FRANCESC VALENZUELA PASCUAL

Professor at the Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy of the University of Lleida since 2011, where I earned my doctorate with international mention cum laude in February 2019. Additionally, I coordinate and teach the courses of Research Methodology, Function 2 (neurophysiology of pain), and Clinical Specialties in Physiotherapy (acute and chronic pain). I am also a professor in the Master’s Degree in Research, Innovation and Health Transfer. Since June 2020, I have served as associate Vice Rector in Health Promotion at the University of Lleida.

I specialized in pain treatment at the University of Edinburgh in 2011. Prior to my research and teaching career, I practiced as a physiotherapist for 15 years. I served as a physiotherapist for national ice hockey teams across all categories. Additionally, I practiced as a physiotherapist in various clinics in the metropolitan area of London (UK) for two years. Finally, I worked as a Senior 1 physiotherapist in primary care across different locations in the British Army in Germany, where I was part of a specialized chronic pain unit with a multidisciplinary approach.

My scientific research primarily focuses on the education of the patient and the healthcare professional regarding the neurophysiology of pain using new technologies, such as web platforms. I have served as a scientific advisor for the College of Physiotherapists of Catalonia. In terms of research, I have specialized through various courses and postgraduate studies in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies, as well as statistics and systematic reviews. I have participated in three educational innovation projects related to my research and teaching, which is the neurophysiology of pain. I am the principal investigator in two out of the three projects.

Currently, I have 13 publications in JCR-indexed journals.

I have been granted a research period (sexenio) since January 1, 2020, and I am accredited as a contracted professor by ANECA.

I completed a three-month predoctoral research stay at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto.