About
Dr. Wiebke Gandhi serves as a Lecturer in Psychology and Co-Lead of the CINN Pain Lab within the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences. Her research centers on the psychological and neural mechanisms of pain regulation, with particular focus on individual differences in coping strategies for chronic pain conditions.
Education:
- Psychology studies at University of Mainz, Germany
- PhD from McGill University, Montreal (dissertation: pain-reward interactions and motivational regulation of pain)
Dr. Gandhi investigates how emotion, cognition, and motivation modulate pain perception through multimodal neuroimaging approaches (fMRI, MRS, PET, EEG, MEG). Her work identifies biomarkers of vulnerability versus resilience in chronic pain, incorporating cultural dimensions of pain communication and individual variability in aversive situation management. Current research examines neural mechanisms underlying psychological influences on pain regulation.
Scientific Awards:
- Leverhulme Postdoctoral Fellowship
As CINN Pain Lab Co-Lead, Dr. Gandhi directs research bridging experimental pain paradigms with clinical applications. Her lab implements standardized quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocols while exploring translational pathways for chronic pain management interventions. Mentored by Professor Carien van Reekum, her work integrates clinical pain populations with neuroimaging to develop personalized pain regulation strategies.
