Kathleen A Sluka is a professor of physical therapy at the University of Iowa. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy in 1985 and went on to obtain her PhD in Anatomy and Neuroscience from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 1993. With over 30 years of experience in the field, she is known for her extensive knowledge and expertise in the areas of pain management and rehabilitation, and in mechanisms of musculoskeletal pain. Throughout her career, Dr. Sluka has conducted groundbreaking research and published over 300 research articles and book chapters on the mechanisms of pain and the effectiveness of different treatments. Her work is translational examining mechanisms in animal studies and translating these to clinical populations. In particular her work has focused on non-pharmaoclogical treatments for pain with a focus on TENS and exercise. She determined mechanisms of TENS, developed effective parameters and tested these in randomized controlled clinical trials. She has then performed studies implementing TENS into primary care as a first-line treatment and testing effectiveness of TENS in a pragmatic trial. She has also served on multiple editorial boards and has been recognized with various awards and honors for her contributions to the field. In addition to her role as a professor, Dr. Sluka is also an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Physical Therapy Association and the International Association for the Study of Pain.