Michael Irwin, M.D., Director, MARC
Professor, UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
Director, Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, UCLA Semel Institute Neuroscience and Human Behavior
President-Elect, Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research
Associate Editor, Brain, Behavior and Immunity, Journal of the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.semel.ucla.edu/cousins
Dr. Irwin holds the Norman Cousins Distinguished Professorship in Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science at the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine for his lifetime contributions to understanding the reciprocal interactions between the central nervous system, the immune system and health, with a recent focus on how depression and insomnia induce adverse trajectories diseases risk, activate inflammatory biology, and accelerate aging. In addition, he has pioneered innovative community based treatments including mind-body approaches such as mindfulness meditation and tai chi to reverse the course of biological mechanisms of disease risk, improve insomnia, and prevent depression in cancer survivors, older adults, and adults. Over the 30 years of his career, he has been continuously funded, and led over 30 R01 type award from the National Institute of Health, which have resulted in over 450 scientific research articles. His scientific accomplishments, highly cited by the research community and international media outlets, have been recognized by awards from the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society and election to President of the Academy Behavioral Medicine Research, as well as the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society and the American Psychosomatic Society. He currently serves as Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Psychiatry at UCLA, Director of the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology at the UCLA Semel Institute, and Director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at the UCLA Semel Institute.