Skip to main content

Penn State will be closed for winter break from Dec. 24, 2024 through Jan. 1, 2025. Normal business hours will resume Jan. 2, 2025. 

Biobehavioral Health
Search search
Mobile Search:

Current Projects:

  • The genetic and epigenetic epidemiology of complex traits in minority populations
  • Gene-environment interactions, with a focus on the effect of social and family environments on common genetic variants
  • The intergenerational transmission of chronic disease risk and adverse pregnancy outcomes via biological (genetic, epigenetic) and psychosocial mechanisms
  • Natural experiments related to immigration policy changes and the health of minority communities 

Affiliated Longitudinal Studies:

Research Funding & Partners:

  • American Heart Association Mid-Atlantic Affiliate Dissertation Grant –PI: Fernández-Rhodes, Title: Acculturation and its interaction with genetic obesity susceptibility among United States Hispanics
  • Population Research Institute Innovation, Collaboration and Leadership Team Grant and Social Science Research Institute Supported PSU Research Date Center Analysis using Restricted NHANES Data - MPIs: Fernandez-Rhodes, Frisco, Title: The health of immigrant families: How structural incorporation fear, stress and avoidance shape well-being"
  • R01 from NHLBI –MPIs: Graff, Fernández-Rhodes, Title: Leveraging Hispanic/Latino diversity to map and characterize cardiovascular disease loci
  • R21 from NHLBI –PI: Fernández-Rhodes, Title: Bio-Social Pathways Linking Socioeconomic Adversity to Obesity