Christopher Gerald Engeland

Christopher Gerald Engeland is a Professor of Biobehavioral Health at The Pennsylvania State University's College of Health and Human Development, with joint appointments as Professor in the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing and as faculty in the Penn State Neuroscience Institute. His research examines how stress, age, gender, and hormones affect immunity, inflammation, and health outcomes.

Dr. Engeland earned his PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Western Ontario in 2002. His primary research interests focus on stress and immunity, inflammation, wound healing, cognitive aging, dementia, depression, and preterm birth. He conducts both human and animal research with particular interest in tissue repair (mucosal and dermal wound healing) and the feasibility of biomarkers for predicting health outcomes.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on health disparities, particularly examining cognitive performance among older Black and White adults, preterm birth in African American women, and the relationship between psychological stress and brain health. His work consistently bridges basic science with clinical applications, particularly in aging and women's health.

Dr. Engeland has received numerous awards including the Janet Williamson Award for Excellence in Training (Nursing) in 2021, the Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health Best Research Article of the Year in 2016, and the Faculty Scholarship Award in 2013. He has also been recognized with multiple research scholar awards from professional societies including PNIRS, SFN, and IBNS.

He currently leads multiple significant research projects including the Einstein Aging Study (2022-2028) as Project Leader and Core Leader, and serves as Co-I on numerous NIH-funded studies examining stress, racism, cardiovascular risk, sleep disparities, and cognitive decline. His work often involves interdisciplinary collaboration across neuroscience, nursing, and public health disciplines.

Dr. Engeland maintains active laboratory research through the Stress and Immunity Lab at Penn State, where his team investigates biobehavioral mechanisms linking psychological factors with physiological outcomes. His research has significant implications for understanding and intervening in health disparities across diverse populations.