News

2021 Article : "Despite unprecedented challenges brought on by the pandemic, the Capital Region’s STEM talent pipeline increased over the last year – thanks in large part to the University at Albany.

In 2020, the Capital Region’s eight traditional colleges and universities saw an 8.3 percent increase in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees from the previous year, according to a recent Center for Economic Growth (CEG) report. This was boosted by sizable gains in biological and biomedical sciences degree awards at UAlbany’s College of Arts and Sciences and School of Public Health."

2021 Article : "The life sciences vitalized the Capital Region’s STEM talent pipeline during the pandemic. In 2020, the eight-county region’s traditional colleges and universities saw an 8.3 percent increase in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees1 – boosted by sizeable gains in biological and biomedical sciences degree awards at the University at Albany, according to a Center for Economic Growth (CEG) analysis of new data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)."

2021 Link: "ALBANY, N.Y. (Aug. 24, 2021) — Several years ago, the Behavioral Neuroscience doctoral program in Psychology admitted its largest-ever cohort: six students, about twice the usual number. All have or will graduate within months of each other — somewhat unusual for a group that large.

What is more striking, however, is that five of these six outstanding students — collectively they have published 20 journal articles — are women of color.

“This is particularly noteworthy because women, and particularly women of color, are underrepresented in STEM fields nationally,” said Christine Wagner, professor and director of graduate programs in Psychology. “We are very proud of each of them and their achievements in neuroscience.”

...“I am grateful that my parents, who emigrated from the Caribbean, instilled in me the value of hard work and perseverance at a young age,” said Melanie Lolier. “These qualities, as well as sound academic guidance and mentorship, have been critical to successfully earning my PhD. I hope to share my experiences to encourage and mentor other minorities and women in their pursuits of the sciences.”

2021 Link: "UAlbany has received a prestigious $1 million, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create an academic and research climate where women faculty in STEM fields can thrive and develop their careers to the fullest potential...

These initiatives, said Professor of Psychology and Co-PI Christine Wagner, incorporate both “proactive recruitment and retaining and supporting women in STEM through multi-dimensional mentoring, research support programs and the fostering of a climate and culture of inclusive excellence.”

2021 Link: "Eleven UAlbany faculty and staff were selected for the 2021 Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in recognition of their outstanding professional achievement and their commitment to the UAlbany community....

Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities

• Christine Konen Wagner, professor and graduate director in the Department of Psychology

2020 Link: "Outstanding research faculty form the foundation of the world-class research portfolio found at the University at Albany...The Excellence in Research and Creative Activities Award is designed to acknowledge and recognize consistently outstanding accomplishments in research and creative activities conducted by the University at Albany faculty. Faculty members are nominated by their colleagues for this award. "

2019 Article : "UAlbany is accelerating efforts to recruit more faculty of color, increase the number of women faculty in STEM fields and foster a more diverse and inclusive campus – key priority areas in the University’s strategic plan...

UAlbany will use a multi-pronged approach to address its diversity and inclusion goals. Initially, $135,000 from the campus Accelerator fund will be used to:

• Introduce a campus-wide mentoring program for faculty of color and women in STEM fields. Vivien Ng, professor of women’s, gender and sexuality studies, and Frankie Bailey, professor of criminal justice, will lead this effort. Their effort is supported by Provost Fellow Christine Wagner, professor of psychology, who will spearhead and promote a digital faculty success program offered by the National Center for Faculty Development."

2019 Article : "UAlbany researchers received $12.8 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants during 2018 – an increase of $5.4 million over the year prior and the largest NIH grant spike seen in the Capital Region, according to new data analyzed by the Center for Economic Growth (CEG)"

UAlbany awardees include:

• Christine Wagner of the Department of Psychology

2018: "The President’s Forum is a centerpiece of UAlbany’s $10 million NIH/NIMHD-funded Endowment for Community-Based Health Disparities Research and Training. Members of the campus community, colleagues from across institutions of higher education, along with healthcare and community-based partners are being invited to the Forum. In addition to the exchange of ideas, new concepts and solutions, the Forum will also provide professional development and networking opportunities to foster future research and scholarly collaboration."

FACULTY PRESENTATION Christine K. Wagner

Title: "Synthetic progestins, neural development and cognitive behavior: Implications for health disparities in premature birth outcomes.”

