DEI Lecture: Racial Discrimination and Health Disparities by Dr. Bridget Goosby (UT Austin)

Fri, January 20, 2023 12:00 PM at Zoom

MSU Sociology Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee presents Professor Bridget Goosby (Sociology, UT Austin) discussing "The immune system and the brain: What can they tell us about racism and chronic disease risk? " The lecture is co-sponsored by the Family and Population Health Lab.

 

Abstract

Immune system activity plays a critical role in chronic inflammatory conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune diseases. Inflammation, which is a function of immune activity, is also associated with psychological conditions including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorders. In the US, minoritized populations are at higher risk for experiencing many of these health conditions, with risk being linked to contexts shaped by racism and discrimination. Social scientists are increasingly using biosocial approaches to study how racism ‘gets under the skin,’ but tend to do so in ways that mimic the reductionism of the biological sciences they borrow from. In this talk, I will consider how the brain and immune system interact with one another and how these processes shape health and behavior. In doing so, this discussion seeks to develop a more inclusive perspective for understanding biosocial pathways linking social conditions to health outcomes via the dynamic interplay between the brain and immune function.

 

Zoom Info

https://msu.zoom.us/j/98320267241

Meeting ID: 983 2026 7241

Passcode: Goosby