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| About Us : | Faculty : | Bower |
Research Interests
Dr. Bower’s research is focused on elucidating the interactions between psychological and immune factors among cancer patients and survivors, as well as individuals at high risk for cancer. One line of her research examines the association between changes in immune status and behavioral symptoms experienced by cancer patients during and after treatment. This research is based on the hypothesis that activation of proinflammatory cytokines mediates fatigue and other behavioral side effects of cancer treatment, including depression and cognitive disturbance. She is currently conducting prospective studies of breast and prostate cancer patients undergoing radiation and immunotherapy as well as an experimental study with breast cancer survivors to evaluate the association between elevations in proinflammatory cytokines and behavioral symptoms. Another line of Dr. Bower’s research examines psychological responses to cancer and other stressful life events and their impact on the immune and endocrine systems. This research focuses on positive psychological responses, such as finding positive meaning from the stressful experience, and the mechanisms through which these responses influence physical health.
Current research
Mechanisms of Radiation-Induced Fatigue in Cancer
Principal Investigator: J.Bower
Agency: NIH/NCI
Type: 1KO1 CA 90407 Period: 07/01/01-03/31/06
Mechanisms of Fatigue in Patients Undergoing Immunotherapy for Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer
Principal Investigator: J. Bower
Agency: Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
Type: Seed Grant Period: 5/01/02- 5/01/03
Stress and Thriving in Breast Cancer Survivors
Principal Investigator: J. Bower
Agency: Positive Psychology Network
Type: Seed Grant
Recent publications
Bower, J. E. and S.C. Segerstrom (2004). “Stress management, finding benefit, and immune function: positive mechanisms for intervention effects on physiology.” J Psychosom Res 56(1): 9-11.
Ganz, P.A., L. Kwan, et al. (2004). “ Quality of life at the end of primary treatment of breast cancer: first results from the moving beyond cancer randomized trial.” J Natl Cancer Inst 96(5): 376-87.
Bower, J.E., Ganz, P.A., Dickerson, S.S., Petersen, L., Aziz, N., Fahey, J.L. (2005). Diurnal cortisol rhythm and fatigue in breast cancer survivors. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 30, 92-100.
Contact
Bower, Julie
Assistant Professor
Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology
UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute
Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Research
UCLA Medical Plaza 300, Room 3306
Los Angeles, CA 90095-6900
email:
phone: (310) 794-9383
fax: (310) 206-3566
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