David Finn is Established Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Principal Investigator and Founding Co-Director of the Centre for Pain Research at University of Galway (https://www.universityofgalway.ie/centre-for-pain-research/). Professor Finn graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biotechnology from University of Galway in 1997 and a PhD in Neuroscience from University of Bristol in 2001. From 2001 to 2004, he worked as a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Institute of Neuroscience, University of Nottingham. In 2004, he was appointed to a Lectureship (Below the Bar) in the Department of Physiology, University of Galway. In 2007, he was appointed to a Lectureship (Above the Bar) in Pharmacology and Therapeutics, a Personal Professorship in 2014, and Established Professorship in 2024.

The overall aim of Professor Finn's research is to increase our understanding of the neurobiology of pain and psychiatric disorders including anxiety and depression. His work focuses, in particular, on the affective and cognitive dimensions of pain, stress-pain interactions, and neuroinflammatory processes, with an emphasis on the endogenous cannabinoid, opioid and monoaminergic systems. An integrative, whole-systems, translational neuroscience approach is employed, combining preclinical models and clinical research with neurochemical and molecular analyses.

Professor Finn is Past President of the International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS; 2021-2022 and 2019-2020) and Past President of the Irish Pain Society (2015 - 2017). He sits on the Scientific Advisory Panel of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) and has been a member of the Presidential Task Forces for Cannabis, Cannabinoids and Chronic Pain of both the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) and the European Pain Federation (EFIC). He is a member of the EFIC Working Groups for Translational Pain Research and Pain Research Strategy, a member of the Scientific Programme Commitees for the IASP 2026 and 2024 World Pain Congresses, EFIC 2022 and NeuPSIG 2025, and a member of EFIC Council. Professor Finn is a former recipient of the President of Ireland Young Researcher Award from Science Foundation Ireland, the Wyeth Award for outstanding research in Preclinical Psychopharmacology from the British Association for Psychopharmacology and the Pain Research Medal from the Irish Pain Society. He is a member of the Editorial Boards of multiple international scientific journals inlcuding Pain, Journal of Psychopharmacology, Frontiers in Pain Research, and the Scandinavian Journal of Pain. From 2012 - 2015 Professor Finn served as Director of the Galway Neuroscience Centre (https://www.universityofgalway.ie/neuroscience/), and from 2020 - 2024 he was Head of the Discipline of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at University of Galway. He has published over 195 peer-reviewed journal papers and book chapters and frequently lectures at international conferences. In addition to directing his research programme, Professor Finn teaches a range of Pharmacology topics to undergraduate and postgraduate science, pharmacy and medical students.

Summary of Research Interests The overall objective ofProfessor Finns research is to increase understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the development and treatment of pain, inflammation, mood disorders and impaired cognition. This work is concerned with elucidating the role of a number of different receptor types (cannabinoid, opioid, adrenoceptor, imidazoline, serotonin, vanilloid, N-type Ca2+ channels) in mediating and modulating behavioural, neurochemical and neuroendocrine responses relevant to pain, anxiety, depression and cognition. An integrative, whole systems, translational neuroscience approach is employed, combining preclinical models and clinical research with in vivo and ex vivo measurement of neurotransmitters, lipids (e.g. endocannabinoids),proteins or genes (e.g. cytokines, receptors, enzymes, signal transduction molecules, immediate early genes and transcription factors)in discrete brain regions and assessment of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis function. This research, which is funded from a number of competitive sources including Research Ireland, the Irish Health Research Board, The European Union, The Wellcome Trust, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Higher Education Authority, and Industry (e.g. Covidien, Alkermes, B. Braun, Shionogi, Relevium Medical) aims to make a significant contribution to the knowledge-base on pain and stress-related psychiatric disorders and support the development of novel therapeutic agents for their treatment. Research Techniques: Preclinical models of pain, inflammation, aversion and cognition; Experimental pain studies in human participants (healthy volunteers and patients), Quantitative sensory testing, EMG, Systemic and central administration of drugs; In vivo microdialysis; HPLC; Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry for measurement of endocannabinoids and related lipids; In vitro receptor autoradiography and [35S]GTPyS autoradiography; ELISA; Western blotting; Radioimmunoassay; Radiometric enzyme activity assays; In situ hybridisation; Immunohistochemistry.

Undergraduate:2nd Year Medicine and 3rd Year Podiatry: Drugs and Disease Module: analgesics, anaesthetics 3rd Year BSc: Ligand binding, analgesics, anaesthetics, drugs of abuse, lab classes: radioligand binding, HPLC 4th Year BSc: Pain and analgesics, biopharmaceuticals, data interpretation, supervision of 3 research project students Postgraduate: PhD student supervision (see below)2005-Present: Supervision and training of9 postdoctoral researchers (Dr Michelle Roche, Dr Gemma Ford, Dr Kieran Rea, Dr William Devane, Dr Cliona OMahony, Dr Orla Moriarty, Dr. Elaine Jennings, Dr. Alvaro Llorente-Berzal, Dr. Maurizio Manca) 2009-Present: Conceived, coordinate and deliver Research Proposals Module to MSc Neuropharmacology students and Structured PhD Programmes (2011-Present) 2005-Present: Supervision of gt;25 MSc Neuropharmacology student projects 2005-Present: Supervision ofvisiting international PhD students 2011-2013: Ligand binding workshops and tutorials to MSc Neuropharmacology students 2007-2008: Supervised visiting PhD student (Dan Canning) from Dublin City University 2009-2013: Neurotransmission lectures to MRCPsych students 2007-2012: Scientific writing Q amp; A session with MSc in Regenerative Medicine students 2007-2013: Lectures on drugs of abuse and Pain and Behavioural Pharmacology Workshop on Pain to MSc in Neuropharmacology students 2005-2007: Pain lecture to MSc in Sports Medicine students 2005: Supervision of visiting PhD student (Jose Manuel Entrena) from University of Granada, Spain 2005: Lectures to Master of Health Sciences (stress and depression)