The Finan Lab
The Finan Lab focuses broadly on explicating psychological and neurobiological mechanisms of chronic pain. Within that broad domain, we specifically seek to identify how emotions and pain interact, who evidences characteristics of emotion-related risk and resilience, and when changes in emotions facilitate or inhibit the experience of pain.
We employ intensive longitudinal methods to assess behavioral and objective correlates of pain in real time (e.g., sleep; emotions; opioid use; cannabis use), and utilize laboratory-based experimental methods to understand factors influencing pain perception (e.g., sleep deprivation; quantitative sensory testing; fMRI; pharmacological challenge). Additionally, we develop and test novel therapeutic interventions that engage affect- and sleep-related mechanisms to ameliorate pain and mitigate problematic opioid use.
About the Finan Lab
Patrick H. Finan, PhD
Harold Carron Professor of Anesthesiology
Patrick H. Finan, PhD, is the Harold Carron Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He is a clinical pain psychologist and an expert in cognitive, behavioral, and affective mechanisms and treatments for chronic pain.
He has an active NIH-funded research program that utilizes laboratory (e.g., experimental sleep disruption; quantitative sensory testing; fMRI), ambulatory (e.g., actigraphy; EEG; ecological momentary assessment), and psychotherapeutic intervention (e.g., meditation; cognitive-behavioral therapy) methodologies to probe mechanisms related to chronic pain. Dr. Finan is an Associate Editor for PAIN and is actively involved in committees for the United States Association for the Study of Pain, the International Association for the Study of Pain, and the Winter Conference on Brain Research.
Dr. Finan’s research interests include the biobehavioral features of emotion regulation in individuals with chronic pain. A major focus of his research to date has centered on the measurement and analysis of dynamic measures of pain and emotion captured in the course of daily life. We employ laboratory tools, such as quantitative sensory testing and sleep deprivation, to investigate the reproducibility of information gathered in daily life. We are currently developing behavioral (e.g., sleep behaviors) and neurobiological (e.g., dopaminergic neurotransmission) models to understand the influence of positive emotion and reward processing on pain sensitivity and coping with chronic pain. In the long term, our aim is to improve treatment options for individuals with chronic pain, including those with comorbid substance use disorders.
Ongoing and recently completed grants:
R01AT013240
Finan/Chow (MPIs)
05/15/2025-04/30/2030
“An Adaptive Intervention to Improve Pain Outcomes Following Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Patients”
R33AT012317
Yaden/Finan (MPIs)
08/25/2023-4/30/2026
“Psilocybin and Affective Function in Chronic Low Back Pain and Depression”
R01DA056045
KE Dunn (PI), Role: Co-Investigator
7/1/22-4/30/27
“Randomized Clinical Trial Intervention to Treat Chronic Pain Among Persons Maintained on Methadone for Opioid Use Disorder”
U01HL150835
Huhn/Finan (MPIs)
9/1/19-8/31/24 (in NCE)
“Evaluating the Role of the Orexin System in Circadian Rhythms of Sleep and Stress in Persons on Medication Assisted Treatments for Opioid Use Disorder”
R01DA048206
Smith/Finan (MPIs)
5/1/19-2/29/25 (Pending NCE)
“Effects of Sleep Disruption on Subjective Responses to Opioid Administration in Patients with Chronic Pain”
UH3DA048734
Huhn/Dunn (MPIs), Role: Co-Investigator
4/1/19-8/31/24
“Evaluating Suvorexant for Sleep Disturbance in Opioid Use Disorder”
Nick Cherup, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Nicholas Cherup is a Post-Doctoral Researcher in the Finan Lab, having joined in July 2024. Dr. Cherup completed his PhD at the University of Miami in 2021. He has since gone on to study various mechanisms associated with the development of chronic pain in those living with neurotrauma while designing and testing the efficacy of targeted interventions for chronic pain management. Outside of the lab, Nick teaches yoga, and enjoys promoting wellness through movement and mindfulness!
