Member Profile

Dr. Kusnecov received his Ph.D. in 1990 from the University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, and pursued postdoctoral research in psychoneuroimmunology in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical School, NY. Subsequently, he was on faculty in the department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, until his appointment at Rutgers, Department of Psychology in 1998. His field of specialty is focused on functional relationships between the brain and the immune system, with relevance to cognitive and emotional behaviors. His laboratory is interested in how systemic inflammatory mechanisms create stress-like neurobiological adaptations that may promote anti-inflammatory responses. To this end, his current research addresses in murine transgenic models the neurochemical mechanisms (e.g., OFQ/nociceptin) regulating the brain microglial and cytokine responses to chronic inflammatory and psychogenic stressors. Additional research is concerned with maternal immune activation and the development of altered neurobehavioral phenotypes in offspring. He has edited a Handbook of Psychoneuroimmunology, as well as co-authored the book Immune System and Mental Health.