Shari Waldstein

Shari Waldstein, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). She leads the Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Lab and holds leadership roles including Director of the Behavioral Medicine track in the Human Services Psychology program. Her work focuses on cardiovascular-neurocognitive interactions, health disparities, and biopsychosocial factors influencing health outcomes.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Psychology from University of Pittsburgh (1993)

Research Interests: Dr. Waldstein investigates how cardiovascular risk factors and diseases relate to neurocognitive function, using neuroimaging to explore underlying brain mechanisms. Her research also addresses race- and socioeconomic status-related disparities in brain health and cardiovascular outcomes. She examines individual differences in acute cardiovascular responses to mental stress and the role of psychosocial factors in health.

Publications Trends: Her work spans interdisciplinary topics including neurofilament biomarkers, telomere biology, and sociodemographic health disparities. Recent studies highlight links between socioeconomic status and brain integrity, as well as racial disparities in cerebrovascular health. She has authored textbooks and edited volumes in cardiovascular behavioral medicine and neuropsychology.

Advising & Grants: She mentors graduate students in the Human Services Psychology program, focusing on independent research projects in cardiovascular behavioral medicine or clinical neuropsychology. She collaborates on large-scale studies like the HANDLS project, examining health disparities in diverse populations.

Labs/Teams: Her lab (Sondheim 509A/B) integrates behavioral, physiological, and neuroimaging methods to study mind-body health connections. Undergraduate researchers assist with data coding and literature reviews, while graduate students design independent projects.