Behavioral Medicine Research Group

The Behavioral Medicine Research Group is a unique opportunity to engage with a dynamic interdisciplinary group of researchers, including core Health Psychology faculty in the Psychology Department, affiliated faculty in the U of U Medical Center, and health-focused graduate students across all areas of the department. The meetings are an opportunity to get feedback on research and professional issues in a warm way that sharpens one’s thinking, brings new ideas to any project, and fills in the tacit knowledge that is so frequently missing in professional training.  The work of this group has spurred numerous successful grant applications and been an important part of student and early career faculty training that has led to highly successful careers.  If you are interested in joining the listserve for this group contact Bert Uchino (Bert.Uchino@psych.utah.edu) or LillyBelle Deer (LillyBelle.Deer@psych.utah.edu). The group meets twice each month throughout the semester with activities that include:

• Research presentations from faculty and graduate students (e.g., practice conference talks; proposal/defense talks)
• Outside speakers
• Grant development brainstorming sessions
• Professional development topics, including panel discussions from alumni
• Journal Club-type meetings to discuss current articles/topics in behavioral medicine
  
  

Examples from 2024-2025:

• Grant Idea: How sharp is the double-edge sword?: Impact of genetic testing for severe obesity on self-blame, perceived control, and expectations of treatment efficacy in a clinical setting
  Lisa G. Aspinwall, Larissa McGarrity, Lilly Bautista Harrison, Inaki Rashid, & Juliana Simonetti, Department of Psychology, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Weight Management Program

• Guest Speaker: Understanding the role of distinct emotions in tobacco cessation
  Dr. Dusti Jones, Research Scientist for the Center for Health Outcomes and Population Equity, Huntsman Institute

• Journal Club topic: Meaning and Measurement of Social Support in Traditionally Underrepresented Communities.
• Resources for the BMED Community. Family Caregiving Collaborative
  Lee Ellington, Professor of Nursing and Rebecca Utz, Professor of Sociology

• Practice dissertation defense: Health Equity for Latino Families: Integrating Liberation, CBPR, and Mindfulness
  Manny Gutierrez Chavez, Department of Psychology