Steven Branstetter has research interests in nicotine addiction, smoking behaviors, and individual and contextual influences on tobacco use in adults and adolescents.
Sonia Cavigelli conducts interdisciplinary research on the causes and consequences of individual differences in stress- and fear-related behavior and physiology.
Associate Professor of Biobehavioral Health and College of Nursing
Summary Statement
Anne-Marie Chang's research involves the inter-relationships of sleep physiology and behavior, circadian rhythms, cardio-metabolic health, cognitive function and genomics.
The goal of Eric Claus' research is to identify neural and cognitive mechanisms that support behavior change in substance use disorders. In addition, he uses neuromodulation techniques to modify functioning in relevant circuits in order to r
Professor
Director, Social Science Research Institute
Summary Statement
Deborah Ehrenthal, MD, MPH, is director of the Social Science Research Institute and professor of biobehavioral health. Her research is focused on the social and healthcare factors that shape the health of women and children over the life course.
Christopher Engeland is interested in how stress, age, gender, and hormones affect immunity, inflammation, and health. He has a particular interest in wound healing and surgical recovery, dementia, depression, and preterm birth.
Jean Phillips Shibley Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Department Head
Summary Statement
The goal of Thomas Gould's research is to use genetic, pharmacological, behavioral, and molecular biological techniques to study the neurobiology of learning and memory and the effects of addiction on it.
Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Associate Director, Center for Healthy Aging
Summary Statement
Jenn Graham-Engeland, Director of the MESH Lab, investigates the the associations between psychological stress and stress responses with physical health and well-being.
Assistant Research Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Summary Statement
Margeaux Gray's translational sleep research is focused on nonpharmacologic interventions to improve sleep quality and continuity, with topics of emphasis including the interaction among sleep, pain, and attention, and sleep fragmentation's impact on daytime function.
Assistant Professor of Nutritional Sciences and Biobehavioral Health
Summary Statement
I am a neuropharmacologist with interests in G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling, nutritional neuroscience, neuroendocrine physiology, and preclinical drug discovery.
Helen Kamens focuses on identification of genetic and environmental mechanisms that contribute to complex behaviors with a special emphasis on alcohol and tobacco use.
Associate Professor of Biobehavioral Health and Nutritional Sciences
Summary Statement
As a social and behavioral scientist, Stephen Kodish is interested in the design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions aimed to improve the health and nutrition of vulnerable populations globally.
Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Professor of Human Development and Family Studies (courtesy)
Edna P. Bennett Faculty Fellow in Prevention Research
Summary Statement
Stephanie Lanza's career is devoted to advancing research in behavioral health through the development and application of innovative quantitative methods; much of her work leverages intensive longitudinal methods and focuses on young adult substance use behavior.
Assistant Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Summary Statement
The goal of Nina Lauharatanahirun’s research is to use computational modeling, behavioral economic paradigms and functional neuroimaging (fMRI/EEG) to understand the neural and behavioral mechanisms underlying health risk behaviors across the life
Harold Lee is a behavioral and social health scientist trained in genetics. He uses behavioral sciences to improve population health, particularly among those who are socially and genetically predisposed to poor health.
Director of the Biomarker Core Laboratory (BCL)
Teaching Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Advisory Committee, Leadership Initiative
Summary Statement
Sheree Logue directs the Biomarker Core Laboratory (BCL) which is a fee-for-service facility offering biomarker research support for all departments in the College of Health and Human Development as well as other researchers at PSU.
Kyle Murdock focuses on the neurological, biological, and behavioral pathways through which emotions and interpersonal relationships may impact health outcomes using innovative/multidisciplinary research methods.
Associate Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Director of Water, Health and Nutrition Lab
Environmental Health Sciences Program Area Leader
On sabbatical for the 24-25 academic year
Summary Statement
Asher's overall research program is designed to understand how humans meet their water needs, how this relates to adaptation, environmental changes, and water insecurity, and the resulting health, hydration, and disease consequences.
Mike Russell's research focuses on connections between stress, affect, and health behaviors in the day-to-day lives of adolescents/young adults, using advanced statistical modeling and ambulatory assessment methods.
Research Professor of Human Genetics in the Biomarker Core Lab
Summary Statement
Sue Rutherford Siegel is a genetic researcher who examines interactions between the genetic and genomic basis of variation, the environmental interactions and the resulting behavioral and health outcomes of an individual.
Associate Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Professor-In-Charge of the Graduate Program
Summary Statement
Hannah Schreier’s lab focuses on how experiences during childhood and adolescence (e.g., growing up in poverty; child maltreatment) influence inflammatory and metabolic markers of chronic disease risk.
My research is focused on understanding how biopsychosocial processes across the lifespan, and at multiple time scales, influence variability in systemic dysfunction, aging and disease decades later, through changes in biological aging.
Derek Spangler’s research utilizes mobile sensors to investigate the dynamic physiological (e.g., autonomic nervous system) and behavioral (e.g., body motion, self-report) features of real-world stress and their impacts on health.
Professor of Biobehavioral Health and Prevention Research Center
Summary Statement
Rob Turrisi's research focus is in the application of behavioral decision-making in brief interventions to reduce underage substance misuse and cancer. This research is primarily funded by NIAAA and NCI.
Assistant Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Assistant Professor of Statistics
Summary Statement
Dr. Veturi’s research includes integration of high-dimensional data with electronic health records to dissect shared genetics among complex human traits/diseases and to understand sex and ethnic differences in cognitive decline.