Claudia Denoue, MD, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Dr. Denoue is a Post-Doctoral Researcher in the Finan Lab, having joined in August 2025. Her research centers on combining neuromodulation techniques with behavioral approaches—including meditation and mindfulness-based strategies—to optimize outcomes for patients with chronic pain. She is particularly interested in identifying predictors of the transition from acute to chronic pain, with the goal of developing personalized approaches for prevention and treatment. Dr. Denoue earned her MD from the Catholic University of Louvain in Brussels, Belgium. She then completed a year of research training at Stanford University before joining UVA for her postdoctoral fellowship. Her long-term goal is to pursue a career as an anesthesiologist with a strong research focus, bridging clinical expertise with innovative scientific approaches to advance non-pharmacological and mechanistic treatments for pain. Dr. Denoue spends her free time reading, working out, cooking, and spending time with her loved ones!
Ayshah Asmat, MS, Clinical Research Coordinator II
Ayshah joined the Finan lab in 2023 after completing her B.S. in Biochemistry and Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master’s in Health Sciences from Drexel University. With a strong foundation in clinical research and a deep interest in patient-centered care, Ayshah plans to pursue a career in the medical field, where she hopes to bridge research and clinical practice to improve health outcomes. In her free time, Ayshah enjoys playing pickleball and diving into all kinds of puzzles!
Zayn Shahzad, Clinical Research Coordinator I
Zayn joined the Finan Lab in early 2025 after earning a B.A. in Cognitive Science from the University of Virginia. He has worked as a research assistant at the Darden School of Business conducting behavioral research, and at James Madison University, researching rodent psychomotor vigilance task performance under chronic sleep restriction and systematic caffeine administration. A gearhead and aviation enthusiast, Zayn enjoys attending car and race events across the East Coast, and exploring aviation war history!
Patricia Castro-Martinez, Clinical Research Coordinator I
Pati joined the lab in May 2024 as an Undergraduate Research Assistant before becoming a Clinical Research Coordinator in August 2025. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Neuroscience. She is interested in the intersections of psychology with creativity, mindfulness, and altered states of consciousness. Outside of the lab, Pati enjoys making art, running, spending time outdoors, and going to concerts!
Lisa Lewis, Clinical Research Coordinator II
Lisa graduated from the Medical College of Virginia in 2000 with an MS in Physical Therapy. As a PT she worked in various specialties including home care, geriatrics and pelvic floor rehabilitation. She joined the UVA Department of Orthopedic Surgery as a Clinical Research Coordinator in November, 2023. She currently works primarily with the Spine Surgery and Adult Reconstruction divisions.
Jingrun Lin, Clinical Psychology PhD Student
Jingrun began working with Dr. Finan in Spring 2025. She previously earned a B.A. from Boston College and is currently a fifth-year Ph.D. student in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests focus on a multi-level approach to understanding the mechanisms underlying pain perception, experience, and clinical interventions. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends, exploring good food, and playing board games!
Jahred Rosa-Sullivan, Graduate Research Assistant
Jahred grew up in Massachusetts and completed his undergraduate studies at UCLA, where he studied psychology and religion. He has continued to pursue similar, convergent interests at UVA, where his Master’s curriculum includes courses on Asian philosophical traditions and research methods in the psychological sciences. Over the past year and a half, Jahred has spent most of his time as a research assistant in the Contemplative Innovation + Research Co-Lab (CIRCL), helping to launch some of its initial projects. He spends the rest of his time as a support hand for clinical studies, manuscript writings, and other duties in the Finan Lab. When not meticulously plugging away behind his laptop or in the lab, Jahred can be found sucking wind out on a basketball court, venturing along a walking trail, or at salsa lessons!
Sam Nelson, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Sam joined the lab in Fall 2024 as a Research Assistant. He is currently pursuing a B.S. in Chemistry with a specialization in Biochemistry and is expected to graduate in 2026. Outside of the lab, Sam works as an EMT and plans to attend medical school in the future. In his free time, Sam enjoys hiking, reading, staying active, learning new things, and spending time with family and friends!
Jackson Haught, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Jackson joined the lab in June 2025 as a Research Assistant. He is a second-year Echols Scholar and is currently pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience, on the pre-med track. Outside of the lab, Jackson plays tennis and works as an EMT with the Lakeside Volunteer Rescue Squad. Jackson also sings and plays the guitar, and is always looking for new song recommendations to perform!
