Janice Kiecolt-Glaser

Janice Kiecolt-Glaser

Janice Kiecolt-Glaser is a prominent American psychologist known for her extensive research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology. She is a Distinguished University Professor at The Ohio State University and holds the S. Robert Davis Chair of Medicine in the College of Medicine.

Early Life and Education

Janice Kiecolt-Glaser was born in the United States. She earned her B.A. in psychology from Occidental College and her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Miami.

Career

Kiecolt-Glaser began her academic career at The Ohio State University, where she has been a faculty member for several decades. Her research primarily focuses on the interactions between psychological processes and the immune system, particularly how stress and depression can affect immune function and overall health.

Research Contributions

Kiecolt-Glaser has made significant contributions to the understanding of how psychological stress impacts immune response. Her work has demonstrated that chronic stress can lead to a variety of health issues, including slower wound healing, increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, and the progression of chronic illnesses.

One of her notable studies involved caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease, showing that the chronic stress experienced by these caregivers led to impaired immune function and increased health risks. She has also explored the effects of marital stress on health, finding that hostile marital interactions can negatively impact immune function.

Awards and Honors

Throughout her career, Kiecolt-Glaser has received numerous awards and honors, including:

• The Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Clinical Psychology from the American Psychological Association
• The Patricia R. Barchas Award in Sociophysiology from the American Psychosomatic Society
• Election to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Personal Life

Janice Kiecolt-Glaser is married to Ronald Glaser, a fellow researcher in the field of psychoneuroimmunology. Together, they have collaborated on numerous research projects and publications.

Selected Publications

• Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., & Glaser, R. (1995). "Psychoneuroimmunology and health consequences: Data and shared mechanisms." Psychosomatic Medicine, 57(3), 269-274.
• Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., et al. (2005). "Hostile marital interactions, proinflammatory cytokine production, and wound healing." Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(12), 1377-1384.

See Also

• Psychoneuroimmunology
• Stress (biology)
• Immune system
• Depression (mood)
• Chronic illness