Jeanette M. Bennett, PhD
Entering college, I planned on becoming a MD – even conditionally accepted into medical school. However, through my then minor in psychology, I found my passion: psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) and stress. I decided to double major in biology & psychology and set course for a career in research. Before applying to graduate programs, I developed my skills in both academia- and industry-based research environments. In Fall 2005, I began training with Laura Cousino Klein, PhD at Penn State and earned my MS (2007) and PhD (2010) in Biobehavioral Health. During my postdoctoral fellowship, I worked under the tutelage of Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, PhD in the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center. Although I enjoy conducting research, I also learned that I love to teach and sought a research/teaching professorship.
In August 2012, I joined UNC Charlotte as an assistant tenure track professor and created StressWAVES BRL. In addition, I laid the groundwork for the Psychological Science’s first BSL-2 data collection space, the BioBehavioral Core Lab. In July 2018, I was promoted to associate professor with tenure.
The underlying concept driving my research lab is that variability in physiological systems drives behavior and ultimately promotes health, both physical and mental. We focus on individual differences or factors that influence the functional variability within the bidirectional neuroendocrine-immune communication or stress/arousal response. A flexible stress/arousal response increases survival, health, and leads to successful maintenance of balance or homeostasis. Unfortunately, loss of flexibility results in dysregulated biological process, reduced efficiency, diminished health, and accelerated aging.
This communication between the neuroendocrine and immune systems can be influenced by psychological (e.g., stress, depression), biological (e.g., sex, drug use, age), and psychosocial (e.g., socioeconomic status, social support) factors which ultimately affect overall health. We seek to understand the antecedents or the factors that contribution to chronic disease development. Specifically, we study the effects of stress (psychological, social, and pharmacological) and stressful life events on neuroendocrine and immune system functioning and ways to improve communication between the two systems across the lifespan in healthy and clinical populations.
Graduate Research Assistants
Ameante Payen, MA
Update coming soon…
Micah McWhorter
My name is Micah McWhorter and I am a second year student in the Masters in Psychology program here at UNCC. I have been in the lab for 2 and a half years. During this time, I have been a study coordinator of two studies focused on stress and interventions targeted towards impacting psychological and physiological states in the human body. My research interests include how stress manifests in the body and how various behaviors, such as exercise and diet, mitigate the implications of stress, including inflammation and psychological states. Outside of my research, I love to spend time with friends and family (including my 3 fur babies!), travel, play pickleball, try new sports, exercise, and spend time in nature. My favorite thing of all is trying new things and challenging myself, inside of research and in my personal life. Thanks for reading a little bit about me!
Kelsey Julian, MA
My name is Kelsey and I am a first year graduate student in the Health Psychology PhD Program. In 2018, I graduated with a BS in psychology and minors in Biology and Family Development from the University of Dayton. I stayed at the University of Dayton to earn an MA in Clinical Psychology in. After my Master’s, I worked for a few years at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in a lab studying child physical abuse and epigenetics. My research interests broadly focus on understanding the long-term effects of early adversity and trauma on health outcomes. In particular, I am interested in studying the role of dysregulated stress systems in the development of physical health conditions and identifying biomarkers for early detection of chronic disease susceptibility. In my free time I enjoy weightlifting, listening to podcasts, trying new restaurants, and traveling to see my friends and family.
Michael Persin, MA
My name is Michael Persin and I am a grad student here at UNCC. In 2020, I graduated with a BS in psychology and minors in Public Health and History from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In 2022, I completed my master’s in clinical psychology at the University of Texas at Tyler. My research interest broadly centers around the bidirectional relationship between biopsychosocial factors and higher order cognitive processes. I am interested in investigating biomarkers and detailing cognitive markers to create profiles for at risk populations. In my free time I enjoy watching movies, learning about historical events, pinball and traveling.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Elle Benigni
Hello, I am Elle Benigni and am a senior here at UNC Charlotte pursuing a Psychology and Sociology degree with a minor in Child and Family Development. I started in the lab in Summer 2024 and am currently involved with running MINDGRIP visits and am a part of the Z-FLO Intervention team. My career and educational goals are to pursue graduate school to study the interaction between stress and hormonal regulation as it relates to chronic illness and women’s health. I grew up in Rock Hill, South Carolina, which is right outside of Charlotte. When I am not at school or in the lab, my personal hobbies include reading, going on walks, and playing games with friends.
