Lisa Christian

Dr. Lisa Christian is a Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health at The Ohio State University (OSU), holding a joint appointment in Psychology and serving as Director of the Stress, Behavioral Immunology, and Health Disparities Lab within the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research. She is also the Medical Student Advocate in the College of Medicine, advocating for a positive learning environment. Her research integrates psychoneuroimmunology to study how chronic stress, mood disorders, sleep disturbances, and social determinants (e.g., race, socioeconomic status) interact with immune and neuroendocrine systems to impact health outcomes, particularly in pregnant women, caregivers of dementia patients, and cancer patients. Over 800 women have participated in her studies, emphasizing health disparities.

Dr. Christian’s work has been funded by NIH institutes (NIA, NIMHD, NICHD, NINR) and private foundations. She has authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles and chapters. Key honors include the Robert Ader New Investigator Award (2016) and Neal Miller Young Investigator Award (2016). Her clinical practice focuses on cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders in women. Current projects include the CHAMP study (multiple myeloma caregiving), the CARE study (dementia caregiving), and the NCHAT-BIO study (family stress and health).

Education: PhD in Clinical Health Psychology from OSU (post-internship at University of Florida). Outside academia, she enjoys vegetarian cooking, travel, and family time with her two children and Bernedoodles.