Director and Principle Investigator
Our Research Team
The Relationships & Health Lab is part of the University of British Columbia and is affiliated with Purdue University.
Rosie Shrout, PhD
Rosie Shrout (she/her), PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at the University of British Columbia and holds an adjunct appointment in Purdue University's Human Development and Family Science Department. As a social-health psychologist with training in psychoneuroimmunology and behavioral medicine, Rosie studies how stress affects couples’ relationships and health using dyadic, biobehavioral, and longitudinal methods. Her work has shown how couples' relationships influence psychological, behavioral, and physical health, including the immune, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems, and the gut microbiome. Her overarching goal to identify factors that put couples’ relationships and health at risk or that help couples grow closer and stronger during turbulent times.
Rosie's work has been funded through competitive fellowships, awards, and grants. Most notable among these honors include the Association for Psychological Science Rising Star Award, a KL2 Early Career Investigator Award, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology SAGE Emerging Scholar Award. Her work is highly regarded, with two Editor’s Choice distinctions for noteworthy contributions, Purdue University’s Award for Excellence in Research about Families, and the National Council on Family Relationship's Outstanding Paper award focused on families and health. Rosie serves on the Editorial Boards for the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships and Personal Relationships, and the Early Career Editorial Board for Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine. Her work has been featured in prestigious outlets, including NPR, BBC, and U.S. News and World Report.
Rosie enjoys all things water --lakes, beaches, rivers, and pools--cuddling her cats Peach and Mango, and laughing and spending time with her friends and family.
Graduate Research Assistants
MiKaila (she/her) recently graduated with her Master's degree in Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University. She was born and raised in DuBois, Pennsylvania and received her Bachelors of Science from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania in Psychology with a concentration in Neuroscience in 2022. Her research interests are how stressors that occur across different life course stages influence the psychoneuroimmunological and biobehavioral health outcomes in aging couples, and how relational dynamics either buffer or exacerbate stresses adverse health outcomes. In her free time, MiKaila loves trying new fitness classes, crafting, facetiming her friends and family back home, and spending time with two cats: Juniper & Briar.
MiKaila Leonard, MS
Carly (she/her) is a third-year Doctor of Audiology (AuD) student from Indianapolis, IN. She received her Bachelors of Science degree in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences from Purdue University in May 2023. Carly joined the lab because she has always been interested in relationships and overall health and is eager to learn how the two interact. As a future audiologist, she wants to learn how the dynamics of her patients' relationships might affect their health outcomes. She is excited to be a part of the lab to gain knowledge that could help her future patients. In her free time, Carly loves to travel, workout, go to concerts, and spend time with family and friends.
Carly Long, BS
Khiara (she/her) is a first-year PhD student in Health Psychology at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Khiara grew up in central California before attending Brigham Young University, where she received her Bachelors of Science in Family Life Studies and her Masters of Science in Marriage, Family & Human Development. Her research interests revolve around how people interact with stress . Some of her research has explored infertility and how husbands and wives experience it uniquely from one another. Similarly, the Relationships & Health Lab allows the team to explore how stress is experienced together in relationships, in addition to individually across breast cancer survivors. In her free time, Khiara loves practicing film photography, solo-traveling, going hiking, and spending time with her very large dog, Tarlo.
Khiara Cardoza
Brown, MS
Lab Manager
Maya (she/her) is a fifth-year Honours Psychology student at the University of British Columbia. She recently completed her first Honours thesis using data from the Daily Health in Survivorship Study, where she examined the associations between dyadic coping, relationship satisfaction, and sexual satisfaction among breast cancer survivors and their partners, as well as the moderating role of age. She is currently continuing her work in the lab through a research project supported by the Edwin S.H. Leong Healthy Aging Summer Student Research Award. Her research interests lie in clinical psychology, with a particular focus on relationship dynamics and mental well-being. Following her undergraduate degree, Maya plans to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology. Outside of academics, she enjoys hosting a weekly radio show, travelling, playing volleyball, and spending quality time with her loved ones.
Maya Lehman
Post-Baccalaureate Research Assistants
Katie (she/her) recently graduated from Purdue University studying psychological sciences and will be attending UMass Dartmouth in the fall next year. She is from Westfield, Indiana, and plans on going to graduate school to get her PhD in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests include chronic illnesses and how the stress of experiencing a concealable chronic condition impacts various life outcomes. On campus, she was a member of the Psychology, Psi Chi, and NAMI clubs and a sorority. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, baking, reading, and watching movies.
Katie Kemper, BS
Kaylee (she/her) received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Health and Society at the University of British Columbia in May 2025. She has a strong interest in the field of health and personality psychology, and is interested in learning which major biopsychosocial and personality factors are associated with one’s wellbeing as well as social relationships with one another. She is looking forward to expanding her knowledge within this lab and aspires to become a researcher in the field of developmental, health, and/or personality psychology or a counsellor. Outside the lab, Kaylee teaches individuals how to skate on the ice and is currently working as a Behavioural Interventionist at a school specializing in adolescents on the Autism Spectrum.
Kaylee Fung, BA
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Ashley (she/her) is a senior majoring in Psychological Sciences at Purdue University, with minors in Human Development & Family Studies and Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. She is also enrolled in the 4+1 Master of Public Health (MPH) program. Her interests focus on women's health and well-being from a biopsychosocial perspective, particularly how romantic relationships, family dynamics, and cultural contexts influence physical, psychological, and social health. She hopes to engage in research and practice that promote culturally responsive approaches to health within the Latine community. Outside of academics, she enjoys spending time on her family's ranch, traveling, and being with loved ones.
