@laurasirucek
Postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain #CNAP at Aalborg University #AAU - from athlete to scientist, interested in the #brain in #pain, passionate about #neuroscience and #painresearch.
A lab visit to Hamburg so engaging I forgot to take photos except for a last-minute selfie. 😄🤳
Grateful to @christianbuchel.bsky.social, @olegolt.bsky.social, and lab for the warm welcome and inspiring discussions. 🧠
Leaving one’s own bubble. Immersing in critical, generous exchange. Science. 💛
My smile (notably at 1 AM CEST 😅) says it all:
I had loads of fun co-organizing and moderating this ECR event hosted by @iasp.bsky.social Early Career Network #IASPECN! 🥰
Thanks to IASP, my co-moderators, and all participants - I’m sure we sparked some new global connections! 🌎
#ECR #Networking
🚀 Less than one week to go! 🤩
We, the @iasp.bsky.social Early Career Network (ECN) Communication Committee, are hosting a Digital Networking Event on Sept 16, 2025. 💻
👉 Session 1 is almost full – save your spot now or join Session 2! 🤗
Let‘s connect with peers worldwide! 🌍✨
#IASP #IASPECN #ECR
Digital Networking Event
Register for the 16 September Digital Networking Event hosted by the Early Career Network. Join us for a fun online networking event where you will grow your international network in a relaxed, supportive environment.
Session One: bit.ly/4lI6sZv
Session Two: bit.ly/4geEB21
Published open access- European Journal of Neuroscience!
🤓
My second PhD paper is a secondary analysis of the peak alpha frequency (PAF) 🧠 and pain relationship in a repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) 🧲 intervention for experimental pain.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
1/5
Still amazed - my friend‘s gift for my PhD defense on the cover of @painthejournal.bsky.social by @iasp.bsky.social. 🥹
It’s on the July issue where part of my PhD work is published. 📄
What a way to connect two parts of life that I love - my friendships and science. 💛
#PAIN #Research #PostdocLife
For one of my pain modulation „bibles“ that also includes information on the amygdala-mPFC-PAG circuitry see:
journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10....
Thanks @iasp.bsky.social and @painthejournal.bsky.social for featuring our figure! 🫶
A potential explanation for the reduced excitatory/inhibitory balance in the PAG in individuals with chronic pain. ⚖️🔴
Inspired by amazing work from R. Kuner, V. Neugebauer, P.Sheets, and more. 🙌✨
#PAIN #research
Thanks a lot! 🙏☺️
Huge thanks to CNAP and Thomas Graven-Nielsen for helping make this happen - and my lovely lab mates for the hugs, cheers, and good vibes! 🙏💛
Time to get used to more rye bread 🍞, wind 😅🌬️, and hygge 🕯️☕🛋️🧣 here in 🇩🇰!
In October 2025, I’ll be starting my own 2-year project at CNAP focusing on:
🧠💥 Medial prefrontal cortex excitability in chronic pain
supported by the @snf-fns.ch Postdoc.Mobility Fellowship.
#PostdocLife #PainResearch
In our new study published in @imagingneurosci.bsky.social, Batu Kaya and others resolve a monosynaptic trigeminal-lateral parabrachial-central amygdalar circuit in humans.
direct.mit.edu/imag/article...
Now to see if it does in humans what was observed in rodents.
This one means so much to me. 🥹
My PhD "baby" - out now online ahead of print in @painthejournal.bsky.social. 🌟
We poured in so much thought, work, sweat, tears, diligence, thoroughness, and passion.
Grateful for the fantastic team and journey behind it. 🙏
dx.doi.org/10.1097/j.pa...
Yesterday I had so much fun talking about my favorite topic “Epigenetics” 🧬! Its involvement in nature 🐝🐀 ♊️ and pain 😖💥! I had the opportunity to present for @pintofscience.uk in Aalborg, DK🇩🇰 #pint25
Informal and friendly environment is the best for talking science !!! 🧬 science 🧪
Better eat your royal jelly if you want to be queen! 🐝👑
Fun facts and cool science about epigenetics, environmental influences (jelly matters!), and its role in pain by @mirocco.bsky.social topped with tasty beer at yesterday‘s @pintofscience.uk festival in Aalborg! 🍻🧪
@sammy-millard.bsky.social 👀
🎉HAPPY ANNIVERSARY CNAP! 🎉
Last week, we celebrated an incredible group of people and the impressive work they have achieved over the past 10 years.
