Jonathan Singer

Dr. Jonathan Singer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Texas Tech University. He leads the GRILL (Grief and Responses to Illness into Late Life) Lab, which investigates psychological health in aging and illness, with a focus on the biopsychosocial processes within individuals with life-limiting illnesses (such as cancer and dementia) and their caregivers. His work spans multiple methodologies including Ecological Momentary Assessment, fMRI, wearable technology, and clinical interviewing.

Dr. Singer's educational background includes:

• B.A. from Adelphi University
• M.A. from Teacher's College, Columbia University
• Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Reno

His primary research interests focus on grief psychology, particularly pre-death grief and prolonged grief disorder in caregivers of individuals with dementia and other life-limiting illnesses. His work also examines neurocognitive assessments in aging populations, with particular attention to ethnic and rural disparities. Using advanced quantitative techniques such as Multilevel Modeling and Growth Mixture Modeling, Dr. Singer aims to translate research findings into scalable, technology-based interventions for caregivers and patients.

Dr. Singer has secured multiple significant grants, including:

• National Institute on Aging (2023-2026; R15AG080446) as Co-PI on "Reducing suicide risk among older adult caregivers"
• National Cancer Institute (2023-2024; R35) as Site PI on "Behavioral and Psychosocial Effects on Study Outcomes in End-Stage Cancer Treatment"
• Sabinsa Corporation (2023-2024) as Co-I on "Curcumin and Retinal Amyloid-beta Pilot Study"
• Garrison Foundation as PI on "Improving mental health in care partners of persons with Alzheimer's Disease"

His research portfolio demonstrates a clear trajectory toward understanding grief processes across various contexts (bereavement, non-bereavement losses like incarceration, and pre-death grief) and developing evidence-based interventions. Recent work has increasingly focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on grief experiences and the application of technology to deliver mental health support to rural populations.

Dr. Singer has received the President's Engaged Scholarship Award and mentors numerous graduate and undergraduate students in the GRILL Lab. His students have gone on to nursing school, medical school, Ph.D. programs, and social work programs.

His lab, the GRILL Lab, is actively involved in community outreach through events like the Walk to End Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Symposium, and rural caregiver support groups in West Texas. They also participate in educational events such as TTU Family STEM Night to teach about dementia and aging.