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IU Indianapolis Pain Research Laboratory
Faculty
Adam T. Hirsh
Lab Director
Professor, Psychology
athirsh@iu.edu
I am a Clinical Psychologist and Professor in the Department of Psychology at IU Indianapolis. I established the Pain Research Laboratory in 2010. At the broadest level, I am interested in the biopsychosocial aspects of pain and functioning in humans. This allows me to examine a wide variety of clinically-important research questions (see above links for details), which challenges me scientifically and creatively and also satisfies my natural curiosity. Outside of the lab, I spend a lot of time offline -- running, hiking, cycling, and digging in the dirt.
Amy Williams
Clinical Director of Riley Pain Center
Associate Professor, Clinical Psychiatry
amyewill@iu.edu
I am an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology in Clinical Psychiatry at Indiana University School of Medicine, and am the Clinical Director of the Riley Pain Center. My clinical and research interests are in pediatric psychology. I work clinically in the Riley Pain Clinic and on the Psychiatry Consultation Liaison Service at Riley Hospital for Children. My research focuses on psychological factors associated with pediatric pain. In particular, I am interested in pain coping and adjustment, strategies to identify children at risk for development of chronic pain (including quantitative sensory testing), and improving interventions to prevent and/or treat chronic pain conditions. In my free time I chase around 3 young kids…if that counts as free time.
Lindsay Flegge
Clinical Health Psychologist, IU Pain Rehabilitation Program
Assistant Professor, Clinical Psychiatry
lflegge@iu.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychiatry at Indiana University School of Medicine and dually employed at IU Health, where I work as a clinical health psychologist for our Pain Rehabilitation Program and Pain Navigation Service. I have a master’s degree in social work from Indiana University and a master’s degree in school psychology from Ball State University. I completed my doctorate degree at Ball State University, my doctoral internship in health psychology at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, IN, and my postdoctoral fellowship in pain psychology at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI. My research focuses on understanding comorbidities of chronic pain, including eating disorders, and expanding access to biofeedback for chronic pain. Outside of research, I am always up for chatting about women’s health, religious trauma, and prescription rights for psychologists. When I’m not working, I’m reading thrillers, following celebrity gossip, planning trips, tracking down local kombucha, and building Legos with my boys.
Kate Myers-Coffman
Music Therapist
Research Scientist, Psychology
myerskaa@iu.edu
I am a Board-Certified Music Therapist, educator, and researcher co-leading a series of studies examining the impact of music therapy programming on treatment outcomes and experiences at outpatient opioid clinics across the state of Indiana. I also work at Riley Grief Services as a music therapist supporting grieving youth. My scholarship and research focus on critical pedagogies, suicide prevention in music therapy, and community-based, resource-oriented music therapy with youth and adults navigating trauma and loss. Outside of work, you can find me skateboarding with my kiddo and partner, spending time and hosting gatherings with beloveds, reading with a warm cup of tea, making music, and traveling.
Staff
Jennifer Garabrant
jwilkers@iu.edu
I am a Program Manager in the Department of Psychology at IU Indianapolis. I have a long history with IU, first earning my Bachelor of Social Work in 1998 and then returning as a staff member. With more than 25 years of experience in research—almost all with IU—I have worked in FDA-regulated research, research compliance, and, currently, social and behavioral research. I joined the Department of Psychology in 2014 and use my skills and experience to support investigators and help studies run smoothly and successfully while maintaining compliance. Outside of work, I enjoy listening to podcasts, exercising, and spending time with my husband, our two teenagers, our dog, and our extended family and friends.
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Shelby Schuller-Hsu
shelschu@iu.edu
I am a Project Manager at Indiana University Indianapolis, where I support our State Opioid Response grant-funded work examining music therapy for individuals receiving care for opioid use disorder. As the project manager, I work behind the scenes to keep the project moving — from coordinating across partners and organizing project activities to managing data, reports, documentation, and other day-to-day logistics. My background is in education and nonprofit program management, and I enjoy bringing structure and organization to complex projects while helping teams turn ideas into meaningful programs and outcomes. I hold degrees in Applied Mathematics and Spanish from Georgia Tech and a Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Mathematics from Piedmont College. Outside of work, I enjoy reading, making music, exploring new places, drinking entirely too much iced coffee, and spending time with my family.
PhD Students
Kristina Bogdan
krbogdan@iu.edu
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I am a seventh-year student in the Pain Lab and the Clinical Psychology program at IU Indianapolis. I am currently on internship at IU School of Medicine. I earned my BS in Health Psychology from MCPHS University and my MS in Pain Research, Education, and Policy from Tufts University School of Medicine. My research interests broadly include the doctor-patient relationship, pain-related invalidation, pain education for health professionals, and the long-term management of complex pain disorders (such as fibromyalgia). I plan to utilize both quantitative and qualitative methods to answer research questions about pain. In my leisure time I enjoy working on various art projects, playing cooperative online games with friends, exercising, gardening, and spending time with my birds.
