Portraitfoto von Urs Nater

Professor of Clinical Psychology of Adulthood
 

T: +43-1-4277-47220

E: urs.nater@univie.ac.at

Room O1.39

Department for Clinical and Health Psychology

Liebiggasse 5

1010 Vienna

Research Interests

  • Experimental stress research
  • Identification of mechanisms of stress-related morbidity
  • Development of stress measurement methods
  • Identification of biomarkers of stress-related medically unexplained physical complaints (especially chronic fatigue)
  • Investigation of stress-relevant systems, such as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), immune system, and autonomic nervous system, with focus on peripheral markers and gene expression profiles
  • Investigation of the effects of interventions on the psychophysiological stress response (stress management training, music)

Positions and Employment

2001-2005 Fellow and lecturer at the University of Zurich, Department of Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, Zurich. Switzerland
2005-2007 Post-doctoral Fellow at Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Atlanta/GA, USA, and at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention CDC), Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases, Division of Chronic Viral Diseases, Atlanta/GA, USA
2007Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases, Division of Chronic Viral Diseases (Chief: William C. Reeves, MD), Atlanta/GA, USA
2007-2010Assistant Professor (Oberassistent), University of Zurich, Department of Psychology, Dept. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, Zurich, Switzerland
Since 2007Guest Researcher at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases, Chronic Viral Diseases Branch, Atlanta/GA, USA
2011-2017Lichtenberg Professor of Clinical Biopsychology (W3, Full Professor with Tenure), University of Marburg, Dept. of Psychology, Marburg, Germany
Since 2017Professor of Clinical Psychology (Full Professor with Tenure), University of Vienna, Dept. of Psychology, Vienna, Austria
Since 2018Head of the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Vienna Austria
Since 2020Head of the Research Platform The Stress of Life (SOLE) – Processes and Mechanism underlying Everyday Life Stress, Vienna, Austria

Education

1995-2001

Studies of Psychology, Psychopathology and Neurophysiology at the University of Zurich Switzerland (degree: lic. phil.)

2002-2004

PhD-Programme of the Neuroscience Center Zurich of the University of Zurich and the ETH Zürich, Switzerland (Certificate in Neuroscience)

2004

PhD

Honors

  • Best Poster Award, 5th Conference of the European Society for Cognitive Sciences in Music in Hannover, Germany, 2003
  • 1st Student Poster Prize, 25th European Congress for Psychosomatic Research in Berlin, Germany, 2004
  • Young Investigator Award, International Society for Psychoneuroendocrinology (ISPNE), 2005
  • Jungwissenschaftlerpreis / Young Scientist Award, Swiss Society of Psychology, 2005
  • Best Clinical Case Award, Swiss Society for Neuroscience (SSN), 2006
  • Scholar Award, American Psychosomatic Society (APS), 2006
  • Young Investigator Travel Award, International Neuroendocrine Federation (INF), 2006
  • Early Career Award, International Society for Behavioral Medicine (ISBM), 2006
  • Irmela-Florin-Forschungspreis, German Society of Behavioral Medicine, 2007
  • Charlotte- und Karl-Bühler-Award, German Society of Psychology, 2012
  • Outstanding New Investigator Award, International Society for Behavioral Medicine (ISBM), 2016
  • Distinguished International Affiliate der Society for Health Psychology (Div. 38 APA), 2018

Editorial Board Membership

  • BMC Research Notes (Associate Editor, 2010-2015)
  • BMC Psychology (Associate Editor, since 2015)
  • Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine (Springer, Associate Editor, since 2010)
  • International Journal of Behavioral Medicine (since 2010, Associate Editor 2010-2018)
  • ISRN Neuroendocrinology (2011-2013)
  • Medicine (Academic Editor, 2014-2017)
  • Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (since 2015)
  • Frontiers in Affective Disorders and Psychosomatic Research (since 2015)
  • The Open Neuroendocrinology Journal (2008-2012)
  • PLOS ONE (Academic Editor, since 2014)
  • Psychoneuroendocrinology (since 2010)
  • Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology (since 2019)
  • Stress (since 2014, since 2019 Associate Editior-in-Chief)
  • Musicae Scientiae (since 2015)

Ad-hoc Reviewing for funding institutions (selection)

  • Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development
  • Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO, Belgium)
  • CFIDS Association of America
  • Research Council K.U. Leuven
  • Schweizerischer Nationalfonds
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
  • European Science Foundation
  • Österreichische Nationalbank Jubiläumsfonds (OeNB)

 

Journal Reviewer

  • for more than 100 scientific journals

 

 

Professional Services

2003Organizing Committee Member of the 1st licentiates and doctoral students congress of the Department of Psychology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland
2004-2012Member of the Committee for Certification of the Swiss Society of Clinical Psychology
2007-2010Program Committee Member of the American Psychosomatic Society (APS)
2008-2009Organizing Committee member of the 6th Workshop Congress of the Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
2008-2010Newsletter Editor of the International Society of Behavioral Medicine (ISBM)
2009-2012Member of the Board and the Executive Committee (Secretary) International Society of Behavioral Medicine (ISBM)
2009-2014Member of the Membership Committee of the American Psychosomatic Society (APS)
2010-2012Co-Chair des Liaison Committee der American Psychosomatic Society (APS)
2010-2016Member of the Council of the American Psychosomatic Society (APS)
2012-2016Member of the Board and Chair of the Communication Committee of the International Society of Behavioral Medicine (ISBM)
2013-2016

Secretary-Treasurer and member of the Executive Committee of the American Psychosomatic Society (APS)

2013-2016Mentor of the Hessen-wide SciMento network dedicated to the advancement of women in science
2016-2018President-elect of the International Society of Behavioral Medicine (ISBM)
2017Founding member of the Special Interest Group “Biopsychology and Neuroscience in Clinical Psychology”
2018-2020President of the International Society of Behavioral Medicine (ISBM)

Professional academic services

2007-2010Study Consultant for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Switzerland
2008-2010Representative for the Master's Program in Clinical Psychology and Health Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
2011-2013, 2014-2017Member of Bachelor/Master Committee of the Dept. of Psychology, University of Marburg, Germany
2013-2015Responsible Professor for Laboratory, measurement and IT technology (deputy)
2013-2015Member of the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Psychology, University of Marburg, Germany
2013-2016Chair of the Election Committee of the Dept. of Psychology, University of Marburg
2013-2017Mentor of the Hessen-wide SciMento network dedicated to the advancement of women in science
2013-2017Member of the Local Ethics Committee of the Dept. of Psychology, University of Marburg
2013-2017Member of the Examination Committee (Diploma 1994) of the Dept. of Psychology, University of Marburg
2015Member of the Aptitude Test Commission for the Master's programme in Psychology
2015-2017Deputy representative of the Department of Psychology at the German “Fakultätentag Psychologie”
Since 2017Teaching Coordinator for Clinical and Health Psychology
Since 2018Head of the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Vienna Austria
Since 2018Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Outpatient Unit of Research, Teaching and Practice
Since 2018Member of the Faculty Conference