Introducing Associate Professor Natalia Brumley: Our CNH January Feature Story

Can you describe your research interests?

"I am generally interested in how pain affects the brain and cognition; and conversely, how brain and cognition shape pain perception."

What inspired you to pursue this research topic?

"Pain is fascinating in that it encompasses sensory, emotional and cognitive components, which are all integrated in the brain. As a cognitive neuroscientist I am drawn to the complexity of the phenomenon of pain. Chronic pain presents a major challenge in clinical practice, so through my work I contribute fundamental knowledge about pain that can be translated clinically to make a meaningful change to how we conceptualise and treat pain conditions."

What do you like most about your work?

"I have been fortunate to receive an intentionally broad academic and research training in linguistics, developmental and cognitive neuroscience, experimental pain, psychiatric neuroimaging and neurology. What I enjoy in research is bridging disparate fields of study by conducting highly interdisciplinary and collaborative studies. Unified by the methodology we use - experimental pain and neuroimaging - the research directions in my Pain and Cognition Neuroimaging Lab are quite diverse and involve many excellent collaborators in the School and wider university, e.g., error processing in placebo/nocebo with Prof. Hester and Prof. Garrido; effects of poor sleep on pain with Prof. Jordan; exercise in osteoarthritis with Prof. Dobson in the Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine; speech biomarkers of pain with Prof. Vogel in the School of Audiology, to name a few recent projects."

Do you have any exciting projects or news upcoming?

"Producing high quality research of international significance is very important to me. So, I take initiative to host international academics in Melbourne University and am always pleased to see international meetings come to Australia. At the moment, as a member of the Scientific Committee I am excited to contribute to the organisation of the meeting of the international Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies, which will be held in Sydney in 2027. Having previously hosted Prof Yury Shtyrov from the University of Aarhus Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, I am now going to spend time in Denmark, maintaining my existing collaborations and establishing a novel partnership with the Body, Pain, and Perception Lab, while also exploring Danish research funding opportunities through the 2026 International Grants Accelerator Program."

As you step into the Director role, what is your vision for the Cognitive Neuroscience Hub in 2026 and beyond?

"When I first joined the MSPS, the Hub became a welcoming research environment for me. It provided me with the opportunity to interact with researchers in cognitive neuroscience, starting collaborations within the School but also meeting national and international speakers invited to give research seminars. This has allowed me to feel the sense of belonging, which is so important, especially for graduate students, early career academics and new staff. So, cultivating the rich research environment where Hub members can exchange ideas, nucleate novel research collaborations, share expertise and equipment, brainstorm solutions to emerging challenges in the field, and just interact socially is what I see as an important role of our Hub."