Margaret Rose-McCandlish
mrosemcc@iu.edu
I am a sixth-year student and doctoral candidate in the Pain Lab and the Clinical Psychology program at IU Indianapolis. I am currently on internship at VA Palo Alto Health Care System. I earned my BA in psychology from Middlebury College where I was a research assistant in the Clinical Psychophysiology Lab studying post-traumatic stress disorder. I then completed a post-baccalaureate fellowship in the Affective Neuroscience and Pain lab at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. At IU Indianapolis, I conduct research on psychosocial factors affecting pain perception and treatment, gender and racial disparities in pain care, and clinical interventions to improve pain management. In my spare time I enjoy listening to audiobooks, hiking, and talking about pain care.
Ashley "Chachi" Bocanegra
asdboca@iu.edu
I am a fourth-year student in the Pain Lab and the Clinical Psychology program at IU Indianapolis. I earned my BS in psychology from the University of North Texas, Denton. My research interests center on examining racial differences among women experiencing gynecological pain from various conditions. I seek to understand how these differences influence their experiences and concerns regarding pain, as well as the barriers they encounter in obtaining adequate care and having their voices heard. I am particularly drawn to qualitative data, as it allows for a deeper understanding of their unique stories and perspectives. When I’m not busy I’m spoiling my dogs, Adam and Olive, who always manage to brighten my day. Additionally, I’m a lover of all things art, I love to paint, draw, knit, and crochet.
Emma Estrella
ecestrel@iu.edu
I am a fourth-year student in the Pain Lab and the Clinical Psychology program at IU Indianapolis. I earned my BS in psychology from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. My research focuses on biopsychosocial factors that shape pain-related functioning and adjustment among individuals with chronic pain and complex health conditions. I am particularly interested in how patient-provider relationships and healthcare experiences influence pain management and health outcomes, as well as factors that hinder or facilitate appropriate assessment and care for individuals with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorder. In my free time, I enjoy participating in pop culture and fandom-related activities, drinking bubble tea (and searching for new shops), and spending time with my cat, Ricky.
Sean Carey
careys@iu.edu
I am a fourth-year student in the Clinical Psychology program at IU Indianapolis. I earned my BA in Psychology and English from the College of William and Mary. My research interests include treatment decision-making and adjustment in chronic pain. Outside of the lab, I enjoy cooking, running, and various creative hobbies.
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Caitlin Krater
ckrater@iu.edu
I am a fourth-year PhD student in Music Therapy, with a minor in Public Health, at Indiana University Indianapolis. My dissertation research investigates the neurobiological mechanisms of music therapy on drug craving in adults with opioid use disorder, as well as the lived experiences of people who engage with music during treatment. My broader research interests include creative arts within public health initiatives, grief and bereavement, and LGBTQIA2S+ health, and I'm especially drawn to work that bridges the gap between research and clinical practice. Outside of work, I'm usually cheering on the WNBA, thinking about what justice actually looks like in people's everyday lives, dancing, making music with friends, biking around the city, or hanging out with my twins.
Research Assistants
J.Marilyn Jallah
Nyala Sepasert
Lab Alums
Graduate/Postdoctoral
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Alynna Summit, PhD, 2026 (graduate)
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
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Alexis Grant, PhD, 2024 (graduate)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale School of Medicine / Connecticut VA Health Care System
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Philip Procento, PhD, 2024 (graduate)
Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine
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Tracy Anastas, PhD, 2022 (graduate)
Research Scientist, Modus Outcomes
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Lauren Mehok, PhD, 2022 (graduate)
Clinical Health Psychologist, New Mexico VA Health Care System
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Mary Milder, PhD, 2021 (postdoctoral)
Clinical Psychologist, Great Lakes Neurobehavioral Center
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Megan Miller, PhD, 2019 (graduate), 2021 (postdoctoral)
Assistant Professor, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati Department of Pediatrics
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Nicole Hollingshead, PhD, 2017 (graduate)
Associate Professor of Family Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine
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Samantha Meints, PhD, 2017 (graduate)
Assistant Professor, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
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Jennifer Steiner, PhD, 2013 (graduate)
Clinical Psychologist and Owner, Beyond the Body Health Psychology Services
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Postbaccalaureate
Parneet Manjal
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Undergraduate
Jill Gonzalves
Kaylee Murphy
Hannah Illuzzi
Erin Clark
Alexis Ridenour
Kaitlyn Walsh
Eva Kimberly
Tori Rone
David Wuest
Kayla Jackson
Madison Stout
Sam Abplanalp
Kayla Najera
Anna Squillace
Macey Miller
Charnelle Free
Amanda Neufer
Stephanie Middleton
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