Dr. Rima Azar B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (University of Montreal), CIHR Postdoctoral Training (University of Toronto Health Network) Associate Professor & CIHR/RPP New Investigator Adjunct Professor, Université de Moncton Honorary Research Associate, University of New Brunswick   Office: Crabtree 219 Telephone: (506) 364-2461 Email: razar@mta.ca

Courses taught:

Psychology 1001: Introduction to Psychology I
Psychology 3021: Psychological Measurement
Psychology 2611: Health Psychology
Psychology 4501: Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) Seminar

Research interests:

My field of research is Developmental Psychoneuroimmunology, and my laboratory is called “Psychobiology of Stress & Health.” I have two lines of research. The first is called ‘the fetal programming of disease’. It looks at maternal depressed and anxious mood and pro-inflammatory markers during pregnancy, fetal growth, and subsequent infant stress/immune responses. The second line of research aims to validate a salivary C-reactive protein (CRP) assay in healthy youth and in the context of tobacco smoke exposure. My long-term goal, with both lines of research, is the prevention of coronary artery disease.

Sponsors:

NBHRF Operating Grant (April 2013 - May 2014)

CIHR Operating Grant (March 2011-2013)

CIHR/RPP New Investigator award in Developmental Psychoneuroimmunology (September 2011-2016)

CIHR Café Scientifique (September 2012-2013), "My body is simmering: Minimizing the inflammatory effects of stress and depression"

Select publications: (**underlined names indicate trainees)

Azar R., & Mercer D. (2012). Mild depressive Symptoms are associated with elevated C-reactive protein and pro-inflammatory cytokines during Pregnancy: A pilot prospective study. Journal of Women's Health, published ahead of print on October 9, 2012. doi:10.1089/jwh.2012.3785.

Azar R, & Singer S. (2012). Maternal prenatal state anxiety symptoms and birth weight: A pilot study. Central European Journal of Medicine; 7(6): 747-752. doi: 10.2478/s11536-012-0078-9

Azar, R., & Richard, A. (2011). Elevated salivary C-reactive protein levels are associated with active and passive smoking in healthy youth: A pilot study. Journal of Inflammation, 8, 37. doi: 10.1186/1476-9255-8-37

Azar, R., Nolan, R., & Stewart, D. (2011). Listening to the heart-brain talk: persistant depressive symptoms are associated with hsCRP in apparently healthy individuals at high risk for coronary heart disease. European Journal of Preventative Cardiology. 2012 Aug; 19(4): Epub 2011 Jul 5. doi: 10.1177/1741826711415720

Azar, R., Paquette, D., & Stewart, D. (2010). Prenatal tobacco exposure (PTE) and cortisol levels in infants of teen mothers. Journal of Perinatal Medicine, 38 689-692.

Azar, R., Paquette, D., Zoccolillo, M., Baltzer, F., & Tremblay, R. E. (2007). The association of major depression, conduct disorder, and maternal overcontrol with a failure to show a cortisol buffered response in four-month-old infants of teenage mothers. Biological Psychiatry, 62 (6), 573-579.

Azar, R., Zoccolillo, M., Paquette, D., Quiros, E., Baltzer, F., & Tremblay, R. E. (2004). Cortisol levels and conduct disorder in adolescent mothers. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 43 (4), 461-468. 

Azar, R. & Solomon, C. R. (2001). Coping strategies of parents facing child diabetes mellitus. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 16 (6), 418-428.

Lab webpage: