Gerdi Weidner

Gerdi Weidner

( She/Her/Hers )
Research Professor 
Email: gweidner@sfsu.edu
Location: Romberg Tiburon Center, Building 39 Room 217

At SF State Since: 2009 

Alma Mater: Kansas State University

Office Hours: By Appointment 

Specialties: Psychosocial and behavioral contributions to non-communicable chronic diseases (focus: cardiovascular diseases); public health, global health; gender differences

I joined the Biology Department in 2009, returning to academia after directing research programs in cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer at the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito. Prior to my arrival in California, I was Professor of Psychology (1984 - 2001) at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. My research examines the role of stress, environment and gender in the etiology and progression of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and cancer. I collaborate with investigators from a wide range of disciplines (e.g., psychology, biology, medicine, public health and epidemiology). I strongly promote mentoring and training of students and post-doctoral research scholars interested in the lifestyle and psychosocial/behavioral influences on chronic diseases.

My research in the U.S. has been funded by NIH, NATO and the American Heart Association. With support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Alexander von Humboldt Foundation: Research Prize and Re-invitations), NATO, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Eurotransplant Inc., and the German Research Foundation (DFG), I have also been teaching and conducting research in Germany (Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, 1993 - 2013; Ruprecht Karls-University, Heidelberg, 2013 - 2016; Universitaet Trier, Trier, 2017 - present).