Rebecca C Thurston, PhD

Pittsburgh Foundation Chair in Women's Health and Dementia and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, Clinical and Translational Science, Epidemiology and Psychology

Current Appointments

  • Associate Dean for Women's Health Research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
  • Director, Center for Women's Biobehavioral Health Research
  • Training Director, Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Research Training Program

Areas of Expertise

  • Women & Reproductive Health
  • Telepsychiatry
  • Mood Disorders
  • Anxiety, OCD & Trauma Disorders
  • Sleep & Circadian Health
  • Older Adults
Rebecca Thurston, PhD
Expertise & Interests Selected Publications Education & Credentials Related News

Expertise & Interests

Research Interests

Menopause and cardiovascular disease; Menopause and neurocognitive health; Trauma and cardiovascular disease risk

Clinical Interests

Menopause; Mood and anxiety disorders; Behavioral medicine

Education Interests

Research mentorship at all levels; Behavioral medicine research & practice; Interdisciplinary training

Selected Publications

  1. Thurston RC, Chang Y, Kline CE, Swanson LM, El Khoudary SR, Jackson EA, Derby CA. Trajectories of sleep over midlife and incident cardiovascular disease events in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Circulation. 2024 Feb 13;149(7):545-555. PMID: 38284249; PMCID: PMC10922947. Go Red for Women Special Issue.
  2. Thurston RC, Wu M, Chang YF, Aizenstein HJ, Derby C, Barinas-Mitchell EA, Maki P. Menopausal vasomotor symptoms and white matter hyperintensities in midlife women. Neurology. 2023 Jan 10;100(2):e133-e141. PMID: 36224031; PMCID: PMC9841446.
  3. Thurston RC, Chang Y, Matthews KA, Harlow S, El Khoudary SR, Janssen I, Derby C. Interpersonal trauma and risk of incident cardiovascular disease events among women. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Apr 5;11(7):e024724. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.024724. Epub 2022 Mar 24. PMID: 35322675; PMCID: PMC9075461.
  4. Thurston RC, Chang Y, Matthews KA, von Knel R, Koenen K. Association of sexual harassment and sexual assault with midlife women's mental and physical health. JAMA Intern Med. 2019 Jan 1; 179(1):48-53. PMCID: PMC6322939.
  5. Thurston RC, Chang Y, Matthews KA, Harlow S, El Khoudary SR, Janssen I, Derby C. Thurston RC, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Everson-Rose SA, Hess R, Matthews KA. Hot flashes and subclinical cardiovascular disease: Findings from The Study of Womens Health Across the Nation Heart Study. Circulation. 2008 Sep; 118(12):1234-40. PMCID: PMC2728044.
  6. Pinkerton JV, Simon JA, Joffe H, Maki PM, Nappi RE, Panay N, Soares CN, Thurston RC, Caetano C, Haberland C, Haseli Mashhadi N, Krahn U, Mellinger U, Parke S, Seitz C, Zuurman L. Elinzanetant for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause: OASIS 1 and 2 randomized clinical trials. JAMA. 2024 Aug 22:e2414618. PMID: 39172446; PMCID: PMC11342219.
  7. Faubion SS, Crandall CJ, Davis L, El Khoudary SR, Hodis HN, Lobo RA, Maki PM, Manson JE, Pinkerton JV, Santoro NF, Shifren JL, Shufelt CL, Thurston RC, Wolfman W. The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2022 Jul 1;29(7):767-794. PMID: 35797481.
  8. Lederman S, Ottery FD, Cano A, Santoro N, Shapiro M, Stute P, Thurston RC, English M, Franklin C, Lee M, Neal-Perry G. Fezolinetant for treatment of moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause (SKYLIGHT 1): a phase 3 randomised controlled study. Lancet. 2023 Apr 1;401(10382):1091-1102. PMID: 36924778.
  9. Thurston RC, Thomas HN, Castle AJ, Gibson CJ. Menopause as a biological and psychological transition. Nat Rev Psychol. 2025/08/01 2025;4(8):530543. doi:10.1038/s44159-025-00463-9.The 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society Advisory Panel. The 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2023 Jun 1;30(6):573-590. PMID: 37252752
  10. Faubion SS, Crandall CJ, Davis L, El Khoudary SR, Hodis HN, Lobo RA, Maki PM, Manson JE, Pinkerton JV, Santoro NF, Shifren JL, Shufelt CL, Thurston RC, Wolfman W. The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2022 Jul 1;29(7):767-794. PMID: 35797481.

Education & Credentials

Education & Training

Education
PhD, Clinical Health Psychology, Duke University
Internship
Clinical Health Psychology, University of Washington
Residency
Clinical Health Psychology, University of Washington School of Medicine
Postdoctoral
Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholar, Harvard University

Professional Affiliations

  • Fellow, American Heart Association
  • Fellow, Society for Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine
  • Fellow, Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research
  • Past President, The Menopause Society

Selected Honors & Awards

  • Excellence in Health Psychology Research Award, American Psychological Association Society for Health Psychology
  • Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine, Drexel University
  • Chancellor's Distinguished Research Award, Senior Scholar, University of Pittsburgh
  • Lisa Stanford Excellence in Leadership Award, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
  • Henry Burger Award, International Menopause Society
  • Vasomotor Symptoms Research Award, North American Menopause Society

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