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Kathi L. Heffner, Ph.D.

Kathi L. Heffner, Ph.D.

About Me

Kathi Heffner is a Professor of Nursing, Medicine, and Psychiatry, and the Associate Chief of Research in the Division of Geriatrics and Aging in the Department of Medicine. Her multidisciplinary and interprofessional collaborations and mentorship are aimed at supporting research initiatives that ca...
Kathi Heffner is a Professor of Nursing, Medicine, and Psychiatry, and the Associate Chief of Research in the Division of Geriatrics and Aging in the Department of Medicine. Her multidisciplinary and interprofessional collaborations and mentorship are aimed at supporting research initiatives that can ultimately foster individuals' health and well-being in later life.

Dr. Heffner's work has been supported by multiple organizational, NIH and other federally funded grants. Her growing leadership in aging research has been recognized locally and nationally, including as a selected scholar for the Tideswell UCSF Emerging Leaders in Aging Program. She is currently the Principal Investigator and Program Director for the Healthy Aging Research Program, supported by the UR Clinical Translational Science Institute, School of Nursing, and Department of Psychiatry.

Faculty Appointments

Professor - Department of Medicine, Geriatrics/Aging (SMD) - Joint

Professor - Department of Psychiatry, Behav/Psychosoc Med (SMD) - Joint

Credentials

Post-doctoral Training & Residency

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Psychoneuroimmunology, The Ohio State University 2001 - 2003

Education

PhD | University of Nevada, Reno. Social Psychology. 2001

BA | University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Psychology. 1994

Awards

UCSF Tideswell Emerging Leaders in Aging, Leadership Scholar in Research. 2017 - 2018

W. G. Stuber Research Fellowship Award. 2015 - 2016

Selected cohort member; Developing from Within. 2014

Excellence in Research Incentive Program Award. 2013

Citation Poster. 2009

Collier Research Award, First Place. 2009

Citation Poster. 2008

Renewal award, National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Program, Clinical Research Program. 2008

Invitation and Honorarium for attendance. 2008

Funding recipient, National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Program, Clinical Research Program. 2006

University International Council, International Travel Award. 2006

Faculty Development Award. 2005

Social Psychology Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program Competitive Travel Award. 2000

Graduate Student Association Annual Research Competition, Finalist. 2000

Graduate Student Association (GSA) Merit Scholarship. 1998

Research

My research centers on understanding the links between stress and health in older adulthood. I am particularly interested in how stress affects the immune system, and how to promote stress resilience to keep the immune system healthy at older ages. My scientific contributions fall into three areas: ...
My research centers on understanding the links between stress and health in older adulthood. I am particularly interested in how stress affects the immune system, and how to promote stress resilience to keep the immune system healthy at older ages. My scientific contributions fall into three areas: (1) implications of stress, including older family caregivers' stress, for healthy immune aging, (2) the influence of sleep and insomnia on stress physiology and inflammation, and (3) the role of social relationships in older adults' stress and stress resilience.

Across these areas, my goal is to identify behavioral interventions that can affect multiple domains of older adults' well-being, including mood and anxiety, cognitive function, pain, and risk for chronic aging-related diseases.

Clinical Trials

Modifiers and Mechanisms of Loneliness Interventions for Caregivers of a Family Member with Dementia

Lead Researcher: Kathi Heffner

Taking care of someone who has dementia can become increasingly difficult. The well-being of the caregiver is important for both themselves and the person they care for. Healthy social connections are a vital part of this. The purpose of this st...

Publications

Journal Articles

Heffner KL

Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology.. 2024 November 20 :100259. Epub 08/05/2024.

Temkin-Greener H, Conwell Y, Heffner KL, Cai S

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.. 2024 August 7 Epub 08/07/2024.

Heffner KL, Quiñones MM, Gallegos AM, Crean HF, Lin F, Suhr JA

Aging & mental health.. 2022 May 26 (5):971-979. Epub 03/30/2021.

Wang J, Cheng Z, Kim Y, Yu F, Heffner KL, Quinones MM, Li Y

Journal of pain and symptom management.. 2022 May 63 (5):654-664. Epub 01/23/2022.

Pigeon WR, Crean HF, Cerulli C, Gallegos AM, Bishop TM, Heffner KL

Psychotherapy and psychosomatics.. 2022 91 (1):50-62. Epub 07/15/2021.

Chen Q, Yang H, Rooks B, Anthony M, Zhang Z, Tadin D, Heffner KL, Lin FV

Human brain mapping.. 2020 September 41 (13):3608-3619. Epub 06/08/2020.

Lin FV, Tao Y, Chen Q, Anthony M, Zhang Z, Tadin D, Heffner KL

NeuroImage.. 2020 June 213 :116730. Epub 03/09/2020.

Elliot AJ, Heffner KL, Mooney CJ, Moynihan JA, Chapman BP

Journal of aging and health.. 2018 July 30 (6):904-923. Epub 03/20/2017.

Gallegos AM, Crean HF, Pigeon WR, Heffner KL

Clinical psychology review.. 2017 December 58 :115-124. Epub 1900 01 01.

Lin F, Ren P, Wang X, Anthony M, Tadin D, Heffner KL

The Journal of physiology.. 2017 November 15595 (22):6969-6978. Epub 10/25/2017.

Ren P, Heffner KL, Jacobs A, Lin F

The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.. 2017 November 25 (11):1225-1233. Epub 06/27/2017.

