Main navigation

Director
Kathleen A. Sluka, PT, PhD, FAPTA

Research Specialist
Lynn Rasmussen, BA
Lynn received her BA in Psychology from the University of Iowa. Lynn is our laboratory manager and has been with the team since 2006. She takes care of all operations and is actively involved in mentoring trainees and collecting data. She is currently working on the exercise-induced pain and analgesia studies, A2CPS and the Metabolic Biomarkers in Fibromyalgia study.

Research Assistant
Sandy Mostaert, BA
Sandy works for the Institute for Clinical and Translational Science as a Clinical Trials Research Assistant and Data Management. Sandy was assigned in 2019 under the direction of Dr. Sluka to assist in clinical trials for pain management. She is currently working on the Fibromyalgia Transcutaneous Electrica Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in Physical Therapy study (FM-TIPS), A2CPS, and Metabolic Biomarkers in Fibromyalgia study.
Collaborating Professors

Ruth L. Chimenti, PT, PhD
Dr. Chimenti is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science whose research focuses on Achilles Tendinopathy. She did a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Sluka and continues to collaborate on ongoing projects. She is working with the FM-TIPS study team. Visit her website for more information on her research in her laboratory.

Dana Dailey, PT, PhD
Dr. Dailey has worked with the laboratory since 2006. She received her PhD in 2013 under the direction of Dr. Sluka and has been working with the team on clinical trials. She is currently an Assistant Professor at St. Ambrose University and works on the A2CPS and FM-TIPS projects.

Laura A. Frey Law, PT, PhD
Dr. Frey Law is a Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science whose research focuses on both pain and fatigue. She an Dr. Sluka have been collaborating for years and hold two grants together as MPI to examine biomarkers (A2CPS and metabolomics). Visit her website for more information on research in her laboratory.

Carol G.T. Vance, PT, PhD
Dr. Vance has been working in the laboratory since 1996 on both animal and human studies. She received her PhD in Rehabilitation Science under the direction of Dr. Sluka and is currently a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science here at the University of Iowa. She is currently working on the A2CPS and FM-TIPS projects.

Assistant Research Scientist
Giovanni Berardi, PT, PhD
Dr. Berardi received his PT degree from Rosalind Franklin University and practiced in Chicago for several years before returning to Marquette University to receive his PhD in Clinical & Translational Rehabilitation Health Science under the direction of Marie Hoeger Bement, PT, PhD. Giovanni joined the laboratory in November of 2020 initially as a Postdoctoral Scholar. He is currently in the role of Assistant Research Scientist and is working on the A2CPS and Metabolic Biomarkers for Fibromyalgia projects .

Visiting Scholar
Kazuhiro Hayashi, PT, PhD
Dr. Hayashi received his PT degree from Magoya University and practiced in Japan for several years before he received his PhD in Medical Science from Aichi Medical University under the direction of Takahiro Ushida. He joined the laboratory in July 2020 and is working on the role of purinergic receptors in exercise-induced pain.
PhD Students

Angela Smith (Neuroscience PhD Student)
Angela received her bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science from the University of Arizona before joining the Neuroscience PhD program in August 2021. She joined the laboratory in May 2022 and is investigating the role of spinal dopamine in pain chronification.
Research Assistants/Associates
- Jonah Pedelty
- Andrew Post
- Kari Vance
Research Interns
- Greg Bernhard
- Robert Flanagan
Student Employees
- Elizabeth Gross
DPT Research Group
- Madden Adams
- Eve Foley
- Maya Gault
- Noah Glaser
- Hunter Hessong
- Natalie Paulson
- Emilie Vaske
The Neurobiology of Pain Laboratory has had a number of individuals participating in research throughout the years. Below is a listing of past laboratory members and where they are now.
Past Laboratory Members
PhD Graduates
Adam Janowski, PT, PhD
Yun-Tao Ma, MD, PhD
Takeshi Yokoyama, DDS, PhD
Masahiko Ikeuchi, MD, PhD
Richard Liebano, PT, PhD
Lucindo Quintans-Junior, PhD
Morgana DaSilva, PT, PhD
Larissa Resende de Oliveira, PT
Nicholas Cooper, PT, PhD