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ATLANTA— Jessica Bolton, an assistant professor in Georgia State’s Neuroscience Institute, is being recognized with the Robert Ader New Investigator Award by the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society.
The Robert Ader New Investigator Award is presented to an outstanding new research scientist who has made exciting basic science or clinical contributions to the field of psychoneuroimmunology, which is situated at the intersection of psychology, neuroscience and immunology. The award is named for a pioneer in the field, Dr. Robert Ader, in recognition of his creativity as a scientist and his contributions to the promotion of psychoneuroimmunology as a meaningful endeavor dedicated to the betterment of health and the prevention of disease.
Bolton’s research examines the developing brain and the way that it is affected by early life experiences such as adversity and stress. Specifically, she studies how the brain’s resident immune cells, called microglia, interact with neurons in the hypothalamus and amygdala to shape risk vs. resilience to depression and drug addiction. Her work spans multiple levels of analysis, from molecular and cellular to functional and behavioral, and employs cutting-edge techniques to push the boundaries of the questions the field is able to answer.
Bolton said she feels humbled to receive this award.
“I’ve been a member of the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society ever since I was a graduate student, and I have watched many deserving pioneers in the field receive the Ader Award over the years, so I’m incredibly honored to now be receiving this award myself,” Bolton said.
Nancy Forger, acting director of Georgia State’s Neuroscience Institute, said Bolton deserves this recognition.
“Dr. Bolton’s innovative research has shown how the brain’s immune system shapes neural circuits in response to early life adversity,” Forger said. “Her findings are remarkable in that a brief, one-week exposure to a stressor during early life causes permanent changes in how the brain responds to stressors later in life.”
Bolton’s work has important translational implications for informing the treatment and prevention of neuropsychiatric disorders, and her research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Whitehall Foundation and the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.
As this year’s recipient, Bolton will be invited to give a lecture at the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society’s 2025 meeting and receive a $500 award.
The Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society is an international organization for researchers in a number of scientific and medical disciplines, including psychology, neurosciences, immunology, pharmacology, psychiatry, behavioral medicine, infectious diseases, endocrinology and rheumatology, who are interested in interactions between the nervous system and the immune system, and the relationship between behavior and health.
For more information on Bolton’s scientific contributions, visit her faculty profile.
Visit pnirs.org to learn more about the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society.
—Story by William Greer