Allan Basbaum: third Editor-in-Chief of PAIN and finding joy in pain research

Allan Basbaum entered the field of pain research as an undergraduate at McGill University shortly after Pat Wall and Ron Melzack proposed Gate Control Theory. He has not wandered far from the field since then. Although Allan believes that serendipity has played a significant role in his success, it is equally important that one's mind be prepared to recognize the import of an event or finding. Over the past 50+ years, Allan has established a research program that is characterized by sustained innovation, pursuit of important questions, perseverance, early adoption of new methodologies, a willingness to embrace unexpected findings, and an enthusiastic endorsement of collaboration. The result has been a highly productive research program that continues to consistently advance our understanding of pain processes and simultaneously provides a unique environment that trains young investigators in multidisciplinary research and the convergent testing of hypotheses with complementary methodologies. This Pain Essay that pays tribute to the third Editor-in-Chief of PAIN describes the evolution of Allan's research program to date including some of his most important contributions to our understanding of the processes of nociception in the spinal cord and brainstem, as well as more recent studies encompassing biomarkers for the affective component of the pain experience. It also describes how PAIN thrived during his tenure as Editor-in-Chief, while providing a window into his ebullient personality. For Allan, pain research continues to be a life-long vocation that provides as much fun and satisfaction as a hobby.