Julie Lasselin

Julie Lasselin is an Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, specializing in Psychoneuroimmunology. She leads research in the Division for Psychoneuroimmunology and the Integrative Science of Sickness research groups, investigating how inflammation influences human behavior and the inter-individual differences in vulnerability to cytokine effects.

Dr. Lasselin's research focuses on the complex relationship between the immune system, brain, and behavior. Her work demonstrates that sickness behavior is not merely driven by immune signals but can be shaped by top-down psychological processes. She investigates both overt and subjective behavioral changes induced by inflammation, the adaptive relevance of sickness behavior, and how inflammatory states affect social interactions and subsequent health outcomes. Her research spans experimental endotoxemia models, cross-cultural studies of sickness perception, and translational research connecting inflammation to depression.

Analysis of her publication record reveals a strong focus on experimental inflammation models, particularly using lipopolysaccharide challenges to induce controlled inflammatory responses in humans. Her work consistently examines the behavioral, cognitive, and social consequences of inflammation, with growing interest in cross-cultural aspects of sickness behavior and potential applications for understanding inflammation-associated depression.

Her scientific achievements include receiving the prestigious PNIRS Ader New Investigator Award in 2021, which recognizes outstanding contributions to Psychoneuroimmunology. This award honors Dr. Ader's innovation and creativity as a scientist and recognizes contributions to advancing PNI as a field dedicated to health improvement and disease prevention.

Dr. Lasselin actively contributes to the field through her role on the steering committee and as webmaster of the European Psychoneuroimmunology Network (pnieurope.se). She teaches courses on 'Stress and sleep: from bench to bedside' and leads research projects examining brain and psychological predictors of inflammatory responses and how healthcare provider behavior affects health outcomes. Her work bridges basic science and clinical applications, particularly in understanding how inflammation contributes to neuropsychiatric symptoms.

She leads the Integrative Science of Sickness research group, which investigates behavioral changes and feelings occurring during infections. Her laboratory work involves experimental induction of inflammation in humans to precisely measure behavioral, cognitive, and physiological responses, contributing significantly to our understanding of how immune activation translates to sickness behavior in humans.