Michael Christopher, PhD | Lab Director

Mike has a long-standing research interest in the science and practice of mindfulness meditation and related contemplative experiences. His interest in this area began when he lived in Thailand in the late 1990s and began to study Theravāda Buddhism. In his early research he investigated mindfulness measurement, with a particular focus on Buddhist cultural validity of Western mindfulness measures. More recently, he developed an interest in mindfulness training as a method to enhance stress resilience and health. He and his colleagues (Richard Goerling, Sarah Bowen, and Brant Rogers) developed Mindfulness-Based Resilience Training (MBRT), an integrated mindfulness and resilience training designed to improve stress reactivity and health outcomes among high-stress cohorts. The lab is currently studying MBRT feasibility, mechanisms, and biological, behavioral, and psychological outcomes among first responders. When not in the lab, Mike enjoys spending time with his family, coaching baseball, hiking, cooking, and growing whatever he can in the garden.