This 2-year NIMH-funded postdoctoral program trains researchers to link basic psychological theories and research to preventing and ameliorating disease.  There are two areas, and cross-cutting both areas is a consideration of disparities in mental and physical illness and the mechanisms by which they occur.  The two areas are: (1) Health-risking behavior:  Fellows in this area focus on developing and applying theories of risk perception, social learning, cognitive development, and risk-taking to understand and modify health-risk behaviors, especially those that contribute to exposure to the HIV virus, as well as those contributing to addictive behaviors.  There is an emphasis on developmental processes and on adolescence as a critical period.  (2) Stress, depression, psychobiology and disease:  Fellows in this area focus on theories of the meaning and appraisal of stress, cognitive and affective responses that result from these appraisals, and biological concomitants of these responses that result in disease.  We emphasize common pathways to multiple disease outcomes, especially those spanning mental and physical illness.  

To apply:

Applicants should send a letter describing (1) their background, (2) area of interest, and (3) what they would like to accomplish in their postdoctoral training.  A curriculum vitae should be included. Applicants should also arrange for three letters of reference to be sent directly to us. All correspondence should be addressed to:

Dr. Nancy Adler
c/o Russell Heiman
University of California, San Francisco
Health Psychology Program
3333 California Street, Suite 465
San Francisco, CA 94118

CV and letter of interest can be emailed to: HealthPsychology@ucsf.edu