Research Trainee Spotlight: Cristal Lopez, PhD
Can acupuncture, yoga, massage, biofeedback and mindfulness help children manage their pain? That is just one of the questions that Cristal Lopez, PhD, aims to answer.
A Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow in the Biobehavioral Pain Lab, which is led by Jeffrey Gold, PhD, Dr. Lopez is evaluating integrative medicine approaches for children with acute or chronic pain. But her research also has another dimension.
“I’m interested in how cultural factors can affect a family’s openness to receiving these interventions,” she explains. “In addition, my project examines how adverse childhood experiences can impact psychosocial behavioral outcomes for children with pain.”
Dr. Lopez got her start in research as an undergraduate at California State University, San Marcos. There, she earned a National Institutes of Health grant for her work, which focused on the impact of acculturative stress (sometimes called “culture shock”) on mental health within the Latinx community.
“I grew up as a first-generation student,” she shares. “My goal is to be a scientist-practitioner at a pediatric academic medical center, where I can conduct research and clinical work that inform one another and make an impact on diverse pediatric patients.”
Raised in Lake Elsinore, California, Dr. Lopez prioritizes self-care, including yoga, mindfulness and Zumba classes. On weekends, you’ll find her hanging out with family, baking something scrumptious or planning her next travel adventure.
