barbara Chappell, Adelaide鈥檚 Coast FM. Pain 鈥 Dr James McAuley
- 9 February 2014: Radio 2UE Weekend Breakfast Show. Back pain 鈥 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 ()
- 13 June 2017: ABC Ask the Doctor. Pain ()
- 17 November 2016: Channel 9 News. 鈥楴o pills, no surgery鈥 - The revolutionary treatment for back pain ()
- 22 March 2016: Catalyst. When Pain Persists ()
- 23 February 2016: SBS Insight. Placebo ()
Print and Digital Articles
- 1 April 2021: Jo Hartley, The Australian Women鈥檚 Weekly. Easing a chronic problem ()
- 22 January 2020: Caroline Zielinski, The Sydney Morning Herald. Hypnosis for anxiety? 鈥楧oable鈥 if you have an open mind ()
- 10 December 2019: Kate Aubusson, The Sydney Morning Herald. One-stop-shop: service treats mental illness, neurological, and addiction as 'brain disorders' ()
- 9 January 2019: Daniel Kolitz, GizModo. What's the worst pain? ()
- 23 December 2018: Liam Mannix, The Sydney Morning Herald. The 'mythbusters' of back pain believe they can treat it - with words ()
- 9 November 2018: Retail Pharmacy Magazine. Back pain treatment challenged ()
- 7 November 2018: Health Times. Researchers challenge guidelines for treating acute low back pain ()
- 12 October 2018: James Hutton, The Beast Magazine. Local bloke 鈥 James McAuley from Randwick ()
- 1 October 2018: NeuRA HEADS at Work. How does chronic back pain affect mental wellness? ()
- 30 September 2018: Liam Mannix, The Sydney Morning Herald. A difficult position: Experts question whether ergonomics holds up ()
- 23 May 2018: Senior Australian News and Research. Hypnosis transforms treatment for low back pain ()
- 16 May 2018: NeuRA Media Release. Hypnosis transforming chronic pain treatment ()
- 10 August 2017: Newcastle Star. Landmark long-term study shows opioids no good for back pain ()
- 1 September 2015: NeuRA Magazine, Spring Issue 14. It鈥檚 time to see the back of pain ()
- 21 March 2014: Ara Sarafian, The Conversation. It鈥檚 harder to fake a sickie if the doctor鈥檚 a听machine () ()
- 26 February 2014: Ara Sarafian, The Conversation. Phantom menace: augmented reality eases missing limb听pain ()
- September 2012: Men鈥檚 Health Magazine
Blogs
- 28 November 2018: Ellice Mol, The NeuRA Blog. Patient education does not help recovery from back pain ()
- 25 July 2018: James McAuley, The NeuRA Blog. Pain Free and Drug Free ()
- 21 May 2018: James McAuley, The NeuRA Blog. Hypnosis can help treat chronic low back pain ()
- 27 July 2016: James McAuley, The NeuRA Blog. Two new ways to treat back pain ()
- 26 February 2016: James McAuley, The NeuRA Blog. Talking about Placebo on Insight ()
- 6听 January 2014: Flavia Di Petro & James H McAuley, The Conversation. Understanding pain: can the brain provide all the听answers? ()
Podcasts
- 12 March 2020: Dr Joe Tatta, The Healing Podcast (USA). The Latest Evidence for Managing Low Back Pain with James McAuley ()
- 11 August 2019: Jack Chew, The Physio Matters Podcast (UK). James McAuley on LGBT safety at WCPT Congress in the UAE ()
- 31 January 2019: NeuRA Podcasts. Low back pain with A/Prof James McAuley听 ()
- 30 August 2015: Sandy Hilton and Cory Blickenstaff, Pain Science and Sensibility Podcast (USA).
- Revisiting Self-Efficacy with James McAuley ()
My Research Supervision
PhD supervision
* Denotes primary supervisor
Mia Ryan* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2026 鈥 2030, RTP
Shouvik Das* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听2026 鈥 2030, RTP
Filipe Souza* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听2025 鈥 2029, International RTP
Lara Alexander 听 听 听 听 听听2025 鈥 2029, RTP
Isha Mistra*听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 2025 鈥 2029, RTP
Jackson Linke* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2024 鈥 2028, RTP
Andrew Natoli听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 2024 鈥 2028, RTP
Emily Walker 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听2024 鈥 2028, RTP
Jack Devonshire*听听 听 听 听 听 2022 鈥 2026, RTP
Yannick Gilyani* 听 听 听 听 听 听 2022 鈥 2026, RTP
Harrison Hansford*听听听听听听听 2021 鈥 2025,听NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Sam Williams* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2022 鈥 2026, RTP
Nell Norman-Nott 听 听 听 听 听2020 鈥 2024, RTP
Michael Ferraro* 听 听 听 听 听 2020 鈥 2025, RTP
Rodrigo Rizzo* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听2019 鈥 2023, International RTP
Michael Wewege* 听 听 听 听 2019 鈥 2023,听NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Edel O鈥橦agan* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听2017 鈥 2023, APA
Luke Jenkins 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2017 鈥 2021, Western Sydney U Scholarship
Aidan Cashin* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2017 鈥 2021, POWCS Scholarship
Matthew Bagg*听听听听听听听听听听听听听 2015 鈥 2021, APA
Ian Skinner* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2014 鈥 2018,听NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Valentina Buscemi 听 听 听 听 2014 鈥 2018,听NHMRC Project Grant
Wei-Ju Chang 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听2014 鈥 2018,听NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Emma Karan 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2012 鈥 2018 Dawes Scholarship, Adelaide Hospital
Tania Gardner 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2011 鈥 2018 self-funded (part time)
Audrey Wang* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2012 鈥 2017, Australian Pain Society Scholarship
Hopin Lee* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听2014 鈥 2017,听NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Adrian Traeger* 听 听 听 听 听 听2013 鈥 2016,听NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
John Breckenridge 听 听 听 听2011 鈥 2018, self-funded (part time)
Flavia di Pietro* 听 听 听 听 听 听 2010 鈥 2014, APA
Luke Parkitny* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2010 鈥 2014,听NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Christopher Williams听听听听听 2009 鈥 2012,听NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Saad Alsaadi* 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2009 鈥 2013, Saudi Arabian Government Scholarship
Luciola Costa 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2011 鈥 2007, USyd International Scholarship
Steve Kamper 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听2006 鈥 2010,听NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Luciana Macedo 听 听 听 听 听 听2006 鈥 2010, USyd International Scholarship听
Mark Hancock 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听2004 鈥 2007,听NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
Nick Henschke 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 2003 鈥 2007,听NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship