Danielle is a current NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre funded PhD Student within the Health Psychology Section at King’s College London. She is conducting a series of studies on pain in remission of inflammatory bowel diseases – i.e., Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis - and any overlap with symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome. The core of her work is the lab-based measurement of pain processing, but she also has an applied angle. She has set up several qualitative studies aimed at gaining a better understanding of experiences, communication, and information provision around abdominal pain during quiescent Inflammatory Bowel Disease, as well as views on irritable bowel syndrome in relation to Inflammatory Bowel Disease. For this she has interviewed IBD patients, analysed information available online, and is currently interviewing healthcare professionals. Supervisors: Professor Rona Moss-Morris, Dr Kirsty Bannister, and Professor Stephen McMahon.

Danielle obtained a master's degree in clinical neuropsychology at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, where her dissertation focused on relationship between intelligence and recurrent processing in the visual cortex.

Danielle’s research interests are focused on chronic (abdominal) pain, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, health psychology, psychophysiology, health literacy and patient education.

Project Title

Exploring biopsychosocial mechanisms of abdominal pain in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  

About Project

Abdominal pain is a central symptom of inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. These two conditions have distinct aetiologies. Inflammatory bowel disease is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Irritable bowel syndrome does not have clear biomarkers and is diagnosed based on symptom reports. Biopsychosocial factors seem to play a role in both conditions. The aim of Danielle's PhD, funded by the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre pain theme, is to explore the role of biological, psychological, and social factors in the development and perpetuation of pain in inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome.