My lab, housed in the Department of Medicine, Division of Behavioral Medicine, is broadly focused on the intersection of chronically painful medical conditions and substance use. My program of research seeks to use novel research methodology to identify biopsychosocial mechanisms of pain and substance use that can be targeted with brief, personalized behavioral interventions.

Specifically, my past work has examined chronically painful medical conditions across the lifespan, including chronic low back pain, primary chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome, HIV, perioperative pain, and cancer, and how cognitive-affective factors (e.g., pain-related anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, emotion regulation) are associated with exacerbated pain experience, and also link these conditions to substance use (and vice versa), including opioid, alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use. My work thus far has resulted in developing a brief, computer-delivered intervention to specifically target these vulnerability factors.

Currently, my research is focused on adolescent and young adult cancer-related pain and opioid use. My lab utilizes a combination of research methodologies, including mixed-methods/qualitative, patient reported outcomes, wearables, and intensive longitudinal/ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to elucidate the complex and dynamic relationships between pain and substance use. Ultimately, my work hopes to identify ways to improve non-pharmacological pain management, and inform pain-management guidelines for this vulnerable population.

A secondary focus of my work is on advanced quantitative modelling to develop briefer and more precise ways to deliver treatments to reduce pain and substance use disparities among vulnerable populations.