Dr. Mara Julius

Professor Emeritus of Internal Medicine

and Molecular and Integrative Physiology

Professional headshot of Dr. Julius

Biography

Born in 1930, Dr. Mara M. Julius was originally from Croatia. She came to Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1960 after being awarded a Ford Fellowship from the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, where Dr. Julius and her then husband Dr. Stevo Julius worked together. In 1979, she returned to Croatia to receive her Doctorate of Science in Sociology from the University of Zagreb.

She later returned to the University of Michigan, starting as a researcher and teacher through the Psychology Department. Dr. Julius then transferred to the Department of Epidemiology where she spearheaded a groundbreaking study in Tecumseh, MI on anger and its relation to mortality.

During her time at the University of Michigan, she formed a long-term relationship with Harold Cruse, the founder and then director of the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies.

Dr. Julius retired in 1993 with Emeritus status. She continued to live in Ann Arbor after her retirement in the company of one of her granddaughters until the time of her passing in 2011.

Her Work

Throughout her time here at The University of Michigan, Dr. Julius was involved in a number of research projects, spanning from her studies on creativity, to her work with end stage renal disease. She is most well known for her work in Tecumseh, Michigan, where she studied a variety of factors and their correlation to anger and mortality. Specifically, Dr. Julius studied how gender, marital status, and coping methods affected a person's mortality later in life.

She also contributed heavily to the field of gerontology and aging, having several different publications on the topic in The Gerontologist and other prominent publications. She worked heavily with a compound named glutathione to determine its effects on aging.

During her lifetime, Dr. Julius had more than 50 publications, including papers, articles, and featured interviews, and more than 30 presentations as a guest speaker at various conferences. Her work continues to affect her field of study today, with follow-up work still being conducted on her studies in Tecumseh.

A young Dr. Julius sits at a desk against a window. She looks at the camera, using her hands to gesture towards a binder on the disk in front of her to display her work. Her hair is cropped short and she is wearing a white button up and suit jacket.

Dr. Julius as a research associate discussing her Life Crisis Study, published in The Science Beat

Slides from one of Dr. Julius' lectures.

Tecumseh

One of Dr. Julius’ most notable studies during her time here was her work in Tecumseh, Michigan, with more than ten publications stemming from her work there. Most of her published studies from her time in Tecumseh revolve around anger and how it affects mortality later on in life.

Much of her work focused on anger coping skills in married pairs, and how wives in particular were subject to higher mortality rates based on suppressed anger during the marriage. Dr. Julious published a number of articles under the theme of how arguing and getting angry within your marriage can increase your longevity.

Dr. Julius published a number of academic papers on the subject that she was later able to present at numerous academic gatherings. She was also featured in a number of newspaper articles and other interviews. Her work in Tecumseh continues to be studied today, with the most recent follow-up study being published in 2019.

A collage image of different newspapers Dr. Julius was featured in. The center is a letter for the then director of News and Information Services, Joseph H. Owsley, addressing her request to receive the newspaper clippings.

A collection of newspaper clippings sent to Dr. Julius by the then director of News and Information Service. He commends her in his letter for her impressive collection.

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