معرفی
Lee Berk, DrPH, is an accomplished academic serving as Associate Dean for Research in the School of Allied Health Professions and Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Loma Linda University. He also holds an Associate Research Professor title in Pathology and Human Anatomy at the School of Medicine. His research focuses on psychoneuroimmunology, stress physiology, and the health impacts of laughter, with over 157 publications from 1974 to 2024. Berk earned all his academic degrees (BS, BA, MPH, DHSC, DrPH) from Loma Linda University between 1968 and 1992.
Research interests span stress modulation, neuroendocrine responses, and lifestyle interventions. His work includes groundbreaking studies on laughter's physiological effects, including anticipation-based stress reduction and immune system modulation. Recent projects explore high-intensity exercise's impact on biological aging and neurorehabilitation for diabetic neuropathy.
Berk has supervised 2 doctoral students and led numerous grants funded by industry (e.g., Pfizer, Procter & Gamble) and internal LLU initiatives. Notable grants include studies on ThermaCare heat wraps, vitamin D supplementation, and the HEART theoretical framework in patient-provider interactions.
He has served on over 20 institutional committees, including the LLU Faculty of Graduate Studies and editorial boards for Journal of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation. His extensive media engagements include interviews with major outlets like TIME, Newsweek, and BBC Radio, emphasizing the practical application of his research findings.
