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Jennifer M. Loftis, PhD (she/her/hers)

Research Scientist; Professor
VA Portland Health Care System; Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, Oregon, United States

Jennifer M. Loftis, Ph.D. is a Research Scientist at the VA Portland Health Care System, Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, and Core Faculty in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Her translational research program studies the psychoneuroimmunological mechanisms contributing to mood disorders, cognitive impairments, and addiction and tests immunotherapeutic strategies to treat these conditions. This work includes: investigating the impact of hepatitis C and alcohol use on immune response and neural circuits; testing hypotheses regarding the effects of inflammatory factors on central nervous system and psychiatric function; evaluating interventions to reduce depression and anxiety, enhance cognition, and improve substance use disorder recovery outcomes; and studying the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on mental health and cognition. Dr. Loftis has been awarded grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Institutes of Health, and local foundations. She has authored over 85 peer-reviewed publications in the fields of psychiatry, neuroscience, and immunology. She has served as a mentor for the National Science Foundation’s STEM program and is currently a mentor in the VA Mentorship program, OHSU’s Partnership for Scientific Inquiry, and Saturday Academy’s Apprenticeships in Science & Engineering program. In addition to her research expertise, she has clinical experience, which she acquired during the years she worked as a mental health provider. Her goal as a scientist is to maintain a productive research program, one that allows for the pursuit of research, teaching, and community service and one that contributes to our understanding of the pathological mechanisms associated with neuropsychiatric impairments in order to improve mental health and quality of life. Especially relevant to this ACRM symposium, she has over 10 years of experience studying the effects of inflammatory pathways on cognitive function and mental health, particularly in the context of viral infections.

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