Akiko Okifuji

Akiko Okifuji, PhD is Professor of Anesthesiology in the Division of Pain Medicine at the University of Utah, where she serves as a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in pain management and conducts active pain research. She is a core member of the University of Utah Pain Management Center treatment team, providing behavioral medicine services for chronic pain patients while leading federally funded investigations into pain treatment efficacy.

Her educational background includes:

• B.A. in Psychology from State University of New York at Stony Brook
• M.A. in Psychology from State University of New York at Binghamton
• Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from State University of New York at Binghamton
• Psychiatry Internship at University of Pittsburgh
• Psychology Fellowship at University of Pittsburgh

Dr. Okifuji's research program integrates psychological, physiological, and social dimensions of chronic pain, with primary emphases on fibromyalgia rehabilitation strategies, weight management interventions, women's health considerations, opioid use psychophysiology, and cognitive-behavioral treatment frameworks. Her work consistently examines cost-effectiveness of multidisciplinary approaches while developing novel assessment methodologies for pain conditions.

Analysis of her 11 recent publications (2014-2022) reveals strong thematic continuity in opioid management research, fibromyalgia pathophysiology, and innovative pain measurement tools. Key trends include interdisciplinary collaborations across pharmacy, obstetrics, and exercise science domains, with growing focus on pandemic-related impacts on pain care and substance use. Her publications demonstrate methodological diversity spanning clinical trials, secondary data analyses, and novel scale development.

Dr. Okifuji has secured continuous funding as principal investigator and co-investigator for federal and locally sponsored pain research projects, particularly examining opioid tapering protocols, fibromyalgia activity patterns, and cost-benefit analyses of multidisciplinary pain programs. While specific student mentorship isn't documented in the source text, her professorial role inherently involves training future pain specialists through clinical supervision and research collaboration.

She operates within the University of Utah Pain Management Center ecosystem, contributing behavioral expertise to the multidisciplinary treatment team while conducting research through the Department of Anesthesiology's Division of Pain Medicine. Her clinical-research integration exemplifies translational pain medicine approaches within an academic medical center setting.