Julienne Bower

Professor
Ph.D.: UCLA
Area Chair: Health Psychology
Primary Area: Health Psychology
Secondary Area(s): Clinical Psychology
Address: 6538 Pritzker Hall
Phone: (310) 794-7838
Email: jbower@ucla.edu

Research and Teaching Interests:

Dr. Bower’s research focuses broadly on mind-body interactions among individuals confronting stressful life events, particularly diagnosis with life-threatening illnesses such as cancer.  One area of her research examines how positive psychological factors, such as benefit finding, positive affect, and goal engagement, influence physical health, with a focus on the biological pathways that link positive psychological states and health outcomes.  Another line of research examines immune effects on mood and behavior, including fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbance.  Dr. Bower also conducts mind-body interventions (i.e., yoga, Tai Chi, and mindfulness meditation) with a focus on how these treatments influence immune and neuroendocrine function.  Dr. Bower is associated with the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology and the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Research at UCLA and provides trainees with didactic and research training in these areas.

Representative Publications:

Bower, J.E., Ganz, P.A., Irwin, M.R., Arevalo, J., & Cole, S.W. (in press).  Fatigue and gene expression in human leukocytes:  Increased NF-κB and decreased glucocorticoid signaling in breast cancer survivors with persistent fatigue.  Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.   

Bower, J.E., Moskowitz, J.T., & Epel, E. (2009).  Is benefit finding good for your health?  Pathways linking positive life changes after stress and physical health outcomes.  Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18, 337-341.

Bower J.E., Ganz PA, Tao ML, Hu W, Belin TR, Sepah S, Cole S, Aziz N. (2009).  Inflammatory biomarkers and fatigue during radiation therapy for breast and prostate cancer. Clinical Cancer Research,15, 5534-40.

Bower, J.E. (2008).  Behavioral symptoms in patients with breast cancer and survivors.  Journal of Clinical Oncology, 26, 768-777.

Bower, J.E., Low, C.A., Moskowitz, J.T., Sepah, S., & Epel, E.  (2008). Benefit finding and physical health:  Positive psychological changes and enhanced allostasis.  Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2, 223-244.   

Bower, J.E. (2007).  Cancer-related fatigue:  Links with inflammation in cancer patients and survivors.  Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 21, 863-71.   

Bower, J.E., Ganz, P.A., Desmond, K., Bernaards, C., Rowland, J.H., Meyerowitz, B.E., & Belin, T.R. (2006).  Fatigue in long-term breast cancer survivors:  A longitudinal investigation.  Cancer, 106, 751-758.   

Bower, J.E., Ganz, P.A., & Aziz, N. (2005).  Altered cortisol response to psychological stress in breast cancer survivors with persistent fatigue.  Psychosomatic Medicine, 67, 277-280.

Bower, J.E., Meyerowitz, B.E., Desmond, K., Bernaards, C., Rowland, J.H., & Ganz, P.A.  (2005).  Perceptions of vulnerability and growth among cancer survivors:  Positive and negative effects of cancer diagnosis.   Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 29, 236-245.

Bower, J.E., Woolery, A., Sternlieb, B., & Garet, D. (2005).  Yoga for cancer patients and survivors.  Cancer Control, 12, 165-171.