RECOVER Injury Research Centre 2026 Symposium

Tuesday, May 5 2026
9:00 am to 6:30 pm including a canapé reception
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
Grey Street, South Brisbane, QLD 4101

Join us for the RECOVER Injury Research Centre 2026 Symposium: Aligning Science and Systems – Delivering Better Outcomes After Injury, where researchers, clinicians, policymakers and consumers will come together to discuss how research can better support people recovering from motor vehicle injuries.

The program will showcase current work from across RECOVER’s research programs, including:

• Advances in understanding and treating musculoskeletal injury, particularly whiplash-associated disorders.
• Technology-enabled care, including research on chronic pain, vocational and communication rehabilitation after brain injury, and wheelchair prescription and training after spinal cord injury.

RECOVER Injury Research Centre is a joint initiative of the and The University of Queensland.

Rethinking Whiplash Through a Neural Lens
Annina Schmidfocused, Professor of Pain Neurosciences and a Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences at Oxford University

Each year, 20-50 million people worldwide experience whiplash injuries, often from car accidents. The most common type of whiplash injury, called Whiplash Associated Disorder grade II (WADII), is traditionally viewed as a musculoskeletal condition without overt nerve injury. Consequently, treatments for WADII are largely focused on treating the musculoskeletal nature or psychological factors (e.g., NSAIDs, physiotherapy, reassurance). However, these interventions have at best small effects with up to 50% of patients developing persistent pain. There is, however, a growing body of evidence suggesting that some patients with WADII may exhibit neural pathology and neuroinflammation, potentially contributing to their symptoms. In this plenary, I will synthesise this evolving body of evidence and present data from our recent longitudinal cohort study supporting a neural contribution to WADII. Reframing whiplash through a neural lens offers new insights into its mechanisms and opens the door to more targeted assessment and management strategies.

Perspectives of a funding partner – the future of research partnerships
Gaenor Walker
Acting Insurance Commissioner, Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) Queensland

Drawing on data insights from statutory insurance schemes, including the National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland, Gaenor will outline the strategic imperatives driving funding and the critical link between research and real-world outcomes. Gain insight into how sustainable, system-focused approaches can deliver meaningful, long-term benefits for people injured on Queensland roads.

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Host or Publisher RECOVER Injury Research Centre