Prof. Dr. Julian F. Thayer

Profile

Academic positionFull Professor
Research fieldsPersonality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology
Keywordsheart rate variability, automatic nervous system, vagus, cardiovascular disease

Current contact address

CountryUnited States of America
CityColumbus
InstitutionOhio State University
InstituteDepartment of Psychology

Host during sponsorship

Prof. Dr. Joachim E. FischerMedizinische Fakultät Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Mannheim
Start of initial sponsorship01/06/2010

Programme(s)

2010Humboldt Research Award Programme

Nominator's project description

Professor Julian Thayer is a world-leading health psychologist, who is active in psychosomatic medicine and psychophysiological research with a special focus on vagal regulation of the autonomous nervous system. His contributions to the identification of heart rate variability as a measure for vagal activity are outstanding. During his stay in Germany he will participate in a long-term study on the role of heart rate variability as a marker for physiological ageing. Another project aims at exploring biological mechanisms between the nervous system and the immune system and the influence of the nervous system on the development of inflammations and cardiovascular disease.