Frequently Asked Questions
What is this Research About?
We want to know how stress and adversity in childhood affect the function of the immune system in adulthood. For more details, see the Study Overview section below.
Who is eligible?
We are seeking adults between the ages of 35 and 60 who are in the Tulsa, OK area. Other criteria apply. Fill out the screener survey to see if you qualify.
What will I have to do?
You will be scheduled for a single visit to the Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience (map). The visit will last approximately 3-4 hours.
Participation will include:
- Informed Consent
- Mental and Physical Health Assessments
- Biosample Collection
- Surveys (may be completed onsite or at home)
Note: No medicine/drug, vaccine, or any other treatment will be administered as part of the study.
How much will I be paid?
You will be compensated $125 for completion of the study. Partial payments will be made for partial completion.
More Questions?
To be contacted by our friendly research staff, you can:
- Fill out the screener survey,
- Email us: BILT@okstate.edu,
- Or call us: 539-302-8989
About Us
The Behavioral Immunology Lab of Tulsa (BILT) is part of the OSU Center for Health Sciences
We are located at the Hardesty Center for Clinical Research & Neuroscience
(1013 E. 66th Pl Tulsa, OK)
We are located at the Hardesty Center for Clinical Research & Neuroscience
(1013 E. 66th Pl Tulsa, OK)
Study Overview
Childhood trauma and adversity can lead to poor health and early death later in life. However, we don't fully know why this happens. It could be because ongoing stress changes how the immune system develops, making it harder to fight off illnesses.
Studies have shown that stressful situations in a person's life can lead to changes in the way their immune genes are expressed. People who experience severe or prolonged stress tend to have too much activity in genes that cause inflammation and not enough activity in genes that fight viruses. This can increase the risk of conditions like heart disease, stroke, depression, and other health issues. Additionally, decreased activity in anti-viral genes can make a person more susceptible to viral diseases such as COVID-19.
We are investigating how childhood adversity can impact a person's ability to fight COVID-19. Our hypothesis is that individuals who had a lot of challenges during their childhood will have weaker immunity against COVID-19 than those who had less adversity. We think this might be due to lower activity levels in the genes that fight viruses.
We will also explore whether positive experiences during childhood can protect against the negative effects of adversity, and help people have better immunity against COVID-19.
This project is significant because it can help us understand how adversity during childhood affects a person's health. We may uncover new risk factors for COVID-19, as well as find ways to strengthen the immune system to prevent illness.
We will also explore whether positive experiences during childhood can protect against the negative effects of adversity, and help people have better immunity against COVID-19.
This project is significant because it can help us understand how adversity during childhood affects a person's health. We may uncover new risk factors for COVID-19, as well as find ways to strengthen the immune system to prevent illness.
How You Can Help
If you are between the ages of 35 and 60 and would like to take part in our study, please click on the link below to complete a screener. If you are eligible, a research assistant will reach out to you to schedule an appointment.