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College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences
Psychology

Elizabeth Wood

Assistant Professor, Developmental Psychology, Health Emphasis
Email: elizabeth.wood@byu.edu
801-422-9820

Elizabeth K. Wood, Ph.D., M.C.R. is an Assistant Professor of Developmental Psychology with an emphasis in developmental health. Dr. Wood is a developmental psychobiologist whose research focuses on the biological and environmental contributors to health and well-being across development. Dr. Wood’s work bridges fields including developmental programming, immunology, nutrition, and behavioral science to identify early indicators end emerging risks for mental health concerns, with a particular focus on the prenatal and early postnatal periods. Her work investigates how intrauterine factors, including maternal immunology, nutrition, and stress shape infant brain and behavioral development. Dr. Wood is especially interested in how maternal nutrition, placental biology, and immune signaling contribute to neurodevelopment trajectories that may underlie later psychopathology. Her research incorporates longitudinal cohort designs and translational models, using biomarkers, electronic medical records, and behavioral assessments to better understand the developmental origins of mental health. Guided by a vision of building a better world for our babies, Dr. Wood seeks to strengthen maternal and perinatal health as a foundation for promoting the well-being of both mothers and their children.

Research Interests

behavioral health, cardiometabolic health, child development, Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD), developmental programming, immunology, infants, intergenerational effects, mothers, nutrition, parenting, placental biology, pregnancy and perinatal health, psychobiology, substance use, risk markers, women’s health

