Leah Pyter, PhD, MS
- Director, Institute of Brain, Behavior and Immunology
The Brumbaugh Chair in Brain Research and Teaching
Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health
About the IBBI
Established in 1996 as an OSU-level research institute, the Institute of Brain, Behavior and Immunology (IBBI, formerly known as the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research), seeks to achieve this vision and to be recognized as such, our 5-year ambition is to: 1) invigorate impactful team science to improve health, 2) strengthen and support our research community, and 3) prepare the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists.
The idea that psychological states can influence physiological processes and health is central to our work. IBBI researchers have substantially broadened our knowledge of basic mechanisms while also focusing on clinical science that can improve patient outcomes for a wide variety of diseases. We have a strong transdisciplinary collaborative focus that uses both animal models and human studies side-by-side, providing a way to identify key biological and behavioral pathways that can be targeted in clinical treatment.
Our Vision
The IBBI vision is to be the premier institute making groundbreaking discoveries to understand how the brain and mind interact with the immune system, with the goal of improving health.
Our Leadership
Our Administration
Stephanie Nara, MBA, MPH
- Department Administrator
614-257-3847
Stephanie.Nara@osumc.edu
Darby Dawson, MPA, MBA
- Administrative Assistant
614-293-5439
Darby.Dawson@osumc.edu
Our resident faculty members and their labs
Educational programs
More about the Institute of Brain, Behavior and Immunology
Nandini Acharya, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neurology, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Nandini.Acharya@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Basic
Keywords: Neuroimmunology; Glioblastoma; Tumor Immunology; Stress; Behavior; Nociceptors; Neuropeptides; Immunotherapy; Inflammation
Billur Akkaya, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neurology, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Billur.Akkaya@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic
Keywords: Immunology; Neuroimmunology; Regulatory T Cells; CNS Disorders; Autoimmune Disease; Inflammation; Stress; Behavior; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Cytokine Signaling
Amal Amer, MD, PhD
Professor, Neurology, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Amal.Amer@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational
Keywords: Neuroimmunology; Alzheimer’s Disease; Long Covid; Inflammation; Innate Immunity; Microglia; Behavior; Stress; Cytokine Signaling; Epigenetics
Rebecca Andridge, PhD
Professor, Biostatistics, College of Public Health (Member)
Email: Andridge.1@osu.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Inflammation; Interventions; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Health Disparities; Aging; Cancer; Cognition; Psychoneuroimmunology; Caregivers; Mindfulness; Statistical Modeling; Collaborative Research
Maria Ariza, PhD
Assistant Professor, Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine (Resident Member)
Email: Maria.Ariza@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic
Keywords: Neurobiology of Viruses; dUTPases; Human Organoids; Molecular Biology; Exosomes; Immunology
Michael Bailey, PhD
Associate Professor, Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Nationwide Children's Health (Legacy Resident Member)
Email: Michael.Bailey@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic, Human Subjects
Keywords: Gut-Brain Axis; Stress; Colitis; Neuroinflammation
Ruth Barrientos, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Resident Member)
Email: Ruth.Barrientos@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic, Human Subjects
Keywords: Aging; Cognition; Nutrition; Pain; Alzheimer's; Neuroimmunology; Neuroinflammation; Surgery; Neurodegeneration; Energy Metabolism
Martha Belury, PhD
Professor, Food Science and Tech, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (Legacy Resident Member)
Email: Belury.1@osu.edu
Types of Research: Clinical Trials, Basic, Human Subjects
Keywords: Energy Metabolism; Cancer; Chemotherapy; Dietary Fats; Muscle; Nutrition; Neuroinflammation
Lisa Christian, PhD (Clinician)
Professor, Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Resident Member)
Email: Lisa.Christian@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Human Subjects
Keywords: Stress; Health Disparities; Aging; Pregnancy; Caregivers; Alzheimer's; Cancer; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Inflammation
Erbo Dong, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Dong22@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Basic
Keywords: Prenatal Stress; Epigenetics; Neuroimmunology; Behavior; Anxiety; Depression; Alcohol Use Disorder; Cytokine Signaling; Stress; Human Psychology/Psychiatry
Jay Fournier, PhD (Clinician)
Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Jay.Fournier@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Interventions; Mental Health; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Emotion; Depression; Neuroimaging; Cognitive Therapy; Mood Disorders; Personality Pathology; Treatment Response; Affective Neuroscience
