Matt Lohman, MHS, PhD

Education:

Ph.D in Epidemiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, 2014

Certificate in Aging Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014

MHS in Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2010

BA in Psychology, Johns Hopkins University, 2005

Research Interests/Current Projects:

Matt’s general research interests are psychiatric epidemiology and gerontology. In particular Matt’s dissertation research focuses on definition of geriatric syndromes such as frailty and how the confluence of mental and physiological health states in late-life may influence measurement and identification of such syndromes. Other research topics include: suicide among elderly in long-term care and assisted living facilities, determinants of cognitive decline, cognitive training interventions, age-related mobility issues, application of structural equation and growth modeling methods.

What brought you to VCU and/or Public Health:

Matt has long been interested in cognitive and developmental psychology, an interest deepened during his undergraduate and graduate training in psychology and mental health. During his masters training, Matt had the opportunity to apply this interest within a public health context, performing research on longitudinal cognitive changes among older adults, using data from a large trial of cognitive training interventions. This experience stressed the value of the public health framework in understanding aging-related issues and influenced his decision to continue in epidemiology. Since beginning the doctoral program at VCU, Matt has been able to continue and broaden his research interests combining gerontology, psychology, and public health thanks in part to a strong overlap of research interests with Dr. Mezuk and others at VCU.

Hobbies or an interesting factoid:

Reading, watching movies, music.

Where are they now?

Postdoctoral Fellow, Weill Cornell Medical College, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry