The translational Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (tSCAN) lab’s research focuses on the causes, consequences, and prevention of human suffering related to affective states, such as pain and anger, as they manifest at the intersection of chronic pain and mental health conditions. These strongly co-morbid conditions are globally, the leading factors contributing to years living with disability, resulting in incredible personal, societal, and financial costs.

The thread that ties all research at the tSCAN lab is the premise that to truly understand the mechanisms by which we humans experience, express, and regulate our affective states, we need to consider the inter-relationships between biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors. The tSCAN lab thus uses an interdisciplinary approach, combining methods and approaches from cognitive neuroscience, experimental psychology, and health informatics, while integrating perspectives from emotion science, social and health psychology, pain medicine, psychiatry, and more. 

Core Research Themes

Methods And Approaches

Research Populations