Mary-Frances O'Connor

Mary-Frances O'Connor, PhD, researches grief, loss, and social stress, utilizing methods such as psychoneuroimmunology, neuroimaging, autonomic physiology, and virtual reality. Her work explores how the brain and body respond to bereavement, with a focus on the health impacts of grief. Dr. O'Connor has a particular interest in collective grief within Black and Latinx communities, examining bereavement as a health disparity. Through her research, she aims to better understand the biological and social dimensions of grief and develop approaches to address its impact on well-being.