Carly Hunt, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Currently Owner/Operator of Present Mind Consulting
Author of Train Your Brain to Beat Chronic Pain: How to Harness the Power of the Mind-Body Connection
Carol Climent Sanz BSc, MSc, PhD, Post-Doctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins University
Currently Assistant Professor, International University of Catalonia
Caitlin DuPont, PhD, Post-Doctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins University
Currently Pain Psychologist, Kaiser Permanente
Jennifer Ellis, PhD, Post-Doctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins University
Currently Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Matthew Reid, PhD, Post-Doctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins University
Currently Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Wang, Dan, Xiaohan Zhang, Shuqi Ye, Patrick Realyvasquez, Patrick Finan, Mark Quigg, Shayan Moosa, W. Jeffrey Elias, and Chang-Chia Liu. “Pain Catastrophising Amplifies Parietal Responses to Painful Laser Stimulation in Healthy Controls.” European journal of pain (London, England)29, no. 9 (2025): e70117.
Ellis, Jennifer D., Ashley E. Chipoletti, Siny Tsang, Courtney D. Nordeck, Erin M. Anderson Goodell, Chung Jung Mun, Marc O. Martel et al. “Craving for Opioid and Cannabis Use Among Adults with Chronic Pain: Insights from a 30-Day Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.” Drug and Alcohol Dependence(2025): 112843.
McKendrick, Greer, Charlotte Clapham, Vadim Zipunnikov, Jennifer D. Ellis, Patrick Finan, Kelly E. Dunn, Eric C. Strain, David Wolinsky, and Andrew S. Huhn. “Effects of suvorexant on diurnal cortisol and patient-reported stress during opioid withdrawal in a randomized trial.” Psychoneuroendocrinology(2025): 107570.
Elias, W. Jeffrey, Chang-Chia Liu, Divine Nwafor, Patrick H. Finan, Mark Quigg, and Shayan Moosa. “Stereotactic Focused Ultrasound Mesencephalotomy for the Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer Pain.” Stereotactic and functional neurosurgery(2025).
Cherup, Nicholas P., and Patrick H. Finan. “Psilocybin as a psychophysical adaptogen in chronic pain rehabilitation.” The Journal of Pain(2025): 105507.
Bjurström, Martin F., Kristoffer Bothelius, Pernilla Maathz, Susanna Jernelöv, Martin Kraepelien, Alexander HC Rosenström, Andrea Niklasson et al. “Randomised, controlled clinical trial evaluating the effects of preoperative insomnia treatment on postoperative pain control and recovery: a protocol for the Promoting Sleep to Alleviate Pain-Arthroplasty (PROSAP-A) trial.” BMJ open15, no. 7 (2025): e099785.
McKendrick, Greer, Caitlyn J. Durgin, Andrew S. Huhn, Cecilia L. Bergeria, Patrick H. Finan, Denis Antoine, and Kelly E. Dunn. “Inter-individual divergence in thresholds for detecting opioid effects: Within-subject human laboratory evidence of a testable behavioral phenotype.” Drug and alcohol dependence271 (2025): 112644.
Hunt, Carly A., Janelle E. Letzen, Dana Direnzio, Neda F. Gould, Erica MS Sibinga, Maria Vetter, Caroline Webb, Patrick H. Finan, and Chung Jung Mun. “The self-efficacy for regular meditation practice scale (SERMS): Development and psychometric validation.” Journal of Health Psychology30, no. 7 (2025): 1550-1562.
Wang, Dan, Shuqi Ye, Xiaohan Zhang, Whitney Carter, Patrick Finan, Mark Quigg, Shayan Moosa, W. Jeffrey Elias, and Chang‐Chia Liu. “Temporal summation of pain varies across body regions: A cutaneous laser stimulation study in healthy controls.” The Journal of Pain(2025): 105453.
Daniel, Katharine, James Kinchen, Angela Chang, Patrick Finan, and Philip Chow. “Identifying Time-Variant Predictors of Interest in Completing Brief Digital Mental Health Interventions Among Adult Cancer Survivors: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.” (2025).