Ruyak Laboratory

The Ruyak lab focuses on the biobehavioral contributions of chronic stress to adverse outcomes in pregnancy within a psychoneuroimmunological framework.

Psychoneuroimmunology describes the interactions among the brain, nervous, immune and endocrine systems and the implications of these interactions for mental and physical health.

Our lab is specifically interested in the effect of maternal environment on the developing fetus and the role of the placenta as a signaling interface.