Joseph V. Pergolizzi Jr. MD

Dr. Joseph V. Pergolizzi, Jr., MD, is Chief Operating Officer of NEMA Research in Naples, Florida, chairman of the Abstract and Poster Selection Committee for PAINWeek, and a member of the CHANGE PAIN Board. Dr. Pergolizzi earned a BS in physical chemistry from St. John’s University and an MD with the highest honors from Ross University School of Medicine. He completed his residency in anesthesia at Georgetown University School of Medicine and a clinical research fellowship in the Department of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He has served as NEMA CEO since 1997, with global business corporate lead direct responsibilities for turn-key clinical trial management and implementation (Phase I-IV). Before joining NEMA, Dr. Pergolizzi was the Director of Business Development and Financial Affairs for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s Clinical Trials Unit.

Dr. Pergolizzi’s research interests focus on acute and chronic pain in adults, with a particular focus on pain in the elderly. In the past, Dr. Pergolizzi held positions including the co-founder and chairman of the board for the Association of Chronic Pain Patients, a member of the board of directors and treasurer for the Coalition for Pain Education (COPE), co-founder and director of research at the International Pain Research and Treatment Foundation, and a member of the board of directors of the National Institute of Pain. Dr. Pergolizzi has held various adjunct and/or part-time academic positions and faculty over the past decade. He is the author of more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, abstracts, platform presentations, and book chapters in his areas of interest and expertise.