Hongjun “Harry” Fu, PhD
Associate Professor, Neuroscience, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Hongjun.Fu@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Basic
Keywords: Neuroimmunology; Alzheimer’s Disease; Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI); Neurodegeneration; Glia; Behavior; Stress; Proteinopathies; Inflammation
Shannon Gillespie, PhD
Associate Professor, Center for Women, Children, and Youth, College of Nursing (Member)
Email: Gillespie.175@osu.edu
Types of Research: Translational
Keywords: Behavior; Inflammation; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Immunology; Neuroimmunology; Stress; Health Disparities; Psychoneuroimmunology; Female Health; Pregnancy; Postpartum Health; Epigenetics; Precision Prevention; Predictive Modeling
Erica Glasper, PhD
Associate Professor, Neuroscience, College of Medicine (Resident Member)
Email: Erica.Glasper@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic
Keywords: Stress; Neuroendocrinology; Social; Behavior; Neural Plasticity; Neuroinflammation; Sex Differences
Jonathan Godbout, PhD
Professor, Neuroscience, College of Medicine (Resident Member)
Email: Jonathan.Godbout@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic
Keywords: Neuroimmunology; Immunology; Stress; TBI; Behavior; Glia; Neuroinflammation
Stephanie Gorka, PhD (Clinician)
Associate Professor, Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Resident Member)
Email: Stephanie.Gorka@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Human Subjects, Clinical Trials
Keywords: Social; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Interventions; Trauma; Drug Use; Suicide; Neuroimaging; Mindfulness
Kymberly Gowdy, PhD
Associate Professor, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Kymberly.Gowdy@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic
Keywords: Behavior; Inflammation; Immunology; Neuroimmunology; Stress; Cellular Stress; Sex Differences; Pulmonary Disease; Energy Metabolism; Environmental Exposure; Dietary Fats
Tamar Gur, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Resident Member)
Email: Tamar.Gur@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic, Human Subjects
Keywords: Neuroimmunology; Gut-Brain Axis; Female Health; Pregnancy; Stress; Behavior; Social; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Neuroinflammation
Tirisham Gyang, MD
Associate Professor, Neurology, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Tirisham.Gyang@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Neuroimmunology; Multiple Sclerosis; CNS Disorders; Immunotherapy; Clinical Trials; Autoimmune Disease; Inflammation; Behavior; Stress; Human Psychology/Psychiatry
Scott Hayes, PhD (Clinician)
Associate Professor, Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences (Member)
Email: Hayes.1074@osu.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Interventions; Aging; Cognition; Alzheimer’s; Exercise; Neuroimaging; Ketogenic Diet; Brain Health; Physical Fitness; Neurodegeneration; Inflammaging
Stanley Huang, PhD
Associate Professor, Microbial Infection & Immunity, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Stan.Huang@osu.edu
Types of Research: Basic
Keywords: Tumor Immunology; Immunometabolism; Environmental Stress; Macrophage Function; Cancer; Metabolic Reprogramming; Unfolded Protein Response; Neuroimmunology
Michelle Humeidan, MD, PhD
Professor, Int Med-Anesthesiology, College of Medicine (Legacy Resident Member)
Email: Michelle.Humeidan@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Human Subjects, Clinical Trials
Keywords: Surgery; Aging; Pain; Cognition
Faiza Kalam, PhD
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Faiza.Kalam@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Inflammation; Interventions; Cancer; Psychoneuroimmunology; Nutrition; Sleep; Female Health; Fasting; Metabolic Health; Obesity;
Hormonal Regulation; Time-Restricted Eating; Survivorship
Anthony King, PhD (Clinician)
Associate Professor, Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Resident Member)
Email: Anthony.King@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Human Subjects, Clinical Trials
Keywords: Psychotherapy; Mindfulness; Psychedelic drugs; Vagal tone; Neuroimaging; Trauma; Human Psychology/Psychiatry
Maryanna Klatt, PhD
Professor, Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Maryanna.Klatt@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Interventions; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Neuroimmunology; Stress; Health Disparities; Cancer; Caregivers; Biomarkers; Mindfulness; Burnout; Menopause; Vagal Tone
Olga Kokiko-Cochran PhD
Associate Professor, Neuroscience, College of Medicine (Resident Member)
Email: Olga.Kokiko-cochran@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Basic
Keywords: Neuroimmunology; TBI; Stress; Sleep; Behavior; Alzheimer's; Neuroinflammation; Neurodegeneration
Jason Kolacz, PhD
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Jason.Kolacz@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic, Human Subjects
