The applicant is proposing this mentored patient oriented research career development award (K23) to expand her research and career focus to the areas of interpersonal trauma and psychoneuroimmunology (PNI). Her previous research has focused on posttraumatic stress reactions in cancer patients, and has also included relationships between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), physiological reactivity, and associated medical problems. This award will allow her to achieve her long range goal of conducting clinical experimental research examining the effects of behavioral therapy on rape-related PTSD and associated biological and medical parameters. To achieve these goals, the applicant has proposed a 5 year career development plan which involves working closely with her primary mentor, Dr. Andrew Baum and her comentors Dr. Edna Foa and Dr. Bruce Rabin. Her career plan includes individual meetings with each mentor, mentorship team meetings, coursework in immunology, statistical analysis and ethics, laboratory experience conducting immunological assays and training in behavioral therapy for rape-related PTSD. During the award period the candidate will conduct a longitudinal observational study of PTSD, immune functioning, and overall health status in sexual assault survivors one month, four months, and one year post-assault. During each assessment the participants will be interviewed for the presence of PTSD and blood draws will be conducted to measure cell-mediated immunity. One primary aim is to examine the acute stress reaction of sexual assault and to determine if those sexual assault victims who continue to have PTSD 4 months postassault show altered immune functioning compared to victims without PTSD. Finally, the relationship between PTSD and physical health status at one year post-assault will be examined and the mediational role of immune dysregulation will be tested. In sum, this research will foster the career development of the candidate and allow for her to become an independent investigator in the areas of PNI and trauma.
