The Evolution of Prenatal Stress Research

Three Decades of Discoveries from the Stony Brook STAR Laboratory

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Marci Lobel, PhD, is an internationally renowned expert on the impact of stress on human health and recipient of a 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Psychological Science. She is Distinguished Professor of Psychology and of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine at Stony Brook University, where she directs the Stress and Reproduction (STAR) Laboratory. Her research spans more than three decades, investigating critical intersections of stress and women’s health, including pregnancy, infertility, and childbirth.

Dr. Lobel earned her AB from Harvard University and her PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles. A prolific scholar with more than 400 publications and presentations, she is also a recognized leader in the advancement of women in STEM. As a 2025-2026 Fulbright Distinguished Scholar, she is currently based at Masaryk University in Brno, teaching The Psychology of Women’s Health and conducting landmark research on the experiences of pregnant Czech women.

In this colloquium, Dr. Lobel will present key findings from her pioneering research in the STAR Lab, centered on the Biopsychosocial Model of Birth Outcomes. The presentation will trace the lab’s trajectory: from foundational studies establishing the harmful impacts of prenatal maternal stress, to the development of sophisticated tools for uncovering stress mechanisms and moderators. The presentation will culminate in an analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic’s global impact on maternal mental health and broader implications of stress for pregnancy and birth outcomes.

Following a brief break, Dr. Lobel will provide an overview of her award-winning Psychology of Women’s Health course, including important themes and selected topics.