NEST Study

The Neuroimaging Study on Emotion Regulation, Socioenvironmental Factors, and Traumatic Stress (NEST) Study is ongoing.

Individuals are exposed to trauma across different contexts, and socioenvironmental stress modifies an individual’s likelihood of developing PTSD. For example, neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage predicts more severe PTSD, and on average, trauma survivors experiencing chronic symptoms or slower recoveries live in significantly more disadvantaged neighborhoods compared to survivors who recover or are resilient. 

The goal of the project, which enrolls recent trauma patients from Duke University Hospital, is to evaluate the neurobiological and behavioral mechanisms by which socioenvironmental stress contributes to individual differences in PTSD development.

Principal Investigator: Kate Webb, PhD

Exposome Mental Health Research – South Africa

This study, funded by the International Brain Research Organization, Wellcome, and the Duke Global Health Institute, focuses on the concept of the “exposome,” which represents all environmental exposures a person encounters throughout their life. These exposures, such as air pollution, heat, access to green spaces, or socioeconomic conditions, can interact with biological factors to shape mental health outcomes.

By combining data from multiple sources, including geospatial mapping (to study environmental factors) and multi-omics analyses (to examine molecular markers), we aim to identify how these exposures contribute to PTSD development or recovery.

Principal Investigator: Sian Hemmings, PhD (Stellenbosch University), Co-Principal Investigators: Kate Webb, PhD, Caradee Wright, PhD (South African Medical Research Council)

The iSTAR Study (Milwaukee Trauma Outcomes Project)

The Imaging Study of Trauma and Resilience (iSTAR) Study sought to identify acute post-trauma neurocognitive markers that predict poor post-trauma outcomes, including PTSD. The BEES Lab collaborates with the Milwaukee Trauma Outcomes Project on a variety of analyses, most recently examining the neuroinflammatory effects of PM_2.5 on PTSD development.

Principal Investigators: Chris Larson, PhD (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Terri deRoon-Cassini, PhD (Medical College of Wisconsin); Collaborators: Carissa Tomas (Medical College of Wisconsin)

Hurricane Helene Study

On Friday, September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina. The storm brought catastrophic inland flooding, extreme winds, deadly storm surge, and numerous tornadoes that devastated portions of Western Carolina. The climate-related natural disaster was the deadliest hurricane in the contiguous U.S. since Katrina, and a stark reminder of how environmental hazards intersect with social vulnerabilities. 

This study draws on rich pre-existing clinical and demographic data, biomarkers of stress vulnerability, and new geospatial measures to identify the most predictive factors for post-disaster trauma outcomes.

Co-Principal Investigators: Kate Webb, PhD; Aaron Reuben, PhD (University of Virginia)