Stein Lab
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Home ItemJeff Stein, Ph.D. , home
Assistant Professor and Associate Director, Center for Health Behaviors Research
Up to half of all premature deaths are the result of lifestyle choices leading to chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and tobacco-related cancers, among others. Most harmful health behaviors (e.g., smoking or hedonic eating) are tempting because they provide immediate and reliable gratification with minimal effort. In contrast, the healthier alternatives to these behaviors (e.g., avoidance of cancer or diabetes) provide delayed and uncertain benefit—and are often much more effortful.
Led by Principal Investigator Jeff Stein, Ph.D., the Stein Lab's research leverages multidisciplinary expertise in behavioral economics, medicine, computer science, biostatistics, and cognitive psychology to understand how delay, uncertainty, and effort influence health-related decision-making. Within this framework, the lab's goal is to develop effective and highly accessible behavioral interventions to improve public health and reduce health disparities. Current areas of focus include type 2 diabetes management, tobacco cessation and harm reduction, and cancer prevention.
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Bio ItemChesley Ammermann , bio
Research Coordinator
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Bio ItemGrace Casado , bio
Medical Student, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine '26
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Bio ItemHaylee Downey , bio
Graduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health
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Bio ItemCandice Dwyer , bio
Graduate Student, Department of Psychology
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Bio ItemMary King , bio
Graduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health
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Bio ItemSnigdha Nandipati , bio
Medical Student, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine '26
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Bio ItemLeigh Anne Phan , bio
Research Assistant
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Bio ItemNicki Rohani , bio
Medical Student, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine '27
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Bio ItemHailey Snyder , bio
Research Coordinator
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Bio ItemMegan Stuart , bio
Research Associate and Program Manager
Contact Us
For general inquiries, contact Megan Stuart. For inquiries about research participation, contact Leigh Anne Phan. For inquiries regarding collaboration, contact Jeff Stein or Megan Stuart.