Hopkins Pain & Rehabilitation Lab
We are a collaborative research team dedicated to understanding the factors that influence pain, disability, and access to evidence-based care - with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for individuals living with pain.
Leadership
Fenan Rassu, Ph.D.
Co-Director
Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Dr. Fenan Rassu is a licensed clinical psychologist whose research focuses on understanding factors influencing pain, disability, and the use of evidence-based care. He is particularly interested in examining social and systemic factors that contribute to disparities in pain experiences and treatment.
Rachel Aaron, Ph.D.
Co-Director
Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Dr. Rachel Aaron is a licensed clinical psychologist whose research focuses on improving outcomes for individuals with or at risk for chronic pain, with a particular emphasis on pain prevention following orthopedic trauma and the role of emotional factors.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Kristen Pasko, Ph.D.
Pain Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow, Class of 2026
Her research focuses on adjustment to chronic illness and injury, psychosocial influences on health behavior engagement, and coping with changes in body image, including both appearance and functionality. She is especially interested in applying these insights to improve outcomes for individuals living with pain and chronic health conditions.
Vindhya Ekanayake, Psy.D.
Pain Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow, Class of 2028
Her research focuses on understanding how emotional awareness and cultural factors influence the experience and treatment of chronic pain. She is especially interested in mind-body approaches and improving access to evidence-based pain treatments for underserved populations.
Research Assistants
Sylvia Johnson
Research Program Assistant
Sylvia provides support for the lab's research initiatives, playing a key role in project coordination, administrative tasks, and ensuring research activities run smoothly.
Ruomu Dong
Research Assistant
Undergraduate pursuing Psychology and Cognitive Science at Johns Hopkins. Passionate about understanding the subjective and sociocultural aspects of pain with interest in qualitative research.
Ryan Hunte
Research Assistant
Completing his Master of Science in Nursing at Johns Hopkins. Brings over a decade of healthcare leadership experience from the U.S. Army, interested in pain psychology research.
Gloria Kammer
Research Assistant
Background in Health Sciences with prior experience on an asthma intervention study. Leads qualitative interviews for the lab's research projects.
Spoorthy Reddy
Research Assistant
Undergraduate double majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Philosophy. Interested in understanding how patients experience and navigate pain management.
Mahi Shah
Research Assistant
Undergraduate double majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Psychology. Interested in understanding how psychological factors influence pain experiences.
Alumni
Former Postdoctoral Fellows
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychological Science, UNC-Charlotte
Former Research Assistants
M.D. candidate, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
M.D. candidate, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Undergraduate, Johns Hopkins University