About our research program
As part of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, directed by Lisa Christian, PhD, the Stress, Behavioral Immunology, and Health Disparities Lab examines how exposures to chronic stress, mood disorders, anxiety, and sleep disturbance interact in a bi-directional manner with the immune and neuroendocrine system to affect physical and mental health. Our studies use psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) research approaches to examine how stress “gets under the skin” among individuals caregiving for a spouse with dementia, people coping with cancer, pregnant women, as well as people exposed to chronic stress or discrimination related to race/ethnicity, sexual minority status, or financial strain. An ultimate goal of these studies is to address health disparities and inform behavioral interventions by identifying key pathways by which stress affects health.
Our Team
Lisa Christian, PhD
Principal Investigator
Lisa Christian is an associate professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health and a member of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research where she has been a faculty member since 2008. She received her PhD in clinical health psychology from The Ohio State University after completing internship at the University of Florida Health Science Center. Dr. Christian’s research has been funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Her clinical work focuses on cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders, particularly in women. In addition to these roles, she serves as the Medical Student Advocate within the College of Medicine, helping to advance a positive learning environment. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, vegetarian cooking, reading, and spending time with her two children and two Bernedoodles.
Academic Profile
Michael Di Gregorio, MS, CCRP
Michael is a clinical research manager, serves as the lab manager, and has been with the lab since the end of 2000. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Santa Clara University in Northern California with a double major in Psychology and Mathematics. He continued on at Nova Southeastern University in South Florida where he earned a Masters of Science in Clinical Psychology with emphases in neuropsychology. He has taken additional classes in Chinese medicine, yoga and massage therapy. He enjoys working on studies that investigate how different stressors, from cancer diagnoses to caregiver stress to challenging marital relationships, influence the psychological and physiological health of those affected. Outside the lab, Michael enjoys drumming, yoga, soccer and live music.
Mackenna Bay, BS
Mackenna is a Clinical Research Assistant working on the CARE study in the lab. She graduated from Miami University of Ohio in May of 2022 with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and a minor in Nutrition, where she also completed her thematic sequence in Gerontology. She is working towards applying to Graduate schools with the plan of becoming a Physical Therapist. She has specific interests in the interrelatedness of mental health and chronic physical illnesses, and how those aspects are linked to the holistic well-being of an individual. Outside of the lab, Mackenna enjoys spending time with her dogs, friends, and family, upcycling furniture, exploring the outdoors, and traveling to new places.
Lucas Ecker, BS
Lucas is a Clinical Research Assistant working on the CARE and CHAMP studies in the lab. He graduated from The Ohio State University in May of 2024 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. He is interested in how different psychosocial stressors resulting from adverse situations can impact the physiological health of both patients and their family members. Outside of the lab, Lucas enjoys swimming, coaching youth sports, and spending time with friends and family.
Nithya Kasibhatla, BS, BA
Nithya is a graduate student in the Applied Neuroscience program at Ohio State University. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2022 with a BS in Neuroscience and a BA in English Writing, where she developed an interest in studying the effects of early life stress on stress-responsive neural circuitry and mental and cardiovascular health outcomes. As a member of the Stress and Health lab, she is specifically interested in understanding how caregiving stress impacts neural circuits, as well as the effects of sleep on cognition in pregnant women. In her free time, Nithya enjoys practicing and performing Indian classical dance, fiction writing, and traveling with family and friends.
Tessa Blevins, MS
Tessa Blevins is a PhD Candidate in Clinical Psychology (Health Track). She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and began her PhD at OSU in fall of 2019. She is interested in the effects of psychological and physical health, specifically depression, stress, and inflammation, on intervenable cancer and pregnancy outcomes. In her free time, Tessa enjoys running, spending time with her dog Iroh, hanging out with friends and family, and trying out all the restaurants Columbus offers.
Tyreek Jones, MS
Tyreek Jones is a Ph.D. student in the Clinical Psychology Program, specializing in the Neuropsychology Track. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, focusing on Applied Behavior Analysis. Tyreek began his Ph.D. at OSU in the fall of 2023. His research interests include the effects of chronic psychosocial stressors, such as racial discrimination, on inflammatory processes and cognitive outcomes, such as cognitive decline. He is also interested in interventions that can aid with these risk factors. In his free time, Tyreek enjoys socializing with loved ones, cooking elaborate meals, going to the movies, and exploring new places.
Rachel Michael
Rachel is a Student Research Assistant in the lab who attends Ohio State as a second-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Biology on the Pre-Medicine track. As a physician, she hopes to provide transformative care by building individualized, patient-centered relationships. She is interested in the effect that stress can have on the biomarkers in our bloodstream that indicate accelerated aging. Outside of the lab, Rachel enjoys running with her twin sister, spending time out in nature, and being involved in community service.
Ariel Deutsch
Ariel is a Student Research Assistant in the lab who attends Ohio State as a second-year undergraduate student pursuing the Certification program in Medical Laboratory Science. Upon graduation, she hopes to apply the skills she gathers here to a work setting. She is interested in studying the relationship between psychosocial stressors and physiological health, especially among caregiving individuals and their family members. In her free time, Ariel enjoys going to the beach with her family, going on outdoor walks with her friends, traveling, dancing, and participating in community service.
Meghan Rogozinski
Meghan is a second-year undergraduate student at Ohio State studying for her B.S. in Psychology. As a Student Research Assistant, she is interested in learning about how different factors impact psychological health and overall learning more about being involved in a research lab. Outside of the lab, Meghan is a psychology peer tutor, participates in music and theatre organizations at Ohio State, and enjoys connecting with family and friends.