Biopsychosocial Health Lab

The Biopsychosocial Health Lab is interested in understanding the bidirectional relationship between psychosocial processes (e.g., stress and emotion) and endocrine function (e.g., glucocorticoid-related mechanisms), and the extent to which these endocrine mechanisms serve as pathways through which stress affects other biological systems (e.g., immune, cardiovascular, and metabolic system) and physical health. We are particularly interested in the interplay between psychosocial and biological factors in the context of socioeconomic status and racial health disparities.

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The figure on right depicts the Socioeconomic Gradient Bow Tie model, the conceptual framework that guides our research agenda (for more info, see Zilioli et al., Oxford handbook of integrated health science, 2018). In brief, the model assumes that variations in socioeconomic status (e.g., education, financial resources, perceived social status) correspond to variations in the physical environment (e.g., exposure to toxicants) and social dynamics (e.g., conflict, ostracism) people are likely to be exposed to. The organism processes these diverse social and physical inputs via interconnected psychological (e.g., emotional reactivity) and biological (e.g., cortisol reactivity in response to stress) mechanisms. Health outcomes, regarding both surrogate endpoints (e.g., blood pressure) and clinical endpoints (e.g., physical symptoms), are the product of this continuous synthesis.