More on CEMHD

2018: "Melanie Lolier is a fourth-year behavioral neuroscience PhD student. Her current research under the guidance of her professor, Department Chair of Psychology and Director of the Behavioral Neuroscience Program- Dr. Christine K. Wagner, focuses on “elucidating the effects of early synthetic progesterone exposure on cognitive development in rodents, with the hope of understanding how synthetic progesterone treatment in pregnant women may affect the fetus”.

More about Ciencia

2017 Article

"As America grows and becomes increasingly diverse, minority groups are experiencing an increasingly disproportionate burden of preventable disease, disability and death, compared to whites. Looking at culture, technological advances, the physical and mental ramifications of disparities as well as avenues toward their elimination, University at Albany researchers have formed a corps of investigators dedicated to solving this crisis. "

2017 UAlbany winners of this year's Chancellor's Awards for Excellence assembled in the Art Museum last Wednesday. Seated are, left to right, Meghan Cook, Elizabeth Gaffney and Joyce DeWitt-Parker. Standing are Sheila Curran Bernard, Christine Wagner, Ben Szaro, Michael Boots, Alex Shekhtman, Kelly Wissman, Anne Hildreth and Janet Thayer.

2016 Article

"Exposure to synthetic progestin – a steroid hormone used to prevent premature birth in at risk women – has been linked to impaired cognitive function in a recent animal study co-authored by University at Albany Psychologist Christine K. Wagner. "

2016 Article, Editor's Choice in Developmental Biology

"Expectant moms at risk of premature delivery may receive a steroid hormone boost in the form of a synthetic progesterone, 17α-hydroxy-progesterone caproate (17-OHPC), which lengthens gestation. The developing brain is sensitive to steroid hormones, but few studies have looked at whether these drugs affect cognition. So Jari Willing and Christine Wagner of the University at Albany-SUNY exposed newborn rats to 17-OHPC to model a human fetal phase when cognitive flexibility develops. "

2015: Alex Sarenski "Sex Differences in Calbindin-D28K Expressing Cells in the Brains of Progesterone Receptor Knockout Mice"

2014

2014: Diana Lalitsasivimol "Aggressive Behavior in Progesterone Receptor Knockout (PRKO) Mice"

2014 Research News, Accent on Research "Synthetic Progestin Exposure & Mesocortical Dopamine System Development"

2013

• Zachary Grieb “The Role of Progesterone Receptor in the Mediation of GABAergic Neurons”

• Heather Smith: “The Effects of Progesterone Receptor on Development of Serotonergic Circuits that Mediate Cognition”

2011 Accent on Research "“Progesterone and Sexual Differentiation of the Brain”

2011 "Fourteen University at Albany faculty and staff members were honored for their contributions with the 2011 President's Excellence Awards. From left: Suzanne Lance, NYS Writers Institute; Christine Wagner, Psychology; Holly Barker-Flynn, Residential Life; Barbara Rio, Social Welfare; Craig Hancock, EOP; Fatemeh Shadedipour-Sandvik, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering; Brett McLaughlin, University Police Department; Iris Berger, History; JoAnne Carson, Art; Joanne Kaufman, Sociology; Matt Vogel, Sociology; Dawit Demissie, Information Studies; and Istvan Kecskes, Educational Theory & Practice. Not present for the photo was Alan Wagner, Educational Administration and Policy Studies. "

Photo by Mark Schmidt

2010-2011 Article

2010 Profile

"Now, as a senior, she [Morillo] is beginning to find some of the answers as she conducts innovative scientific research on the brain and language functions... Morillo was first exposed to the nuances of research in UAlbany’s Center for Neuroscience Research under Psychology Professor Christine Wagner. There, Morillo learned different techniques and procedures, including how to mount tissue for experiments examining the effects of maternal hormones on offspring. "

2003 Article

"Undergraduate students come to UAlbany to participate in a ten-week summer program called Research Experience for Undergraduates or REU, as part of the work of UAlbany’s Center for Neuroscience Research. ... Students have the opportunity to conduct original research. “It was a thoroughly intense experience,” said Lisa Schlueter, who studied brain development under the mentorship of UAlbany psychologist Christine Wagner. “I’d say that the wealth of knowledge I gained was unmatched by any classroom experience I’ve had.”