John Christianson

John Christianson is Professor and Chair of Psychology at Boston College, leading research on neural mechanisms of stress adaptation and social decision-making. His lab employs optogenetics, electrophysiology, and behavioral paradigms to study brain-behavior relationships.

Research Focus: How stress interacts with neural systems governing responses to danger, with emphasis on social contexts and adaptive behaviors. Current NIH-funded projects examine insular cortex functions in affective processing.

Teaching: Develops courses in behavioral neuroscience, neurophysiology, and molecular learning mechanisms. Received teaching excellence awards for innovative pedagogy.