Keywords: PTSD; Stress; Behavior; Autonomic Regulation; Neuroimmunology; Vagal Tone; Psychotherapy; Gut-Brain Axis; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Sensor-Based Interventions
Katy Lenz, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences (Legacy Resident Member)
Email: Lenz.56@osu.edu
Types of Research: Basic
Keywords: Sex Differences; Neuroendocrinology; TBI; Social; Behavior; Neuroimmunology; Female Health; Neuroinflammation
Benedetta Leuner, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences (Member)
Email: Leuner.1@osu.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic
Keywords: Behavior; Neuroimmunology; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Stress; Cognition; Female Health; Pregnancy; Neuroinflammation; Motherhood; Hormonal Contraceptives; Neuroendocrinology; Neuroplasticity; TBI; Mood
Amy Mackos, PhD
Associate Professor, College of Nursing (Member)
Email: Mackos.3@osu.edu
Types of Research: Basic
Keywords: Behavior; Inflammation; Neuroimmunology; Immunology; Stress; Aging; Chronic Illness; Alzheimer’s; Gut-Brain Axis; Microbiome; Caregivers; Translational Research
Alexa Meara, MD
Associate Professor, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Alexa.Meara@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Inflammation; Immunology; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Neuroimmunology; Cancer; Health Disparities; Cognition; Alzheimer’s; Caregivers; Autoimmune Disease; Clinical Trials; Brain Fog
Gordon Meares, PhD
Associate Professor, Neurology, College of Medicine (Resident Member)
Email: Gordon.Meares@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Basic
Keywords: Neuroimmunology; Glia; Cellular Stress; Stroke; Aging; Neurodegeneration
Jessica Merlin, MD, PhD
Professor, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Jessica.Merlin@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Interventions; Health Disparities; Chronic Illness; Psychoneuroimmunology; Mental Health; Pain; Substance Use; Neuroinflammation; Palliative Care; HIV; Opioid Use; Symptom Management
Eugene Oltz, PhD
Professor, Microbial Infection & Immunity, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Eugene.Oltz@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic, Human Subjects
Keywords: Immunology; DNA Damage & Repair; Chromatin Architecture; Innate Lymphoid Cells (ILCs); Gene Regulation; Epigenetics; Cancer; Neuroimmunology
Tonya Orchard, PhD
Professor, Human Sciences, College of Education and Human Ecology (Member)
Email: Orchard.6@osu.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Nutrition; Cancer; Cognition; Inflammation; Breast Cancer; Gut-Brain Axis; Microbiome; DNA Methylation; Interventions; Chronic Illness; Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment; Sleep; Anxiety; Depression; Pain
Ahna Pai, PhD (Clinician)
Professor, Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital (Member)
Email: Ahna.Pai@nationwidechildrens.org
Types of Research: Translational, Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Stress; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Interventions; Cancer; Pediatric Health; Medication Adherence; Health Disparities; Caregivers
Sarah Peters, PhD
Assistant Professor, Biosciences, College of Dentistry (Member)
Email: Peters.1026@osu.edu
Types of Research: Basic
Keywords: Behavior; Inflammation; Neuroimmunology; Immunology; Aging; Cognition; Alzheimer’s; Cellular Stress; Pain; Sex Differences; Tooth Development; Neural Plasticity; Stem Cells
Phillip Popovich, PhD
Professor, Neuroscience, College of Medicine (Legacy Resident Member)
Email: Phillip.Popovich@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic
Keywords: SCI; Gut-Brain Axis; Neuroimmunology; Neuroinflammation; Vagal Tone
Leah Pyter, PhD
Professor, Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Resident Member)
Email: Leah.Pyter@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic, Human Subjects, Clinical Trials
Keywords: Neuroimmunology; Cancer; Behavior; Chemotherapy; Gut-Brain Axis; Circadian Rhythms; Neuroendocrinology; Female Health; Human Psychology Psychiatry; Neuroinflammation
Sabhya Rana, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neuroscience, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Sabhya.Rana@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic
Keywords: Spinal Cord Injury; Neuroimmunology; Respiratory Physiology; Inflammation; Stress; Behavior; CNS Disorders; Sensor-Based Interventions; Neuromodulation; Gut-Brain Axis
Megan Renna, PhD (Clinician)
Assistant Professor, Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences (Member)
Email: Renna.4@osu.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Inflammation; Interventions; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Mindfulness; Stress; Cancer; Emotion; Anxiety; Cardiovascular Health; Psychophysiology
Ashley Rosko, MD
Professor, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Ashley.Rosko@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Interventions; Immunology; Aging; Cancer; Health Disparities; Chronic Illness; Psychoneuroimmunology; Biomarkers; Exercise; Quality of Life; Geriatric Oncology; Stem Cell Transplant
