Principal Investigator: Jamie L. Block
Project PREP
Welcome to Project PREP — Pain Resources and Education for Patients!
Project PREP is a translational research project out of the University of Toronto aiming to help individuals manage their chronic pain using by increasing access to interdisciplinary care options through education and resource curation.
Scroll through the website to learn more about Project PREP, and how to get involved as a research participant!
About Project PREP
Translational research is the art and science of shifting from basic science/healthcare research to applied and direct innovation and research that directly impacts PEOPLE. The Translational Research Program (TRP) at the University of Toronto is a Master's degree program that trains students to identify healthcare needs, select root problems, and develop innovative solutions that have a direct benefit to the target population in need. Project PREP (Pain Resources & Education for Patients) is a capstone project in the TRP, aiming to help those with chronic pain.
Chronic pain is a complex, multifaceted condition that affects roughly ~20% of the Canadian population aged 18+. It can range from mild to severely debilitating and can be caused by a myriad of various conditions. Chronic pain as a condition affects more than just one's physiological state; it also affects one's psychological, emotional, social, and financial well-being.
Research shows that adopting an interdisciplinary (i.e., multiple healthcare practitioners) approach to managing chronic pain yields the most favourable, long-term, sustainable results. However, many people are unaware of the importance of interdisciplinary care in chronic pain management and/or find it difficult to find the best practitioners for their personal chronic pain journey. Project PREP aims to increase the utilization of interdisciplinary care for chronic pain management by developing a patient-centric tool that educates individuals on its importance, and provides a platform for connecting easily with nearby healthcare practitioners.
The research component of Project PREP will involve participant interviews and focus groups to help the research team learn about the nuances of others' chronic pain management journey, and the successes, failures, and frustrations they have faced along the way.
Keep scrolling to learn more about Project PREP's research team, and to get in touch as a potential research participant!
Project PREP's Research Team.
Jamie L. Block
Principal Investigator
Jamie L. Block is the Principal Investigator on Project PREP.
Jamie completed his Honours B.Sc. in Genetics from the University of Western Ontario in 2021 before pursuing graduate studies in the Translational Research Program at the University of Toronto. Jamie is responsible for all major research and innovation activities for Project PREP, and plans to continue the efforts of Project PREP once he has graduated.
Dr. Gordon Ko, MD, CCFP(EM), FCFP, FRCPC
Project Advisor
Dr. Gordon Ko is former Senior University Associate Professor and current Medical Director, Interventional Physiatry clinics and Adjunct Lecturer at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto and the Canadian Centre for Integrative Medicine (Markham). His expertise on integrating conventional medical with complementary emerging therapies (such as Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP), Botox injections and Functional Medicine) was featured on CTV national news. He is often in demand as a teacher--having trained numerous physicians to medical students on injection techniques for pain and spasticity. He is founder and vice-president for the Canadian Society for Neurotoxins in Pain and an executive director for the Canadian Association of Orthopaedic Medicine (prolotherapy). He has published extensively and given several hundred talks including those on WELLNESS to professional and public groups; with a focus on healing of the “body-mind-spirit".
Thomas Hein, Reg PT, Dip. Manip. PT, FCAMPT, CGIMS, MCPA
Project Advisor
Thomas is an accomplished manual physiotherapist with extensive postgraduate experience in orthopaedics, sports medicine, and manipulative therapy. After graduating from Queen’s University in 1995, he gained invaluable experience practicing in diverse clinical settings. Thomas completed a full-time post-graduate program in 1998-99, which led to his first diploma from the Canadian Academy in 2000. He continues as an Instructor for the Orthopaedic Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association in the postgraduate manual and manipulative therapy educational program. Thomas opened his Physioactive clinic in 1999, and is based in Thornhill, Ontario.
Thomas has a proven track record of success in treating even the most difficult or complex clientele by combining a variety of techniques. His repertoire includes spinal manipulation, myofascial release, spinal stabilization exercises, neural tissue mobilization, and medical acupuncture.
Lisa Goodman, M.A.
Project Advisor
Lisa Goodman is a psychotherapist in private practice with 25 years of experience working with adolescents and adults who struggle with mood, anxiety, and eating issues. She has considerable training in mindfulness and meditation, including MBCT and MB-EAT. For the past several years, she has been actively integrating mindfulness-based strategies into her clinical practice, as well as in her personal life. As someone who currently faces the struggles of dealing with chronic pain, and also has experience treating patients who live with chronic pain, she fills an incredibly unique role on Project PREP's advisory committee.
Dr. Rich Foty
Primary Project Supervisor
As an assistant professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Rich uses large population-based health databases to address complex questions. His current projects investigate aging well through use of mobile health technologies and the health effects of climate change. In addition, Rich is passionate about identifying and understanding unmet medical needs, as well as how to apply scientific knowledge to answer those needs and improve health. As such, he was involved early on in the design and development of the TRP. Rich is a provoking and gripping educator. He challenges students to think differently so they can champion change in their own communities. At the TRP, he is a course director of Foundations in TR and a faculty advisor for Capstone projects.
Dr. Edyta Marcon
Secondary Project Supervisor
Edyta loves to encounter new questions, apply new knowledge, and meet new people. As a Senior Research Associate at the U of T Donnelly Centre, she currently studies how RNA modifications regulate gene expression and how they relate to human health and disease. Her interests extend beyond the laboratory into the application of scientific research using human centric design thinking. Edyta is in constant pursuit of new discoveries that will address the most urgent patient needs. At the TRP, Edyta is an instructor for the Capstone Course. Scientific research has taught her to expect the unexpected and be open to new ideas. She challenges students to do the same. She is a tough and fair educator who helps students set ambitious, feasible goals.
Do you have chronic pain and want to contribute to Project PREP's research initiative?*
If so, fill out the contact form and we will get back to you within 48 hours to discuss potential research participation.
* Research participation criteria:
1) You have experienced, or are currently experiencing, persistent pain lasting at least 6 months
2) You are at least 18 years old
3) You are proficient in English