Daniel Carr

Undergraduate Student
​Hello! My name is Daniel Carr, and I am a current Cal State East Bay undergraduate student. I am in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program and I am on track to graduate this December 2023. I also have a few years of experience as a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) prior to the BSN program. I plan to further my education after the BSN program in graduate school. I came across Dr. Ram Kandasamy’s pain lab on the CSUEB “Faculty Looking for Student-Researchers” page and knew right away I wanted to be apart of his lab. I felt this way because as a nursing student and an LVN, acute and chronic pain has been something I have seen in almost every patient that I have taken care of. Pain can be debilitating and severely reduce functionality and overall quality of life. The unfortunate reality in healthcare is that we often run to opioid medications to try and treat pain. In Dr. Ram Kandasamy’s lab, I am being afforded the opportunity to dive deeper into the understanding of how we can treat pain and restore function to improve overall quality of life while reducing the many negatives of opioid use. As far as hobbies, I currently enjoy going to a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class 2-3 times each week, lifting weights each week, hiking, and going to Monterey to try new food and hang out on the beach.

Tiffany Chacon

Undergraduate Student
Hi! My name is Tiffany Chacon, I am a senior undergraduate student that is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Health Sciences. With this degree, I plan to go to medical school in another country to increase my knowledge and cultural competence. My passions consist of promoting equity, medicine, clinical research, and improving human health. Working at the Pain Lab, I have become more proficient in research by conducting assessments and evaluating animal models. The purpose of this research is to investigate new treatments that assist in human health. At the Pain Lab not only do I apply this knowledge to myself but to family as well. Because I was raised by my immigrant parents, they have minimal understanding of the negative effects opioids have on their health. Thus, I would like to inform them of how crucial this research is on developing new drugs to alleviate pain. Moreover, not only am I a full time student at Cal State East Bay but I participate in the Pre-Clinical Laboratory Science Club and advise individuals in the CSUIP program who plan to study abroad. Furthermore, I also work as an instructor and manager at an aquatic school. This position allows me the opportunity to assist individuals of all ages in gaining new skills.

Chris Chin, BA

Research Assistant
I am a dedicated research assistant with over two years of experience working in Dr. Ram Kandasamy's Pain Lab. With a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Cal State East Bay, I have gained invaluable laboratory skills and hands-on experience working with animals in the lab. As someone who has personally dealt with chronic inflammation, I was drawn to Dr. Kandasamy's lab and have made significant contributions to the research team. I have presented my work at several conferences and authored publications, demonstrating my expertise in the field. Through these experiences, I have honed my public speaking and writing skills. Looking towards the future, I plan to apply to several PhD and Masters programs to continue my education and expand my knowledge in the field. Outside of my professional pursuits, I enjoy cooking, reading, and playing video games.

Siena Gunari

Undergraduate Student
Hello, my name is Siena Gunari and my major is Speech Pathology with a minor in Chemistry. I am passionate about science and helping people. I currently work in the STEM lab as a learning assistant and am a Center for Student Research scholar. I am also an officer for the Cal State East Bay Chemistry Club on campus. Additionally, I have been a hospital volunteer for a few years, and through my experience with that, I have gained empathy for those in need, and that is a reason for my motivation to join this lab; to find effective ways to relieve pain in people. I look forward to contributing to the lab and gaining more knowledge in this field of study. After graduating, I plan on gaining more work experience and then applying to graduate school or medical school. I enjoy research because it involves a lot of teamwork, and problem-solving, and is intellectually stimulating. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, listening to music, and gardening.

