Kate Ryan Kuhlman

Kate Ryan Kuhlman is an Associate Professor of Psychological Science and Public Health at the University of California Irvine (UCI) and affiliated with the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology at UCLA. Her research explores how childhood adversity impacts lifelong health outcomes, focusing on neurobiological mechanisms like stress response, inflammation, and hormonal signaling in adolescent depression.

• Education: Ph.D. and M.S. in Clinical Psychological Science (University of Michigan), Certification in Lifespan Developmental Science (International Max Planck Research School), B.S. in Psychology (New York University), and postdoctoral training in Health Psychology at UCLA.

Research Interests: Kate investigates the interplay between early trauma and brain-body interactions, particularly how childhood stress alters immune and neuroendocrine systems, leading to depression. Her work integrates psychoneuroimmunology, developmental psychopathology, and clinical science to identify resilience factors in at-risk youth.

Teaching: Courses include Biological Psychology (PSCI 167C), Developmental Psychopathology (PSCI 153C), and Field Study Writing (SOCECOL 195W). Graduate offerings cover Psychoneuroimmunology (PSCI P283H) and Professional Ethics (PSCI C203).

Lab & Clinical Work: She leads the Teen Resilience Lab (TRL), conducting studies like the Brain Development Study (using MRI to assess trauma-related depression) and sleep research in adolescents. She also collaborates with UCI’s Psychological Services Center (PSC) and advocates for community mental health access through low-cost therapy programs.

Community Engagement: Fundraising events, such as the partnership with Sgt. Pepperoni’s, support her lab’s research. She presented her findings at the Karolinska Institute (2022) and contributes to ScienceForWomen.org to disseminate psychological science insights.