Dr. Karin N Westlund | Chronic Pain Relief | Best Researcher Award
Dr. Karin N. Westlund High is a distinguished neuroscientist and physiologist, currently a Distinguished Professor at UNM School of Medicine and a Research Physiologist at NM VA Health Care. 🇺🇸 She is recognized for her groundbreaking work in pain mechanisms and translational neurobiology. 📚 Her leadership as Vice Chair for Research and longstanding academic contributions span over four decades, advancing the fields of anesthesiology, neuroscience, and chronic pain treatment. 🧠💉
Profile
Education 🎓
Dr. Westlund High earned a B.A. (Zoology) 🎓 from the University of Texas at Austin (1975), followed by an M.A. in Zoology (1976). She received her Ph.D. in Physiology & Biophysics from UTMB Galveston in 1981. 🧪 During her graduate and postdoctoral years, she developed strong expertise in pain pathways and biophysics. 🧬 Her education laid a solid foundation for her influential career in academic medicine and neuroscience research. 📖🧠
Experience 👨🏫
From 1982 to the present, Dr. Westlund High has held key roles: tenured professor at UTMB Galveston, University of Kentucky, and UNM. 🏫 She was also Vice Chair for Research at UNM Anesthesiology (2017–2024) and served in VA medical systems in KY & NM. 🏥🧪 She led cell biology graduate programs, taught extensively in medicine and dentistry, and contributed to national research ethics. 🧑🏫🧠
Awards & Recognitions 🏅
Dr. Westlund High is the recipient of over 20 prestigious honors, including the Frederick W.L. Kerr Award (2008) 🏆, Innovator of the Year (2023), and multiple NIH awards. 💡 She’s been honored for teaching, research excellence, and innovation, including winning EQUALIZE Pitch Competition and a U.S. patent award (2025). 🇺🇸 She has served on editorial boards and grant panels globally, shaping pain research. 🌍🔬
Research Interests 🔬
Her research centers on pain neurobiology 🔍—investigating trigeminal nerve injury, chronic pain, neuroinflammation, and targeted therapeutic antibodies. 🧠💊 With deep NIH and VA support, she has led studies using translational animal models to discover novel pain relief methods. 🐭⚗️ Her work impacts both clinical and preclinical pain management, with over 40 years of translational insights and innovation. 💥📈