Transforming Pain Assessment in Dementia Care: Dr Mustafa Atee’s Innovation with Global Impact
In 2024, Dr Mustafa Atee received the Discovery Award sponsored by DJSIR recognising his pioneering work improving pain assessment and management for people living with dementia.
The award recognises early career researchers whose work has already demonstrated significant impact and Dr Atee’s research is a powerful example of discovery translated into real-world change.
Dr Atee’s work addresses a critical and often overlooked challenge in healthcare, identifying pain in individuals who are unable to communicate it.
Pain is common among people with dementia, yet it is frequently under-detected, under-treated and poorly monitored, leading to serious consequences including agitation, depression, falls and inappropriate medication use.
Through his PhD research, Dr Atee developed PainChek®, a world-first, regulatory-approved medical device that uses artificial intelligence to assess pain in non-verbal adults.
The technology combines automated facial recognition with clinical behavioural indicators to detect and quantify pain in real time. By analysing subtle facial muscle movements alongside observable behaviours, the tool provides clinicians with a structured, objective way to assess pain, reducing reliance on subjective judgement.
From Discovery to Global Impact
What began as an early-career research project has since been translated into a globally adopted healthcare solution.
Dr Atee co-founded PainChek Ltd, scaling the technology across aged care systems internationally. At the time of nomination the platform was used in more than 1,800 aged care homes across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada, with over 6 million digital pain assessments completed.
The technology has been integrated into clinical workflows and aged care systems, supporting more consistent, evidence-based pain management.
Clinical studies and implementation programs have demonstrated improvements in pain detection, management and quality of life, alongside reductions in inappropriate medication use.
The impact extends beyond individual care, contributing to broader system improvements — including better documentation, improved compliance with aged care standards and more efficient care delivery.
Building Momentum as an Emerging Research Leader
Since receiving the Discovery Award, Dr Atee has continued to expand his research and collaborative work.
“The most significant development since winning the Award was securing MRFF funding as one of the chief investigators for a research project focused on digital support for carers and people living with dementia,” he said.
The recognition has also strengthened his visibility and opened new opportunities for collaboration.
“The Award has raised my visibility, provided additional recognition for my research efforts and created opportunities to build partnerships with researchers both in Australia and internationally.”
For Dr Atee, recognition plays an important role in supporting early-career researchers and accelerating innovation.
“These awards showcase the fantastic work of researchers across Australia and motivate us to continue advancing medical and health sciences, making a difference to millions of lives.”
He also encourages others to recognise their peers.
“If you know a researcher who is making an impact, I strongly recommend nominating them — their efforts deserve to be recognised and celebrated.”
2026 Research Australia Awards
Dr Atee’s work highlights how early-career research can deliver meaningful impact — improving care, enhancing quality of life and driving innovation at scale.