James Kang

Dr. James Kang serves as an Associate Lecturer in the Department of Medical Sciences within the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. He maintains active research affiliations with the Brain and Mind Centre, Neuropathic Pain Collaboration, and Brain and Mind Centre Translational Psychopharmacology Team.

His academic credentials include:

• PhD in pain neurobiology and behavioural neuroscience (University of Sydney, 2019)

Dr. Kang's research centers on the functional neuroanatomy of emotional systems and pain pathways. Utilizing animal models and multidisciplinary approaches—including molecular/cellular techniques, neuroimaging, behavioral assays, and surgical interventions—he investigates neurobiological mechanisms underlying chronic pain states. His current focus examines neuronal-glial interactions during acute-to-chronic pain transition, with translational goals of accelerating drug repurposing for chronic pain treatment.

Analysis of his 14 publications (2015-2025) reveals consistent emphasis on neuroimmune mechanisms in pain chronification, sex-specific pain responses, and stress-pain interactions. Key methodological themes include PET imaging of gliosis, monoamine dynamics in limbic circuits, and preclinical drug repurposing studies targeting oxidative stress pathways.

Professional recognition includes:

• Brain and Mind Centre Emerging Researcher Award

Dr. Kang currently supervises two research students: Olivia DAVANZO (The Neurobiology of Chronic Head Pain) and Sol LIM (Understanding the Underlying Mechanism of the Transition from Acute to Chronic Neuropathic Pain). His active grant portfolio comprises the FMH Bright Ideas Grant 2025, Faculty of Medicine and Health Neurodrug Funding Scheme award for oxidative stress targeting, Brain and Mind Centre Research Development Grant for social impairment studies, and the 2023 Neil and Norma Hill Foundation Seed Grant.

Within the Brain and Mind Centre ecosystem, he contributes to collaborative teams focused on neuropathic pain mechanisms and translational psychopharmacology, integrating molecular neuroscience with clinical pain management strategies.