Evelyn Valenzuela
My name is Evelyn Valenzuela and I am in my senior year majoring in Psychology with Honors and minoring in Child and Family Development. I am also completing an Undergraduate Spanish-English Translation Certificate. I joined the lab through the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) Research Scholars program in Fall 2023. I am currently on the intervention team for Z-FLO and help run MINDGRIP visits. My research interests include the transference of stress in families, its impacts on child development, and adapting/improving research and clinical assessment techniques for culturally diverse populations. In my free time, I enjoy spending quality time with family and friends, traveling, and exercising.
Isabella Rodriguez
I am a senior undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Women and Gender Studies. I have been part of the lab since the spring of 2024. I love the hands-on experiences I have gained here and the opportunity to collaborate with other students. My primary focus is on the MINDGRIP project. After completing my undergraduate degree, I plan to further my education in clinical psychology, with a particular interest in abnormal psychology and substance abuse.
Nate Joseph
My name is Nate Joseph. I am 22 years old and I am currently a senior at UNCC finishing up my double major in both English and Psychology. I was both born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. I’ve been in the lab now since the start of the 2024 Fall semester. The main study I work on in the lab is MINDGRIP. My personal research interests center around clinical studies of various mental disorders and their corresponding interventions. My personal hobbies center around music, as I enjoy playing various instruments and writing songs.
Sophie Smith
I am in my senior year at UNCC majoring in psychology and minoring in criminal justice. I am just starting out in the lab, and joined the lab at the beginning of this semester (8/19/24). I am currently practicing MINDGRIP and Z-FLO visits in the lab. My personal research interests are neurodegenerative disorders, inflammation, ADHD and the brain, and stress effects on the brain. My hometown is Charlotte, and my interests are psychological research and listening to music, while my main hobbies include reading and playing the piano.
Divya Agarwal
My name is Divya Agarwal, and I am a third-year at UNC Charlotte, double majoring in Psychology and Biology with minors in Chemistry, Public Health, and Biotechnology. I joined the SWBRL Lab in Summer 2023 after taking Brain and Behavior with Dr. Bennett. In the lab, I initially worked as part of the SMART team and am now involved in the MINDGRIP study. My research interests focus on the effects of psychiatric medications on cognitive and emotional function, as well as the neuroscience-based analysis of stress hormones and allostatic load in relation to mental health outcomes. Beyond research, I serve as the president of Active Minds and the vice president of the American Medical Women’s Association, while in my free time, I enjoy exploring new ideas through reading, spending quality time with friends and family, traveling, and trying new cuisines.
Rhoen Hoff
My name is Rhoen Hoff, and I am a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Philosophy. Since Spring 2022, I have been in the lab and worked on studies such as SMART, ERRICO, and MINDGRIP. My research interests focus on how stressors shape health behaviors and outcomes, with a particular focus on the interaction between psychological and biological mechanisms. Additionally, I am interested in exploring, both quantitatively and qualitatively, factors that influence the experience, navigation, and differential effects of stressors, such as marginalization and environmental sensitivity. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, watching Craig of the Creek or Star Trek, and reading magical realism novels.
David Boswell-Samuels
My name is David Boswell-Samuels and I am a Research Assistant in Training. I was just recently accepted into the lab earlier this semester. I am an Honors College undergraduate sophomore pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Psychology. I have an interest in neurocognitive disorders like dementia and Alzheimers, and I’m writing a research synthesis on the effect of excitotoxicity in PTSD, as well as how that excitotoxicity affects cognition. In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with my friends, going on walks around campus, and eating out.
Angela Bang
Jade Moran
Eric Hamrick
Praneeta Veluri
to get white text
Post-Bac Research Assistants
Nyla Varh: Updates coming soon…