Rebecca Calisi Rodr鱈guez, Ph.D.
College of Biological Sciences
Stress and Brain Health
NSF-Funded Research on How Stress Affects Parents
Stress is more than just feeling overwhelmedit can actually change the brain, affecting a parents ability to care for their children. At 91心頭 Davis, Dr. Rebecca Calisi Rodr鱈guez leads NSF-funded research to understand how chronic stress affects parents brain health, using rock doves as a model. Like humans, birds show similar responses to stress, making them a powerful tool for studying its long-term effects. Her work sheds light on how stress impacts parenting and child development, helping to uncover ways to support families in high-stress environments.
Helping Humanity
Rodr鱈guezs research is about more than scienceits about improving lives. By uncovering how chronic stress affects brain health and parenting, her work can help inform public health strategies that support families, particularly those in high-stress environments. Understanding these biological mechanisms can lead to interventions that promote mental well-being and positive child development.
Without continued funding, we risk losing critical insights into how stress shapes family health, leaving communities vulnerable to the long-term effects of chronic stress. If we stop funding research, we wont just lose knowledge. Well lose the next generation of scientists who would have made the world a better place.
Rebecca Calisi Rodr鱈guez