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Psychoneuroimmunology
 The Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) research group
is led by Dr. Maureen Groer. There are several active research projects
being carried out in the Kenneth Walker Nursing Science Lab. PNI is a field
of study which seeks to understand the linkages between psychological factors
such as mood and stress, and immune and endocrine responses. The largest
study is funded by NIH and is research on the role of lactational state
in breastfeeding mothers in regards to stress reactivity, immune function,
and infectious disease. Other
projects include pilot work on the psychoneuroimmunology of
rape, a study of immune effects of prenatal stress in infants, and several
studies of milk biology. Dr.
Kristina Thiagarajan was recently funded to study the
effects of immunosuppression on breast milk immunobiology. The
lab is also studying components of milk that may affect infant physiology
and behavior, such as melatonin and other hormones. Three
current doctoral students are doing their dissertation work in the lab. Kathlene Smith
is studying the relationships between stress and
wound cytokines in post operative open-heart patients. Karyn Casey
is studying the effects of chlorpyrifos exposure
on milk, and Blair Short is researching the effects of milk melatonin on
human infants.
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