At seventeen, Dr. Manasi Murthy Mittinty’s life changed forever. A severe burn accident left her with chronic pain that would become both her greatest challenge and her life’s purpose.
“I was told that as my wounds healed, my pain would go away, but it didn’t,” Manasi recalls. “The pain stayed and became a constant companion, putting me on a path of self-discovery.”
Born in India to parents who valued education, Manasi initially studied medicine in Russia while still recovering from her injuries. The experience of navigating healthcare systems as a chronic pain patient revealed a crucial gap: medical education didn’t fully explain the lived experience of persistent pain.
This realization led her to pursue a Ph.D. and become a pain scientist. Today, as a Senior Lecturer at Flinders University’s College of Medicine and Public Health, Manasi examines how pain affects not just individuals but entire family units.
Her groundbreaking work with the Kaurna People—First Nations communities in Adelaide—integrates traditional healing knowledge with modern pain management. Working alongside Prof. Lisa Jamieson, she’s developing culturally sensitive approaches that honor indigenous wisdom.
“When patients talk about chronic pain, I get it!” Manasi emphasizes. Her Harvard Medical School fellowship with dean’s commendation and the 2022 Women’s Agenda Leader in Health Award validate her unique approach.
But Manasi’s impact extends beyond research. “I don’t want families to just survive; I want them to thrive,” she says, developing programs that support both patients and their loved ones.
Her message to others facing discrimination resonates globally: “The bigger the dream, the better! Always try to be the better version of yourself.”