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Director

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Contact Information

phone: (317) 274-6761

office: LD 100E

Jesse C. Stewart

jstew@iu.edu

​Curriculum Vitae

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Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Psychology, School of Science, IUPUI
Affiliated Scientist, Indiana University Center for Aging Research and Regenstrief Institute
Faculty Scientist, Indiana University Diabetes Translational Research Center
Member, Indiana University Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases

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I’m a Professor of Psychology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, better known as IUPUI. Since its launch in 2006, I've also been directing the CBM Lab. I have a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Ohio University, and I completed postdoctoral training in cardiovascular behavioral medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. My primary research interests are: (1) psychosocial risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases, (2) biobehavioral mechanisms underlying psychosocial factor-cardiometabolic disease relationships, and (3) psychosocial interventions as primary prevention approaches for cardiometabolic diseases.

 

I'm also a self-taught (read: below average) guitar player and a music gear hoarder. My last two big scores were a Gretsch Catalina drum kit and a 1950’s all-tube Westinghouse record player console. My daughter and son love them…my wife, not so much. I'm also a lover of craft beer, indie rock, and the outdoors, especially when combined.

PhD Students

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Christopher A. Crawford

chricraw@iu.edu

​Curriculum Vitae

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I am a sixth-year PhD candidate in clinical psychology at Indiana University–Indianapolis, currently on internship in Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. My research focuses on identifying pathways that contribute to depression, particularly by exploring how biological factors like sleep and neurobiological markers interact with mental health outcomes. I am especially interested in applying genetic methodologies and deep phenotyping to advance our understanding of affective disorders. I also conduct research on LGBTQ+ health, examining how systemic factors like discrimination and healthcare inequities drive cardiometabolic and mental health disparities, with the goal of improving outcomes for my community. I serve as a co-chair of the LGBTQ+ Health Special Interest Group of the Society for Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine and previously served as president of Graduate OUT in STEM (GoSTEM) at IU. In my free time, I enjoy collaborating on interdisciplinary research projects, playing music, attending concerts, and exploring local breweries.

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Matthew D. Schuiling

mschuil@iu.edu

​Curriculum Vitae

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I am a fifth-year doctoral candidate at IU Indianapolis in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program, specializing in Clinical Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine. My research interests include sleep disorders and behavioral-social rhythms and their influence on circadian rhythms and health. I completed my B.A. in Biology and Psychology from Hope College in 2019. I then spent two years at Northwestern University in Chicago developing behavioral interventions for Narcolepsy. In my free time I enjoy doing improv comedy, attending concerts for my favorite artists, and being outdoors.

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Timothy C. Lipuma
tclipuma@iu.edu
​Curriculum Vitae

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I am a fourth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at IUI. My research background spans nutrition and exercise performance, stress and the immune system, and the brain-gut-microbiome axis. My current work focuses on how symptoms related to depression and insomnia, such as changes in eating or sleeping, influence cardiometabolic health. As a community college transfer, I am a strong proponent of academic mentorship and bridge programs. Outside of academia, I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes, training in grappling martial arts (Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for 7 years), and slow mornings with my dog + a good cup of coffee!

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Zack M. Jones

joneszm@iu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

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I am a second-year doctoral student at IUI in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. I graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Spanish here at IUI in 2024. My undergraduate theses involved the associations between coagulation factors and subjective sleep parameters and implicit bias among hospital phone operators toward Hispanic callers. My current research interests include the link between inflammation and depression treatment outcomes and identifying and classifying depression subtypes using biomarker profiles to advance precision medicine in mental health care. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my cat, Dusty, baking, crocheting, and going to the different state parks in the area.

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JiHee Yoon

yoon16@iu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

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I am a second-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at IU Indianapolis. My research examines the intersection of sleep, inflammation, and affective disorders—particularly depression—focusing on how these factors contribute to the development and progression of chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease. I am also interested in uncovering the core mechanisms underlying psychosocial interventions to enhance their efficacy and advance evidence-based practice. Outside of the lab, I enjoy practicing yoga, traveling, exploring hiking trails, and discovering new coffee spots!

Insomnia/Depression Clinical Specialist

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Krysha MacDonald

krysmacd@iu.edu

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Hello! I'm Krysha - a licensed mental health counselor, the Insomnia Clinical Specialist for the SHADES trial, the Depression Clinical Specialist for the eIMPACT and eIMPACT-DM Trials, and the CBM Lab mom/morale booster/cheerleader. I graduated from Ball State University with a M.A. in Clinical Psychology and have 24+ years of mental health experience, ranging from school-based services to being an integrated behavioral health specialist in primary care settings. When I am not in the lab, you can find me traveling, out at a festival, seeing live music, or outdoors exploring nature. Besides having a huge case of wanderlust, another passion of mine is finding and indulging in good, locally sourced food and craft beverages. I'm also an avid animal advocate, rescuer, foster parent, and proud mama of 2 rescue fur babies.

