Research Area(s)
Biology of Brain and Behavior
Lab Website
Harlow Primate Lab
Research Interests
My research is concerned with mind/body relationships and nature/nurture issues that affect health and vulnerability to illness. Our studies take a life span perspective with many focusing on pregnancy and early infancy, and others investigating the biology of aging at the end of the life span. All include biological measures, with a special focus on brain-immune interactions. I have worked in the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) for over 25 years. One other special aspect of our research is that the studies are done both in humans and by modeling these questions in animal projects. In addition to my immune assay facilities, I direct the Harlow Primate Laboratory, which allows us to address developmental questions in young monkeys. Students who train here can learn how to run assays, and usually opt to take many biological courses spanning the neurosciences, endocrinology and immunology, in addition to psychology.
Representative Publications
Coe CL. Biological and social predictors of immune senescence in the aged primate. Mech Aging Dev 2003; 125(2):95-8.
Hodgson DM, Coe CL. Perinatal Programming: Early Life Determinants of Adult Health and
Disease. Taylor & Francis, London, 2006.
Coe CL, Lubach GR, Shirtcliff EA. Maternal stress during pregnancy predisposes for iron deficiency in infants impacting innate immunity. Pediatr Res 2007; 61(5):520-4.
Loevinger BL, Muller D, Alonso C, Coe CL. Metabolic syndrome in women with chronic pain. Metabolism 2007; 56:87-93.
Coe CL, Laudenslager, M. Psychosocial influences on immunity, including effects on
immune maturation and senescence. Brain Behav Immun 2007; 21:1000-1008.
Coe CL, Lubach GR. Fetal programming: prenatal origins of health and illness. Current Dir in Psych Science. 2008; 17(1):36-41.
Backonja M, Coe CL, Muller DA, Schell K. Altered cytokine levels in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of chronic pain patients. J Neuroimmunol 2008; 195(1):157-63.
Shirtcliff, EA, Coe CL, Pollak SD. Early childhood stress is associated with elevated antibody levels to Herpes simplex virus type 1. Proc Nat Acad Sci 2009; 106(8):2963-67.