Happy and proud to be part of this amazing CNAP family.💛🩶
Although… judging by the group photo, I might only be half part of it.😅 Can you spot me?😉🔍
ECN at EFIC 2025
Greetings from Lyon! IASP Early Career Network members Vandana Shree Vedartham Srinivasan, Ginevra Sperandio, Daniela Rosenberger, and Laura Sirucek from the ECN Communication Committee say ‘hello’ from #EFIC2025 – Pain in Europe XIV.
Wonderful time attending my first @efic.bsky.social conference in beautiful Lyon!
Some highlights:
1) sharing and getting feedback on my two posters 🧠
2) inspiring talks integrating the psyc and social aspects of pain 🤓
3) connections with research friends across the world 🗺️
4) exploring Lyon 🇫🇷
5️⃣-8️⃣ Exploring Lyon by day and night and creating unforgettable memories with beautiful souls and fantastic reseachers. 💛
@sammy-millard.bsky.social
@mirocco.bsky.social
@joellekmetzger.bsky.social
1️⃣ & 2️⃣ Fun at the photo booth with my new CNAP and former Balgrist team. 🎊
3️⃣ Poster on a small sub-project of my former lab on pressure pain threshold assessments.
4️⃣ My PhD supervisor P. Schweinhardt presenting our data on brainstem neurotransmitters in chronic pain 🔜 @painthejournal.bsky.social!
#EFIC2025 — another invaluable opportunity for both scientific and personal growth. 🌱🌿
Huge thanks to @efic.bsky.social for curating such inspiring content and for fostering a space to reconnect with old friends and create new, meaningful connections — all in stunning Lyon. 🇫🇷
A few snapshots…
Day two! @efic.bsky.social #EFIC2025 👏
Come to my poster, II-B.40, on a slightly different topic than usual for me 🤓
Resilience or vulnerability to pain in climbers: A survey exploring the relationships between psychological flexibility, psychological inflexibility, and pain catastrophizing 🧗♀️🧠
No subgroup with deficient CPM was identified.
Subgroups did not differ in age, sex, pain catastrophizing, and other clinical features.
This questions the importance of CPM assessments in chronic pain and highlights the need to further explore sources of CPM variability.
Poster #1 shows how with latent class linear mixed models, we aimed to investigate whether subgroups with different CPM effects exist in a diverse patient and pain-free control sample (N=146).
We identified 3 subgroups with different degrees of inhibitory CPM, all containing patients and controls.
Fun first day yesterday at @efic.bsky.social #EFIC2025! 🤩
1️⃣ Conference mode on
2️⃣ Poster #1 on conditioned pain modulation (CPM) - more below
3️⃣ Cheering for ⭐️ @sammy-millard.bsky.social
4️⃣ First congress as CNAP member 💛
🔜 Poster #2 on pressure algometry with flat vs. round tip on Sat, III-C.18
Also, for all IASP members, check out IASP Connect by @iasp.bsky.social! 🌐Create a Discussion or Q&A thread and interact with our community.
Give it a try and drop me a comment here or on IASP Connect if you're going to #EFIC2025! 🗨️👇
tinyurl.com/2khpy2pc
Hey Early Career Pain Researchers/Professionals,
who's going to the @efic.bsky.social #EFIC2025 in Lyon next week? 😊
As a member of the @iasp.bsky.social #IASPECN, I am particularly looking forward to some exciting activities just for us ECRs!
Program:
tinyurl.com/3x2dpx2p
See you there?😎
ECN img
Hello, IASP Early Career Members! The Early Career Network (ECN) is working with IASP to support you with exciting initiatives. We want your input to help shape the ECN and ensure your voice is heard. Share your ideas, concerns, and wishes with us at earlycareer@iasp-pain.org! #IASP #ECN
I thought this might be a fitting first post 🦋
After officially completing my PhD with the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) early in 2024, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate my graduation back in Australia to close out 2024! 🎓🧪👩🔬
But let‘s stop bothering the BlueSky community 😂 Maybe we‘ll get the chance to discuss at EFIC or elsewhere. 😊