Monica Khoja

Undergraduate Student
Hello, my name is Monijeh Khoja Herawi, but I go by Monica. I am a Cal State East Bay student majoring in Biology with a concentration in Physiology. Concurrently pursuing my undergraduate degree, I also hold the position of office manager at a pain management clinic dedicated to addressing chronic inflammation and neuropathy. Our practice is committed to liberating patients from the clutches of medications like gabapentin and other drugs that can lead to significant long-term side effects, such as neurodegenerative changes and major organ damage. My passion and curiosity lie in pain management and finding practical solutions that won't affect the quality of life as I watched both of my grandparents fight the battles against pain through medication. I am thankful to have come across Dr. Kandasamy's research and for the opportunity to actively contribute to finding new drugs to alleviate pain while reducing dangerous symptoms or pathways to addictions. After graduating, I plan to step foot into the pharmaceutical industry and apply to graduate school to further my career in pain management. I intend to immerse myself in the industry and contribute to a realm where innovation converges with science to redefine the boundaries of pain management. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, exploring the California coast, visiting new coffee shops and restaurants, and working out.

Stephanie Sanchez

Undergraduate Student
Hi! My name is Stephanie Sanchez and I am a fourth-year undergraduate student at Cal State East Bay. I am double majoring in Biology with a concentration in Physiology and Psychology with a Chemistry minor. After I graduate, I plan to apply my major and research findings to clinical practice and go to medical school. I am very passionate about medicine and have personally experienced debilitating pain. During high school, I endured 3 ACL tears that made me aware of the pain that many people experience post-surgery, which sparked an interest in me to learn more about the human body. In tearing my ACLs I also found out I was allergic to morphine, and was prescribed other medications to ease some of the pain and discomfort such as oxycodone, an opioid medication also used to treat pain and known for its addictive properties.  Dr. Kandasamy’s lab is particularly interesting to me because it highlights the impact that pain medications can have on an individual's growth and development. Through his lab, I have had the opportunity to showcase my findings with β-caryophyllene against acute and chronic pain at a variety of conferences: 34th Annual CSU Biotechnology Symposium 2022, ASPET 2022, SPARC 2022, and SfN 2022. I have also co-authored a journal article called Further Exploration of the Structure-Activity Relationship of Dual Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase/Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Inhibitors. Aside from the lab, I enjoy being involved on campus as a lead in the Peer Academic Coaching program, Vice President of Finance in Alpha Phi, and a Community Builder.​

Cassandra Yuan

Undergraduate Student
Hello! My name is Cassandra Yuan and I go by she/they pronouns. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences concentrating in Microbiology and Biomedical Lab Sciences and also a minor in Chemistry. I am also a Level 3 scholar for the Center for Student Research. As a student researcher in the CSUEB Pain Lab, my role is to evaluate the efficacy of novel pain drugs to relieve chronic and acute inflammatory pain in male rats. The lab provides me with extended research practices and broader knowledge on pharmacological research which is something I hope to pursue as a graduate student in the future. I love a good puzzle, board game, or card game and I also enjoy spending time with my friends, family, and dogs.

Ram Kandasamy, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Faculty Fellow, Center for Student Research
Dr. Kandasamy joined the Department of Psychology at California State University, East Bay in August 2019. Prior to joining Cal State East Bay, he earned his undergraduate degree in neuroscience and psychology from Washington State University in Pullman, WA where he investigated sex differences in cannabinoid analgesia with Dr. Rebecca Craft. He earned his PhD from Washington State University in Vancouver, WA where he pioneered a new behavioral measure of pain and analgesia with Dr. Michael Morgan and taught courses on the biological basis of behavior. Dr. Kandasamy was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Michigan Medical School where he studied the analgesic and abuse-related effects of opioid drugs with Dr. John Traynor. Dr. Kandasamy is currently the Faculty Fellow for the Center for Student Research and is the Principal Investigator of Cal State East Bay's Beckman Scholars Program. 

ALUMNI

Alexis Esguerra, 2023, Intern, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
​Ashley Murray, 2023, PhD Student, Prevention Science, Washington State University
Alyssa Fernandez, 2023, Technician, Vibrant America, Santa Clara, CA
Taylor Quintana, 2022, MS Student, Health Policy and Law, UC College of the Law, San Francisco
Carl Rodriguez, 2021, PhD Student, Psychological Sciences (Behavioral Neuroscience), University of Connecticut