Marci Lobel

Dr. Marci Lobel is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University, specializing in Social and Health Psychology. She leads the Stress and Reproduction (STAR) Lab, focusing on psychosocial aspects of reproductive health, particularly prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) and its impact on birth outcomes. Her work examines how stress, coping mechanisms, socioeconomic factors, and cultural contexts influence maternal and fetal health during pregnancy.

Education: Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles (1989).

Research interests include pregnancy-related stress, mental health during the pandemic, and the intersection of race/gender with health disparities. She has led major projects like the COPE study on pandemic pregnancy experiences and the PROMOTE study to identify psychosocial risks in prenatal care. Her lab collaborates internationally and uses interdisciplinary methods.

Key grants include NIH funding for opioid use disorder studies, machine learning applications in prenatal depression screening, and maternal health during the pandemic. She has mentored over 20 graduate students and directs the STAR Lab, which hosts current students Emily Rehbein and Sirena Ibrahim.

Publications span high-impact journals like Social Science & Medicine and Health Psychology, emphasizing stress reduction interventions and pandemic-related mental health challenges. Her work bridges clinical practice and public health policy, advocating for systemic approaches to address maternal health inequities.