Ali A. Weinstein, PhD
Assistant Professor
Deputy Director, Center for Study of Chronic Illness and Disability

Unit: Department of Global and Community Health
Mail Stop: 5B7
Office Location: Robinson A401B
Phone: 703-993-9632
Email: aweinst2@gmu.edu

Download a copy of Dr. Weinstein's CV

Dr. Weinstein is currently the Deputy Director of the Center for Study of Chronic Illness and Disability at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.  In addition, she coordinates the Rehabilitation Science Certificate.  She received her Ph.D. (2007) from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.  Also, she earned a B.S. (1999) in Psychology with a minor in Health Care & Society at Lafayette College and a M.A. in Kinesiology (2001) at the University of Maryland, College Park. She has extensive experience conducting human bio behavioral experiments in the laboratory and field, and survey research regarding prescription of health care behaviors by physicians.

Dr. Weinstein’s training and experiences have allowed familiarity with cross-sectional, experimental, and longitudinal research. She has participated in projects involving ambulatory monitoring of physical activity, and cross-sectional evaluations of differences between individuals with Major Depressive Disorder and individuals without any mood disturbances. The multidisciplinary nature of her specialty has allowed collaborations with psychologists, physicians of various specialties, nurses, bio statisticians, and epidemiologists to study exercise and mood, cardiovascular reactivity to stress, and co-morbidity of physical and mental health problems among various populations (including healthy men and women; civilians and military personnel; people with heart disease, fibromyalgia, or depression).

In addition, Dr. Weinstein participated as a pre-doctoral fellow on a NRSA NHLBI Cardiovascular Training Grant, specifically in the behavioral aspects of cardiovascular disease.  Dr. Weinstein will be applying the knowledge she acquired studying cardiovascular disease to chronic illness and disability, in general, so that her research will be able to help a wide variety of patient populations.  Dr. Weinstein will be developing a research program in the Center for the Study of Chronic Illness and Disability to help describe the mechanisms by which disease produces disability and explore treatments that can prevent or reduce disabilities and restore function.

Book Chapters:

Kop, W.J., Weinstein, A.A. (2007).  C-reactive protein. In Fink,G. (ed.).  Encyclopedia of Stress (2nd ed).  Academic Press:Oxford.  653-658.

Recent Publications:

Francis, J.L, Weinstein, A.A., Krantz, D.S., Haigney, M., Stein, P.K., Gottdiener, J., & Kop, W.J. (2009). Association between symptoms of  depression and anxiety with heart rate variability in patients with  implantable cardioverter defibrillators.  Psychosomatic Medicine, 71(8),  821-827.

Talbot, L.A., Weinstein, A.A., Fleg, J.L. (2009).  Army physical fitness test scores predict cardiovascular disease risk in Army national guard soldiers. Military Medicine, 174(3), 245-252.

Berlin, A.A., Kop, W.J., & Deuster, P.A. (2006).  Depressive mood symptoms and fatigue following exercise withdrawal: The potential role of decreased fitness.  Psychosomatic Medicine, 68(2), 224-230.

Weinstein, A.A., Deuster, P.A., & Kop, W.J. (2007).  Heartrate variability as a predictor of negative mood symptoms induced by exercise withdrawal.  Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 39(4), 735-741.

Educational Background:

• Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Ph.D.        
  2004-2007Medical Psychology
• Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, M.S.         
  2001-2004Medical Psychology
• University of Maryland, College Park, M.A. 1999-2001 Kinesiology
• Lafayette College, Easton, B.S. 1995-1999 Psychology