DrDavid Hohenschurz-Schmidt

David is a pain researcher, clinician, and educator. His research focuses on improving clinical trial methods and developing physical and psychological interventions for people living with pain, and addressing pain in the context of long-term conditions such as diabetes.

He is currently an Homorary Research Fellow at the Department of Surgery & Cancer, having taken up a Research Fellow position at the University of Exeter in 2026. Previously, he was an NIHR Development and Skills Enhancement (DSE) Fellow at the Imperial Clinical Trials Unit (ICTU), and Research Associate at the Department of Surgery & Cancer. He holds Masters' degrees in Osteopathy from UCO (2014) and Neuroscience from King's College London (2018), both completed with distinction. 

David completed his PhD with Prof Andrew Rice at Imperial College London in 2023, where he used evidence synthesis and consensus methods. For example, he led an international effort to develop the CoPPS Statement—the first consensus framework for designing and implementing control interventions in physical, psychological, and self-management trials—published in The BMJ and listed in the EQUATOR library. Building on this, his current work explores people's care priorities in living with diabetic neuropathy, and he develops and tests multimodal interventions for people living with painful diabetic neuropathy, combining manual therapy, exercise, and psychologically informed approaches. Further, David is interested in placebo effects and other context-dependent features of nonpharmacological therapeutic encounters. He also studies and develops digital therapeutics. A previous research interest is the role of the autonomic nervous system in pain, having studied this topic using fMRI and Heart Rate Variability at King's College London under Drs Elena Makovac and Matthew Howard.

With a background in neuroscience, osteopathy, and clinical research, David integrates methodological rigour with a vision for equitable and scalable pain care. He has been awarded over £500,000 in competitive funding since his PhD. Several honours recognised his work, including the prestigious Ronald Dubner Prize by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) for the best body of work by a pain trainee globally. He presents at scientific conferences regularly. 

Alongside his research, David taught extensively across two of Imperial's departments and mentors future clinicians and researchers. He contributes to clinical practice and professional education as an Allied Health Professional / osteopath. He serves on national funding panels and on committees of professional societies, notably as Chair of the Clinical Trials Special Interests Group of the International Association for the Study of Pain and as Secretary Elect of the Society for Back Pain Research. He is an Editorial Board member at BMC Medical Research Methodology. 


Selected Awards, Grants, and Scholarships: 


Ronald Dubner Prize, International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), 2024

Early Career Researcher Award, Imperial College Dept. Surgery & Cancer, 2023

New Investigator's Award, Society for Back Pain Research, 2022

Community of Practice Award, Institute of Osteopathy, 2020

RK Hardy Prize for Research, University College of Osteopathy, 2014

Principal Investigator, Cross-Programme Application Development Award for Health and Care Professionals, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), £150,000, 2026

Co-applicant, NIHR Research Support Service Imperial and Partners Hub, £20,000, 2026

Fellow, Development and Skills Enhancement Award, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), £110,000, 2024

Principal Investigator, Fellowship and Research Grant, Chelsea and Westminster Joint Research Council, £65,000, 2024

Recipient, Alan and Sheila Diamond Postdoctoral Funding, Alan and Sheila Diamond Trust, £100,000, 2022 & 2023

Co-Principal Investigator, Fondation Leenaards, CHF 115,000, 2023

Principal Investigator, Research Grant, The Osteopathic Foundation, £20,000, £5,000 & 18,000 2022 & 2023

Travel Fellowship of the Society for Back Pain Research, £2,500, 2021

PhD Studentship, Alan and Sheila Diamond Charitable Trust, £300,000, 2019

Scholarship of the German Business Foundation (sdw), 2012-2014