The 4th Annual Maixner Pain Research Symposium, in honor of the late Dr. William "Bill" Maixner, is co-hosted this year by the Comparative Pain Research and Education Center at NC State University and the Department of Anesthesiology at Duke University. This event brings together pain researchers and clinicians from North Carolina academic hubs, including Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State University, and Wake Forest University, to 1) share exciting new advances in pain research and pain management, 2) stimulate organic collaborative opportunities, and 3) promote professional development of early career students and trainees.