Publications

  • Howery, A.N., Lashley, O.J., Wright, H.R., Williams, J.L., Nomura, O.K., Lenne, E.L., Wood, E.K., Gustafsson, H.C., & Sullivan, E.L. (2025). Honoring childhood agency in developmental research: Best practices, applications, and insights. Methods in Psychology, 13, 100197. PMC12456739
  • Wood, E.K., Nomura, O.K., Ablow, J.C., Elliot, A., Horgan, A., Nigg, J.T., Gustafsson, H.C., & Sullivan, E.L. (2025). Higher prenatal dietary glycemic index in the third trimester of pregnancy is associated with infant negative affect at six months. Scientific Reports, 15, 8357. PMC11897411
  • Wood, E.K., Huang, E., Sano, E.R., & Loftis, J.M. (2025). Greater fatigue, disturbed sleep, persistent memory problems, and reduced CD4+ T cell and B cell percentages in adults with a history of methamphetamine dependence. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 402, 578567. PMC11974374
  • Wood, E.K., Aston, S.A., O’Connell, P., Hafen, E., Skowbo, A., Schwandt, M., Lindell, S., Smith, E., Johnson, M., Baron, Z., Gabrielle, N., Barr, C.S., Suomi, S.J., Goldman, D.A., & Higley, J.D. (2024). Genotypic variation in the promoter region of the CRH gene interacts with early rearing experiences to influence anxiety-like behavior in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), Stress, 27(1). PMC11279524
  • Wood, E.K., Reid, B.M., Sheerar, D.S., Donzella, B., Gunnar, M.R., & Coe, C.L. (2024). Lingering effects of early institutional rearing and cytomegalovirus infection on the natural killer cell repertoire of adopted adolescents. Biomolecules, 14, 456. PMC11047877
  • Doyle, O.*, Wood, E.K.*, Sullivan, E.L., Mackiewicz-Seghete, K., Graham, A., & Gustafsson, H.C. (2023). COVID-19 pandemic-related trauma symptoms are associated with postpartum alcohol consumption. General Hospital Psychiatry, 85, 19-27. PMC10841071 *Authors both contributed equally
  • Wood, E.K., Stamos, G., Mitchell, AJ, Gonoud, R., Horgan, A.M., Nomura, O., Young, A., Nigg, J.T., Gustafsson, H.C., & Sullivan, E.L. (2023). Food desert severity mediates the association between socioeconomic status and metabolic state during pregnancy in a prospective longitudinal cohort. Scientific Reports, 13, 7197. PMC10156695
  • Ratchford, J.L, Cazzell, A.R., Wood, E.K., Owens, B.P., Quinn, R.E., & Schnitker, S.A. (2023). The virtue counterbalancing model: An illustration with patience & courage. Journal of Positive Psychology, 1-13.
  • Wood, E.K., Halter, C.M., Byrne, E., Baron, Z.D., Fovill, M., Marett, L., Smith, E., Hafen, E., Hepworth, E., Johnson, M., Suomi, S.J., Higley, J.D., & Thompson, W.W. (2023). Behavioral inhibition in a translational nonhuman primate model: A pilot study of Kagan’s behavioral inhibition paradigm modified for use in infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Developmental Psychobiology. PMC11260904
  • Wood, E.K., Baron, Z., Kruger, R., Halter, C.N., Gabrielle, N., Neville, L., Smith, E., Marett, L., Johnson, M., Del Rosso, L., Capitanio, J.P., & Higley, J.D. (2023). Variation in the serotonin transporter genotype is associated with maternal restraint and rejection of infants: A nonhuman primate (Macaca mulatta) model. PLOS ONE, 18(4), e0281935. PMC10124887
  • Wood, E.K., & Sullivan, E.L. (2022). The influence of diet on metabolism and health across the lifespan in nonhuman primates. Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research, 24, 100336. PMC9004663
  • Wood, E.K., Lemmon, D.P., Schwandt, M.L., Lindell, S.G., Barr, C.S., Suomi, S.J., & Higley, J.D. (2022). Central nervous system monoamine metabolite response to alcohol exposure is associated with future alcohol intake in a nonhuman primate model (Macaca mulatta). Addiction Biology, 27(3), e13142. PMC9444692
  • Wood, E.K., Baron, Z., Schwandt, M.L., Lindell, S.G., Barr, C.S., Suomi, S.J., & Higley, J.D. (2022). Variation in the mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1) and offspring sex are associated with maternal behavior in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 16, 721958. PMC8964435
  • Flaherty, S.M., Wood, E.K., Ryff, C.D., Love, G.D., Kelesidis, T., Berkowitz, L., ... & Coe, C.L. (2022). Race and sex differences in HDL peroxide content among American adults with and without type 2 diabetes. Lipids in Health and Disease, 21(1), 1-12. PMC8818198 
  • Wood, E.K., Hunter, J.N., Roberg, B.L., Neville, L., Schwandt, M.L., Fairbanks, L.A., ... & Higley, J.D. (2022). Mismatches in resident and stranger serotonin transporter genotypes lead to escalated aggression and the target for aggression is mediated sex differences in male and female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Hormones and Behavior, 140, 105104. PMC9380749
  • Dean, D.C., Madrid, A., Planalp, E.M., Moody, J.F., Papale, L.A., Knobel, K.M., Wood, E.K., McAdams, R.M., Coe, C.L., Goldsmith, H.H., Davidson, R.J., & Kling, P.J. (2021). Cord blood DNA methylation modifications in infants are associated with white matter microstructure in the context of prenatal maternal depression and anxiety. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1-12. PMC8190282
  • Wood, E.K., Gabrielle, N., Hunter, J., Skowbo, A.N., Schwandt, M.L., Lindell, S.G., ... & Higley, J.D. (2021). Early rearing conditions affect monoamine metabolite levels during baseline and periods of social separation stress: A non-human primate model (Macaca mulatta). Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15, 624676. PMC8062724
  • Wood, E.K., Espinel, W.F., Hunter, J., Emmett, A., Skowbo, A.N., Schwandt, M.L., ... & Higley, J.D. (2021). The effects of at-birth adoption on atypical behavior and anxiety: A nonhuman primate model. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 60(11), 1382-1393. PMC9383052
  • Wood, E.K., Kruger, R., Day, J.P., Day, S.M., Hunter, J.N., Neville, L., ... & Higley, J.D. (2021). A nonhuman primate model of human non-suicidal self-injury: Serotonin-transporter genotype-mediated typologies. Neuropsychopharmacology, 47(6), 1256-1262. PMC9018748
  • Wood, E.K., Hunter, J.N., Almasy, L., Lindell, S.G., Goldman, D., Barr, C.S., Suomi, S.J., Kay, D.B., & Higley, J.D. (2021). Parental genetic contributions to neonatal temperament in a nonhuman primate (Macaca mulatta) model. Developmental Psychobiology, 63(5), 997-1005. PMC9380750
  • Wood, E.K., Halter, C.M., Gabrielle, N., Capitanio, J.P, & Higley, J.D. (2021). Stress-induced plasma cortisol concentrations in infancy are associated with later parenting behaviors in female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Developmental Psychobiology, 63(5), 1098-1108. PMC8797157
  • Wood, E.K., Marsiske, M., Suomi, S.J., Higley, J.D. & Kay, D.B. (2021). Multi-group multi-time point confirmatory factor analysis of the triadic structure of temperament: A nonhuman primate model. Developmental Psychobiology, 63(1), 65-73. PMC9398891
  • Wood, E.K., Jarman, P., Cash, E., Baxter, A., Capitanio, J.P., & Higley, J.D. (2020). Masculinized second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D ratio) is associated with lower cortisol response in infant female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 14, 94. PMC7497207
  • Sproul-Bassett, A.M.S., Wood, E.K., Lindell, S.G., Schwandt, M.L., Barr, C.S., Suomi, S.J., & Higley, J.D. (2020). Intergenerational effects of mother’s early rearing experiences on offspring socioemotional development. Developmental Psychobiology, 62(7), 920-931. PMC8527389
  • Wood, E.K., Kruger, R., Cash, E., Schwandt, M.L., Lindell, S., Barr, C.S., Suomi, S.J., & Higley, J.D. (2019). Early life temperamental anxiety is associated with excessive alcohol intake in adolescence: A rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) model. Addiction Biology, 25(6), e12825. PMC9398892
  • Wood, E.K., Champoux, M., Lindell, S.G., Barr, C.S., Suomi, S.J., & Higley, J.D. (2019). Neonatal temperament and neuromotor differences are predictive of adolescent alcohol intake in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Primatology, 82(11), e23043. PMC9380751
  • Baxter, A., Wood, E.K., Witczak, L.R., Bales, K.L., & Higley, J.D. (2019). Sexual dimorphism in titi monkeys’ digit (2D:4D) ratio is associated with maternal urinary sex hormones during pregnancy. Developmental Psychobiology, 62(7), 979-991. PMC7871332
  • Baxter, A.*, Wood, E.K.*, Barr, C.S., Kay, D.B., Suomi, S.J., & Higley, J. D. (2018). Maternal neglect and the serotonin system are associated with the daytime sleep in infant rhesus monkeys. Development and Psychopathology, 1-10. PMC6679820 *Authors both contributed equally
  • Baxter, A., Wood, E.K., Jarman, P., Cameron, A.N., Capitanio, J.P., & Higley, J.D. (2018). Sex differences in rhesus monkeys’ digit ratio (2D:4D ratio) and its association with maternal social dominance rank. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 12, 213. PMC6160532
  • Wood, E.K., Kruger, R., Bennion, A., Cooke, B.M., Lindell, S., Schwandt, M.L., Goldman, D., Barr, C.S., Suomi, S.J., & Higley, J.D. (2018). Low inherent sensitivity to the intoxicating effects of ethanol in rhesus monkeys with low CSF concentrations of the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 42(2), 424-431. PMC9398890