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University of Florida

Team

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Dr. Staja “Star” Booker, PhD, RN, FAAN

Associate Professor (Tenured), Principal Investigator and Director of MY Pain Matters Lab

Home:

Jonesboro, LA

Research Interests:

My research is centered on giving voice to the Black pain experience and finding cultural solutions for chronic pain. I currently have an NIH/NINR funded R01 study testing a culturally congruent pain self-management intervention with African American older adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

bookers@ufl.edu

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Social Media:

Accepting Students: Yes, with some considerations

STAFF

Cynthia Apfelbaum, MPH
Home: Argentina
Role: Clinical Research Coordinator I
Research Interests: Community/public health
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Jianli Wu, PhD, RN

Home: China

Role: Research Interventionist Nurse 

Research Interest: Chronic pain, subjective cognitive decline, aging

CURRENT SCHOLARS AND STUDENTS

Fatih Kunkul PhD, MPH, BSN
Home: Turkey
Role: Postdoctoral Associate
Research Interests: Pain assessment and management, chronic low back pain, patient engagement, health outcomes, health equity
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Simone Jackson, BSN, RN
Home: Milwaukee, WI
Role: 3rd-Year PhD student
Research Interests: Sickle Cell Disease, cannabis use, and pain management
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Sarah Alzahid, BSN, RN, MS 
Home: Khobar City, Saudi Arabia
Role: 2nd-Year PhD student
Research Interests: Post-stroke pain and quality of life
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PAST SCHOLARS AND STUDENTS

Virginia Content, BS
Former McKnight Scholar
Currently PhD student at Penn State

Jianli Wu, PhD, MSN, RN 
2025 PhD Graduate
Currently Research Interventionist- Nurse for PROACTIVE Study
Research Interests: Chronic pain and cognitive function in older adults

Healthy Equity Community Advisory Board 

Our health-equity centered community advisory board, or CAB, plays an important role in advancing the mission of our lab’s research. Our members are valued and represent a collaboration between community members, organizations, faith leaders, and healthcare providers. We come together to listen, learn, support, co-create and evaluate equity-based solutions for chronic pain conditions. 

2022-2024 BOARD

  • Romona Jackson (Director, Carolyn’s Heart)
  • George Guy (VA Chaplain)
  • Angela R. Howard (President, Sickle Cell Disease Association of Florida- North Central Florida Chapter)
  • Guerian Fort (Minister, PASSAGE Family Church)
  • Angela Howard (Director, North Central Florida YMCA)
  • Robert Gadson (person with lived experience of pain)
  • Ernestine Gardner (Retired Nurse; Retired Outreach Coordinator for SCD)

Employment and Volunteer Opportunities 

We accept UF students and community members to volunteer with our lab. All volunteers must complete IRB training to work on our studies.