Departmental Affiliations
Affiliated
Research Interests
child development; stress; trauma; coping; epigenetics; genetics; neurobiology; neuroscience
Experiences & Accomplishments
Education
PhD
University of Minnesota
2005
MS
University of Minnesota
2002
BA
Vassar College
1998
Overview
Parenting and life experience effects on activity of children’s biological stress responses, particularly activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system.
The effects of prenatal exposure to maternal stress and war-related trauma on biological and behavioral functioning in children.
Epigenetic mechanisms of environmental influence on the developing stress system.
Genetic risks for and gene-environment interactions in stress-related mental health outcomes from childhood through adulthood.
Emotional and health outcomes related to stress, particularly major depression, anxiety, and drug/alcohol use.
Interplay of risk and protective factors within families and neighborhoods on behavioral adjustment and biological changes among racial minority youth.
The effects of prenatal exposure to maternal stress and war-related trauma on biological and behavioral functioning in children.
Epigenetic mechanisms of environmental influence on the developing stress system.
Genetic risks for and gene-environment interactions in stress-related mental health outcomes from childhood through adulthood.
Emotional and health outcomes related to stress, particularly major depression, anxiety, and drug/alcohol use.
Interplay of risk and protective factors within families and neighborhoods on behavioral adjustment and biological changes among racial minority youth.
Honors & Awards
UF Term Professorship
STEM Fellow, New York Academy of Sciences Next Scholars
Graduate Student Council Outstanding Faculty Member Award
International Educator of the Year Award
Anderson Scholar Faculty Honoree
NIH National Research Service Award
American Association for the Advancement of Science/ Society for Research in Child Development Fellowship
STEM Fellow, New York Academy of Sciences Next Scholars
Graduate Student Council Outstanding Faculty Member Award
International Educator of the Year Award
Anderson Scholar Faculty Honoree
NIH National Research Service Award
American Association for the Advancement of Science/ Society for Research in Child Development Fellowship
Select Publications
Representative Publications
- Kamin, H.S. & Kertes, D.A. (2017). Cortisol and DHEA in development and psychopathology. Hormones and Behavior, 89, 69-85. DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.11.018 PMID: 27979632.
- Kertes, D.A., Kamin, H.K., Hughes, D., Rodney, N.C., Bhatt, S.S., Mulligan, C.J. (2016). Prenatal maternal stress predicts methylation of genes regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system in mothers and newborns in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Child Development, 87(1), 61-72. DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12487. PMID: 26822443; PMCID: PMC4733886.
- Kertes, D.A., Liu, J., *Hall, N., Hadad, N., Wynne, C. (2017). Effect of pet dogs on children’s perceived stress and cortisol stress response. Social Development, 26(2), 382-401. DOI: 10.1111/sode.12203 PMID:28439150 PMCID: PMC5400290
- Ford, J., Browning, C.R., Boch, S.J., Kertes, D.A., Tarrence, J., Way, B., & Schmeer, K. (2021). Racial and economic adversity differences in stress markers and immune function among urban adolescents. Nursing Research.