Ashley Alvarado
Janelle (she/her) is a sophomore majoring in nursing on the pre-medicine track from Redmond, Washington. She is involved in College Mentors for Kids as the Vice President of Administration and is an ambassador for Purdue's Pre-Professional Advising Team and Office of Undergraduate Research. Additionally, she mentors incoming freshman as a part of the HHS Success Mentors Program. In the future, Janelle hopes to go to medical school and work with pediatric patients. She is excited to be a part of the Relationships and Health lab and explore how health conditions can effect interpersonal relationships with others.
Janelle Chen
Kaela Brandson
Kaela Brandson (she/her) is a fourth-year Psychology and Sociology double-major at UBC. Her research interests include sexual well-being/dysfunction, relationship/health dynamics, sexual trajectories across the lifespan, and religious/LGBTQ+ intersections with sexual well-being. She takes an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how diverse experiences shape mental and sexual health- and will pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology. In her free time, Kaela contributes to the preservation and celebration of cultural heritage through her role on the Board of Directors for the Icelandic Canadian Club of British Columbia.
Muskaan (she/her) is currently a senior at Purdue University with a major in Brain and Behaviour Sciences and a minor in Human Development and Family Sciences. Her plans after graduation revolve around both graduate studies and clinical experience for licensure in Clinical Psychology! In her free time she enjoys reading mystery novels and playing Basketball, she also enjoy cooking!
Muskaan Nigam
Winnie (she/her) is a fourth-year Honours Psychology student at the University of British Columbia, with a minor in Philosophy. Her research interests center on health psychology and suicide, with a particular focus on how close relationships influence psychological and physical health, and how relational processes can buffer stress and promote well-being. She is especially interested in counselling psychology and relationship-based approaches to mitigating stress-related health outcomes. Outside of the lab, Winnie works as a crisis responder. She plans to pursue graduate studies in counselling or clinical psychology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing guitar and singing, and making matcha lattes.
Winnie Song
Ruby (she/her) is a second-year Psychology student at the University of British Columbia, minoring in Health and Society. Her academic interests span cognitive neuroscience, health psychology, and medical sociology, with a particular focus on how psychological and social factors shape health and illness across the lifespan. She is especially drawn to understanding the interplay between upstream and downstream social determinants of health. Ruby plans to pursue graduate studies in counselling psychology or public health. Outside the lab, she enjoys making pottery, rock climbing, running, and exploring local cafés.
Ruby Leinemann
Renata (She/Her), a third-year Psychology student at the University of British Columbia. Her academic and research interest centre on clinical and health psychology, with a growing fascination for neuropsychology. She is especially curious about how the brain, mind, and body interact and how these processes shape human connection. She plans to pursue a graduate studies in Clinical Psychology. In her free time she enjoys exploring new places, reading, and snuggling with her cats!
Renata Halim
Coco (she/her) is a third year undergraduate student at UBC majoring in psychology under the faculty of arts. Outside of class, Coco spends time volunteering in mental health, education, and research. Her interests involve neuroscience, sexual wellbeing, and relationships. In her free time, Coco enjoys hiking and spending time with family.
Coco Mantel
Navreen (she/her) is a fourth-year Biology student at the University of British Columbia with a minor in Psychology. Her research interests focus on health and well-being from an interdisciplinary perspective, examining how biological mechanisms, such as epigenetic and physiological processes, alongside psychological and social factors contribute to health outcomes. She plans to pursue graduate studies in health psychology or medicine. Outside of the lab, Navreen enjoys spending time outside, reading, and exploring digital art and multimedia editing.
Navreen Sekhon
Jia Mehra (she/her) is a third-year Psychology student at the University of British Columbia and is also enrolled in the Bachelor + Master of Management (B+MM) dual degree program. Her research interests include health psychology, adulthood and aging, close relationships, and how these domains intersect to shape overall wellness. She is particularly interested in understanding how lifestyle and meaningful experiences contribute to healthy aging. Recently, she combined her love of music and psychology in a paper exploring whether learning a musical instrument may influence the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in older adults. In her free time, Jia enjoys singing, thrifting, going to concerts, staying active at the gym, and spending time with friends - especially when that involves picnics by the beach!
Jia Mehran
Lab Alumni
-Megan Dillon (Indiana University, Master of Social Work Program)
-Alicia Ader (University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana, Master of Social Work Program)
-Lily York (East Carolina University, Marriage and Family Therapy Master's Program)
-Claire Lingle
-Anna Morehead (Assistant Language Teacher, the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program)
-Alexa Spurlock (University of Missouri-Kansas City, Doctor of Dental Surgery Program)
-Abby Huesca (Bay Path University, Physician Assistant Program)
-Claire Bilodeau (Indiana University, Mental Health Counseling Master's Program)
-Emily Staub (Genetic Counseling Assistant, University of Iowa Holden Cancer Center)
-Rasheedah Adisa (Ball State University, Clinical Psychology Master's Program; East Carolina University, -Clinical Health Psychology PhD Program)
-Shaina Zilber (National Louis University, Master's of Science in Counseling)
-Lauren Todd (University of Kentucky, Master's of Science in Medical Sciences)
-Makenzie Albert (Purdue University, Master of Public Health Program)
-Carmen Migic (University of British Columbia, Health Psychology Graduate Program)