Barbara K. Bruce

Dr. Barbara K. Bruce is a Research Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. With a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Louisiana State University (1986), she has built an extensive career focused on chronic pain management, particularly in fibromyalgia and cancer-related pain conditions. Her leadership roles include Clinical Director of both the Chronic Abdominal Pain Program and Fibromyalgia Treatment Program at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville.

Dr. Bruce's research interests center on the assessment and treatment of chronic pain with emphasis on both chronic non-cancer pain and pain associated with malignant disease. She has made significant contributions to understanding the controversial use of maintenance opioid therapy in chronic non-cancer pain and the feasibility of multidisciplinary approaches to pain management, particularly in conditions like multiple myeloma. Her work consistently emphasizes the critical role of psychosocial factors in pain treatment outcomes.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on fibromyalgia treatment, depression as a modifiable risk factor in pain conditions, and the complex relationship between pain syndromes and comorbid conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Her research demonstrates a consistent commitment to translating evidence into practical clinical applications for chronic pain management.

• Excellence Through Teamwork Award, Mayo Clinic in Rochester (2013)
• Mayo Excellence in Leadership Award, Pain Rehabilitation Center (2009)
• Scientific Poster Award, American Academy of Pain Medicine (2004)
• Graduate Research Award, Sigma Xi (1982)

Dr. Bruce maintains an active research program with numerous publications and serves as Editor for Mayo Global Business Solutions' educational materials on chronic pain. Her clinical work focuses on developing and implementing comprehensive, multidisciplinary approaches to chronic pain that integrate psychological, medical, and rehabilitative interventions to improve patient outcomes.