Current Postdoctoral Fellows
Michael Kraus, PhD - second year fellow
Michael Kraus received his PhD in Social-Personality Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley where he conducted research examining the social-cognitive underpinnings of (1) status hierarchies, (2) small groups and teams, and (3) close relationships. Currently, Michael is studying the ways in which emotions coordinate social hierarchy, and how social rank evokes specific emotion profiles.
Melanie Thomas, MD, MS - second year fellow
Melanie Thomas received her MS in Health & Medical Sciences from UC Berkeley and her MD from UC San Francisco through the UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program. Most recently, she completed her clinical training with the General Adult Psychiatry residency program at UC San Francisco. Thus far, Melanie's research seeks to integrate prevention, public health, and psychiatry. Specifically, she is interested in perinatal mental health services, the intergenerational transmission of stress reactivity, and further understanding the relationship of stress response to the development of physical and mental distress throughout the life course.
Aoife O’Donovan, PhD - Visiting Scholar
Aoife O’Donovan completed a BA in Applied Psychology at University College Cork and a Masters of Psychological Science in Health Psychology at the National University of Ireland, Galway. During her Masters degree, she conducted psychophysiological research and developed a strong interest in examining the effects of psychological variables on the immune system. For her PhD degree, she conducted research projects in Psychoneuroimmunology at the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Research, University College Dublin. In particular, she examined immunological pathways by which psychological distress could contribute to the development and progression of diseases of aging. At UCSF, Aoife is examining psychological and biological mechanisms by which psychological distress may contribute to accelerated immune system aging.
