Welcome to the Pain, Addiction and Translational Health (PATH) Lab!

The PATH Lab is focused on understanding the connection between pain and substance use – especially in the context of chronic illness and cancer survivorship. We are dedicated to translational science, and our team utilizes multi-method approaches ranging from laboratory experiments, large national datasets, and randomized controlled trials. The goal of this research is to identify potential mechanisms of action and modifiable treatment targets in pain and substance use (nicotine/tobacco, alcohol, opioids, cannabis, benzodiazepines) to inform the development of evidence-based strategies that improve pain management, addiction treatment, and overall health outcomes among the 50 million U.S. adults living with chronic pain.

The lab is directed by Dr. Jessica Powers, a licensed clinical psychologist and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Assistant Scientist in the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research & Treatment at the University of Kansas. Our research and clinical activities are broadly in the areas of health psychology and behavioral medicine, and we are connected with the University of Kansas Comprehensive Cancer Center and the University of Kansas Medical Center.