Fenan Rassu, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist • Assistant Professor
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
My name is Fenan Rassu, Ph.D. (pronounced: fun-ANN Rah-soo). I'm a licensed clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Clinically, I work with adults living with disability due to injury or illness, including chronic pain. My research examines factors linked to pain, disability, and mental health, with an emphasis on improving access to and use of evidence-based care.
As Co-Director of the Hopkins Pain & Rehabilitation Lab, I lead studies that examine how social and system-level factors - from neighborhood conditions to how care is delivered - shape who gets help for pain and how well it works.
Recent Updates
July 29, 2026
Summer Lab Hangout at Ministry of Brewing
We gathered for a summer lab hangout at Ministry of Brewing to share some pizza and enjoy each other's company outside the usual meetings and deadlines. It was also a chance to send off our postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Kristen Pasko, with gratitude for all she has brought to the lab.
May 8, 2026
Ruomu Dong Presents at UCLA PURC
Undergraduate research assistant Ruomu Dong traveled to UCLA to present her poster on pain distribution and psychological distress at the UCLA Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference.
April 20, 2026
Dr. Kristen Pasko Shares Her Research and Clinical Work
Our Pain Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Kristen Pasko, delivered a practice job talk to the Division of Rehabilitation Psychology and Neuropsychology. She walked us through her career trajectory, clinical case studies, and research program on coping and health behavior engagement in chronic illness and injury.