Andrew Sas, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neurology, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Andrew.Sas@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Basic, Translational, Human Subjects
Keywords: Neuroimmunology; Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI); CNS Disorders; Inflammation; Stress; Behavior; Axonal Regeneration; Immunotherapy; Sports Concussion; Biomarkers
Fernanda Schumacher, PhD
Assistant Professor, Biostatistics, College of Public Health (Member)
Email: Schumacher.3@osu.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic
Keywords: Behavior; Inflammation; Immunology; Neuroimmunology; Aging; Health Disparities; Chronic Illness; Epigenetics; Postpartum Health; Longitudinal Analysis; Statistical Modeling; Neurological Disease
Joshua Smyth, PhD
Assistant Professor, Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences (Member)
Email: Smyth.88@osu.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Interventions; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Stress; Health Disparities; Psychoneuroimmunology; Mental Health; Emotion; Cardiovascular Health; Substance Use; Digital Health; Ambulatory Methods
Beth Steinberg, PhD
Assistant Professor, Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Beth.Steinberg@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Interventions; Mental Health; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Stress; Anxiety; Mindfulness; Burnout; Resilience; Workplace Wellness; Complementary Therapies
Yael Vodovotz, PhD
Professor, Food, Science, & Technology, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (Member)
Email: Vodovotz.1@osu.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Interventions; Mental Health; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Stress; Anxiety; Mindfulness; Burnout; Resilience; Workplace Wellness
Diane Von Ah, PhD
Professor, Center for Healthy Aging, College of Nursing (Member)
Email: Vonah.1@osu.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Inflammation; Interventions; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Cancer; Aging; Health Disparities; Cognition; Biomarkers; Quality of Life; Cognitive Impairment; Neuropsychology; Social
Cole Vonder Haar, PhD
Associate Professor, Neuroscience, College of Medicine (Legacy Resident Member)
Email: Cole.Vonderhaar@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic
Keywords: Cognition; Behavior; TBI; Gut-Brain Axis
Baldwin Way, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences (Legacy Resident Member)
Email: Way.37@osu.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic, Human Subjects
Keywords: Social; Human Psychology/Psychiatry; Neuropharmacology; Inflammation; Emotion
Robert Wesolowski, MD
Professor, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Robert.Wesolowski@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Human Subjects
Keywords: Inflammation; Interventions; Immunology; Cancer; Chronic Illness; Microbiome; Breast Cancer; Clinical Trials; Chemotherapy; Cancer-Related Behavior; Immunotherapy; Tumor Immunology
Marshall Williams, PhD
Professor, Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine (Resident Member)
Email: Marshall.Williams@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic
Keywords: Neurobiology of Viruses; dUTPases; Human Organoids; Molecular Biology; Immunology
Joyce Wu, PhD
Professor, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Joyce.Wu2@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic, Human Subjects
Keywords: Behavior; Inflammation; Immunology; Neuroimmunology; Aging; Gut-Brain Axis; Cellular Stress; Gut Microbiome; Autoimmune Disease; Translational Research; Lung Health; T Cells; Microbial Immunomodulation
Yutong Zhao, PhD
Professor, Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Yutong.Zhao@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational, Basic
Keywords: Lung-Brain Axis; Acute Lung Injury; Sepsis; Pulmonary Fibrosis; Inflammation; Protein Stability; Cytokine Signaling; Neuroimmunology; Stress; Behavior
Lithua Ye, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neuroscience, College of Medicine (Member)
Email: Lithua.Ye@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Basic
Keywords:
Jing Zhao, MD, PhD
Professor, Physiology and Cell Biology (Member)
Email: Jing.Zhao@osumc.edu
Types of Research: Translational
Keywords: Acute Lung Injury; Sepsis; ARDS; Protein Stability; Inflammation; Neuroimmunology; Behavior; Gut-Brain Axis; Cytokine Signaling; Stress
The Institute has garnered more than $140 million in research grants in the last decade, including two major program project grants from the National Institutes of Health, making the IBBI one of the world's foremost centers for the study of mind-body interactions.
Institute of Brain, Behavior and Immunology Fund
This fund supports the teaching and research mission of the Institute of Brain, Behavior and Immunology. The fund will also support faculty development and professional growth.
The Ronald Glaser PhD Memorial Lectureship Fund
Supports a lectureship in the The Institute of Brain, Behavior and Immunology.
Our Location
Institute of Brain, Behavior and Immunology (formerly the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research)
460 Medical Center Drive
Columbus, OH 43210