Esther M. Sternberg, M.D.

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Dr. Sternberg is internationally recognized for her discoveries in brain-immune interactions and the effects of the brain's stress response on health: the science of the mind-body interaction. A dynamic speaker, recognized by her peers as a spokesperson for the field, she translates complex scientific subjects in a highly accessible manner, with a combination of academic credibility, passion for science and compassion as a physician. Currently Director of Research, at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona at Tucson, Dr. Sternberg received her M.D. degree and trained in rheumatology at McGill University, Montreal, Canada; served on the faculty at Washington University, St. Louis, MO (1980-86); was a Senior Scientist in the National Institutes of Health Intramural Research Program (1986-2012); and is Research Professor at American University (Washington, DC). In addition to numerous publications in leading scientific journals, she is reviewer and editorial board member for many scientific journals, has edited several textbooks, has authored two popular books: "The Balance Within: The Science Connecting Health and Emotions.” (W.H. Freeman & Co., 2000, paperback H. Holt 2001; Dutch 2001, Chinese 2002; Japanese 2005) and best-selling Healing Spaces: The Science of Place and Well-being (Harvard University Press, 2009; paperback 2010; German translation 2011; Korean translation 2013), and created and hosted a PBS television special, The Science of Healing, based on her books. Dr. Sternberg is a regular contributor to the “Books et al.” section of Science Magazine and writes a column for the magazine of the Arthritis Foundation, Arthritis Today (readership 4 million). She lectures nationally and internationally to lay and scientific audiences and is frequently interviewed on radio, television, film and print media on subjects including the mind-body connection; ‘stress and illness’; spirituality, love, and health; and place and well-being, including NPR Radio’s Krista Tippett’s “Speaking of Faith” and “On Being”; PBS Television’s “The New Medicine” (2006) and Life (Part 2); international radio and television including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC); the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Voice of America. While at NIH, Dr. Sternberg served as Chief of the Section on Neuroendocrine Immunology & Behavior, National Institute of Mental Health; was Director of the Integrative Neural Immune Program, NIMH/NIH; was Co-Chair of the NIH Intramural Program on Research on Women’s Health; and established and directed the NIH-Quebec Fonds de Recherche International Research Career Transition Award Program. Her numerous original scientific and review articles and textbook chapters are published in leading scientific journals including Science, Nature Reviews Immunology, Nature Medicine, The New England Journal of Medicine, Scientific American and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In recognition of her work, she received the Public Health Service's Superior Service Award; Arthritis Foundation’s William R. Felts Award for Excellence in Rheumatology Research; United States Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service Staff Recognition Award; FDA Commissioner’s Special Citation; NIH Director’s Challenge Award; NIMH Director’s Merit Award; was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation; was member of a Committee of the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine; testified before Congress; was advisor to the World Health Organization; was a member of the National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) Literature Selection Technical Review Committee for selection of journals for PubMed. Dr. Sternberg has been an invited lecturer at the Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.); Nobel Forum (Karolinska Institute, Stockholm); Royal Society of Medicine (London, UK); Woman’s Heart Day (Madison Square Garden & Verizon Center Washington, DC). She has chaired many national and international scientific conferences; is past-President of the International Society for Neuroimmunomodulation; moderated a panel with the Dalai Lama (2005); was a panelist at the United Nations (Sept. 11, 2008); co-directed a concurrent NLM Exhibition and video on "Emotions and Disease"; was an invited delegate at Fortune Magazine’s Most Powerful Women Summit. For her accomplishments, which galvanized establishment of the field of brain immune interactions, Dr. Sternberg is recognized by the National Library of Medicine as one of 300 women physicians who changed the Face of Medicine (www.nlm.nih.gov/changingthefaceofmedicine/) and by NIH with the Anita B. Roberts "Distinguished Women Scientists at NIH” Lectureship (2012). In recognition of her contributions to medicine & leadership in Neuroimmunology, Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) awarded Dr. Sternberg an Honorary Degree of Doctor in Medicine (Doctorate Honoris Causa) on the 300th anniversary of Trinity College Dublin School of Medicine. For her leadership at the interface of the fields of design and health she is advising the US Green Building Council, the American Institute of Architects, the US General Services Administration, the Institute of Medicine and the US Department of Defense on the impact of the built and natural environment on human health outcomes. In 2012 she was invited to Keynote the Vatican’s 27th Pontifical Council for Healthcare Workers and met with Pope Benedict XVI on the subject of the impact of place on Wellbeing and Spirituality. For more information see www.esthersternberg.com

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