Affiliated Faculty

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Briana ("Bri") Sprague, PhD

bspragu@iu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

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Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine
Investigator, Regenstrief Institute, Center for Aging Research

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Dr. Bri Sprague’s research focuses on behavioral interventions to improve health outcomes, cognitive aging, and cardiovascular health disparities. Her early work emphasized cognitive interventions, exploring how training in one domain can transfer to untrained health outcomes. Now, she is pivoting toward developing sustainable, culturally tailored interventions to address cardiovascular health disparities, particularly among Black adults. Dr. Sprague is actively involved in clinical trials examining the impact of lifestyle-based blood pressure management programs on cognitive and physical health. She has also published findings from large-scale cognitive intervention trials, revealing how intervention effectiveness varies by baseline health.

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Recently, Dr. Sprague’s work has expanded to investigating the psychological and social correlates of cardiovascular health and conducting rapid reviews of multilevel interventions to improve blood pressure outcomes. She is a 2024-2025 scholar of the NHLBI-funded PRIDE-CVD program, which supports her development of community-engaged research to promote cardiovascular health equity.

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Natalie Keirns, PhD

natalie.keirns@bsu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

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I am an Assistant Professor of Public Health at Ball State University and affiliate faculty member in the CBM lab. I earned my PhD in Clinical Psychology-Health Specialization from Oklahoma State University in 2023 before completing a postdoctoral research fellowship in cardiovascular behavioral medicine at Brown University Health in 2024. My current research program is focused on reducing the public health burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by identifying and intervening on mechanisms by which psychosocial factors contribute to CVD development in people with obesity. I joined the CBM lab in August 2024 and am collaborating with the team on the SHADES trial. Outside of research, I enjoy traveling, trying new food and drinks, and spending time at home with my two pups! 

Research Assistants

Gouri B. Ambily

gouambil@iu.edu

​Curriculum Vitae

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I am a research specialist in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Indiana University School of Medicine. My primary work focuses on maternal and child health, with an emphasis on pesticide exposure during pregnancy and its impact on child development. Specifically, I investigate how depression interacts with biological and demographic factors such as sleep quality, physical activity, and neighborhood environment and impact maternal health and birth outcomes including preeclampsia and preterm birth. My research aims to identify pathways that inform interventions to improve perinatal care and reduce health disparities.  As a research assistant in the CBM lab, I contribute to the SHADES study, which examines the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) on cardiovascular health. My responsibilities include recruiting participants for the study and collaborating with clinical psychology PhD students on projects exploring the intersection of depression, insomnia, and cardiovascular health. I am committed to advancing research that addresses health inequities across diverse populations. Alongside my research, I am an active member of salsa and bachata performance teams at Latin Expressions, a Latin dance community. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, watching movies, and hanging out with friends.

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Kitzel Padilla

padillki@iu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

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Hi! I am Kitzel, and I am a research assistant at the CBM Lab. In 2019 I graduated with my B.S. in Health Services Management with a minor in Spanish. Afterwards, I decided to pursue graduate studies and in 2023 I received my MPH with a concentration in Public Health Informatics. During my time as a graduate student, I held various roles in community outreach and research where I was responsible for interpreting and translating for the Spanish- only speaking population. This is when I began to recognize the significant value of my Spanish-speaking skills, and though I have yet to land on a research niche, I do aim to improve the representation of the Hispanic population in medical studies. When I am not working for the lab, I am probably doing yoga, listening to a podcast, or walking my dog. 

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Micah Stewart

stewmi@iu.edu

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I am a student-athlete graduate of Cedarville University, where I earned a Bachelors of Science in Allied Health with minors in Psychology and Biblical Studies. I am currently finishing prerequisites at IU Indianapolis before applying to medical schools. Professionally, my interests involve an amalgamation of emergency medicine, psychology, and sleep medicine; my personal passions, however, are much broader. Sports, thrifting, and Christopher Nolan movies consume the majority of time outside of my studies, and I’d spend every snow day on a board if I could. 

Alumni

Desiree Zielke, 2012

Clinical Psychologist, Becoming Balanced, Fargo, ND

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Misty A.W. Hawkins, 2013

Associate Professor, Department of Health & Wellness Design, School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington

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Manisha Sawhney, 2013

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Mary, Bismark, ND

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Tasneem Khambaty, 2015

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland – Baltimore County

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Jessica Berntson, 2018

Registered Psychologist, Health + Anxiety Psychology Practice, North Vancouver, BC

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Elizabeth A. Vrany, 2018

Assistant Professor, ​Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health and Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

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Brittanny M. Polanka, 2020

Assistant Professor and Benjamin‐Carver Scientist, Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine

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Loretta Hsueh, 2020

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago

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Jay S. Patel, 2021

Clinical Psychologist, Washington Permanente Medical Group, Tacoma Mental Health and Wellness

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Alexis Higgins, 2022

Medical Student, Indiana University School of Medicine

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Aubrey L. Shell, 2023

Clinical Psychologist, IU Health Ball Memorial Outpatient Behavioral Health

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Michelle K. Williams, 2025

Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago​

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