Lin F, Heffner KL, Ren P, Tadin D

Current Alzheimer research.. 2017 14 (7):784-789. Epub 1900 01 01.

Devereux PG, Heffner KL, Doane MJ, Gosser B, Nolan M

Journal of health psychology.. 2016 October 21 (10):2247-58. Epub 03/16/2015.

Lin F, Heffner KL, Ren P, Tivarus ME, Brasch J, Chen DG, Mapstone M, Porsteinsson AP, Tadin D

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.. 2016 June 64 (6):1293-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Heffner KL, Crean HF, Kemp JE

Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy.. 2016 May 8 (3):365-74. Epub 01/11/2016.

Lin F, Ren P, Cotton K, Porsteinsson A, Mapstone M, Heffner KL

The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.. 2016 May 24 (5):374-8. Epub 01/12/2016.

Pigeon WR, Heffner KL, Crean H, Gallegos AM, Walsh P, Seehuus M, Cerulli C

Contemporary clinical trials.. 2015 November 45 (Pt B):252-260. Epub 09/04/2015.

Lin F, Heffner K, Mapstone M, Chen DG, Porsteisson A

The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.. 2014 November 22 (11):1210-21. Epub 07/23/2013.

Heffner KL, Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Glaser R, Malarkey WB, Marshall GD

Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.. 2014 July 113 (1):13-8. Epub 04/13/2014.

Lin F, Roiland R, Heffner K, Johnson M, Chen DG, Mapstone M

Journal of psychosomatic research.. 2014 June 76 (6):458-64. Epub 04/16/2014.

Lin F, Suhr J, Diebold S, Heffner KL

Psychoneuroendocrinology.. 2014 April 42 :118-23. Epub 01/22/2014.

Heffner KL

Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.. 2013 August 46 (1):7-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Poleshuck EL, Talbot NL, Moynihan JA, Chapman BP, Heffner KL

Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine.. 2013 May 14 (5):686-91. Epub 04/22/2013.

Heffner KL, Devereux PG, Ng HM, Borchardt AR, Quigley KS

Experimental aging research.. 2013 39 (2):162-78. Epub 1900 01 01.

Heffner KL, Ng HM, Suhr JA, France CR, Marshall GD, Pigeon WR, Moynihan JA

The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.. 2012 September 20 (9):744-52. Epub 1900 01 01.

Heffner KL, Waring ME, Roberts MB, Eaton CB, Gramling R

Social science & medicine.. 2011 May 72 (9):1482-8. Epub 03/30/2011.

Rethorst CD, Moynihan J, Lyness JM, Heffner KL, Chapman BP

Psychosomatic medicine.. 2011 April 73 (3):265-9. Epub 03/01/2011.

Heffner KL

Immunology and allergy clinics of North America.. 2011 February 31 (1):95-108. Epub 1900 01 01.

Heffner KL, France CR, Trost Z, Ng HM, Pigeon WR

The Clinical journal of pain.. 2011 January 27 (1):35-41. Epub 1900 01 01.

Pigeon WR, Heffner K, Duberstein P, Fiscella K, Moynihan J, Chapman BP

Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM.. 2011 24 (2):161-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Suhr JA, Patterson SM, Austin AW, Heffner KL

The journal of nutrition, health & aging.. 2010 December 14 (10):840-3. Epub 1900 01 01.

Gramling R, Heffner KL, Klein WM, Zajac LE, Roberts M, Eaton CB

BioPsychoSocial medicine.. 2010 September 214 (1):11. Epub 09/21/2010.

Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Heffner KL, Glaser R, Malarkey WB, Porter K, Atkinson C, Laskowski B, Lemeshow S, Marshall GD

Psychoneuroendocrinology.. 2009 June 34 (5):670-80. Epub 01/15/2009.

Heffner KL, Loving TJ, Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Himawan LK, Glaser R, Malarkey WB

Journal of behavioral medicine.. 2006 August 29 (4):317-25. Epub 06/20/2006.

Heffner KL, Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Loving TJ, Glaser R, Malarkey WB

Journal of behavioral medicine.. 2004 June 27 (3):233-54. Epub 1900 01 01.

Heffner KL, Loving TJ, Robles TF, Kiecolt-Glaser JK

Brain, behavior, and immunity.. 2003 February 17 Suppl 1 :S109-11. Epub 1900 01 01.

Heffner KL, Ginsburg GP, Hartley TR

International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology.. 2002 May 44 (2):165-75. Epub 1900 01 01.

Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Robles TF, Heffner KL, Loving TJ, Glaser R

Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology. 2002 13 Suppl 4 :165-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

Books

Handbook of Psychoneuroimmunology (2014)

Chapter: Stress and immune function in humans: A life-course perspective

Authors: Moynihan, J. A.; Heffner, K. L.; Caserta, M.; O'Connor, T.

Publisher: Oxford: John Wiley & Sons 2014

The Encyclopedia of Positive Psychology (2009)

Chapter: Psychoneuroimmunology

Authors: Heffner, K. L.

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell 2009

The Encyclopedia of Human Relationships (2009)

Chapter: Isolation: Health effects

Authors: Heffner, K. L.

Publisher: Sage 2009

Cambridge Handbook of Personal Relationships (2006)

Chapter: Physiology and interpersonal relationships

Authors: Loving, T. J.; Heffner, K. L.; Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K.

Publisher: Cambridge University Press 2006