Educational And Personal Background

After earning her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln in 2008, Dr. Beltzer spent three years in State College, Pennsylvania, where she served in several postdoctoral roles at Penn State University and Salimetrics, LLC. It was during this time that she enjoyed her most important role as a first-time mother to her now 14-year-old daughter. In 2012, Dr. Beltzer returned to her home state of Nebraska where she acquired additional postdoctoral research experience working as a laboratory scientist at Creighton University’s School of Medicine in Omaha. Before accepting her current position, Dr. Beltzer was an assistant professor of psychology at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, from 2014 to 2019, during which time she welcomed her son, now 8-years-old. She joined SEMO in the fall of 2019.

Research Interests

Where I Am Located

Tucked away inside the College of Education and Psychology’s Scully Building houses the Psychoendocrinology and Genetics laboratory, founded in 2019 by Dr. Emilie Beltzer, biological psychologist. Dr. Beltzer studies human physiological responses to real-world psychological stressors and individual differences that may predict stress-related mental and physical health outcomes.

What I Do with Saliva

Dr. Beltzer utilizes saliva sampled from research participants to measure a variety of biomarkers, from stress-induced cortisol to gene expression. After collection, samples are returned to the lab where they are prepared for testing. The lab is equipped with a spectrophotometer and other auxiliary equipment used in colorimetric kinetic and immunological assays to measure the amount of biological analyte present in a sample. Like blood tests ordered by medical practitioners, insights into physiological states and functions can be determined by a person’s biomarker level. In a test sample, the biomarker of interest reacts with an enzyme to produce color. Samples get transferred into the spectrophotometer, which emits waves of light through each sample. The machine then measures the amount of emitted light absorbed by each sample, which is proportional to the concentration of biomarker present.

What I Do with Cheek Cells

In her lab, Dr. Beltzer also extracts DNA from cheek cells present in saliva to examine genetic biomarkers as potential predictors of individual stress responses and stress-related health outcomes. Before genetic testing can begin, the quality and quantity of a sample’s extracted DNA must be measured. A single drop of sample is placed inside a special DNA spectrophotometer. Specific wavelengths of light interact with the molecules of DNA present in the sample to produce absorbance measures. These get translated into measures of DNA quality and quantity. DNA samples are now ready for genetic testing. The most recent addition to Dr. Beltzer’s lab is a brand-new PCR machine, which amplifies – and makes copies of – DNA. After the DNA amplification process, samples may be genotyped or measured for gene expression levels.

Opportunities For Students in My Lab

Dr. Beltzer’s research program attracts students across campus with diverse academic backgrounds who share interests in human biological explanations of behavior. As a member of Dr. Beltzer’s lab, students gain valuable research experience that prepares them for success in post-baccalaureate professional and graduate programs.

Most Recent Publications

Beltzer, E. (2022). An ecological approach for investigations of the anticipatory cortisol stress response. Biological Psychology, 175, 108428.

Classes Taught

Dr. Beltzer teaches Biological Psychology (PY466), Sensation and Perception (PY366), Drugs and Behavior (UI300), and Introduction to Psychology (PY101).