Team Members

Robert L. Tennyson

Team Lead

University of Washington

Rob is a Ph.D. Candidate in Biological Anthropology at the University of Washington (UW). He is advised by Dr. Dan Eisenberg and is a pre-doctoral trainee for the Biological Mechanisms of Health Aging (NIH/NIA T32 AG066574) and the Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology (NICHD T32 HD007543). His dissertation is funded by the Center for Leadership in Athletics at UW. It investigates how physical activity moderates the impacts of psychosocial stress on biological aging and immune function in intercollegiate athletes and non-athlete college students. More generally, he aims to understand better how psychosocial stress interacted with human biology throughout human evolution, the relevance of these interactions for his study populations (e.g., student-athletes and injury prevention), and how to apply these patterns to population health more broadly.

Please check out his personal website, Google Scholar Profile, and Open Science Frameworks page for more specific updates on Rob's work.

Cristina Gildee

Graduate Student Member

University of Washington

Cristina is a Ph.D. Student in Biological Anthropology at the University of Washington (UW) interested in the intersections between human biomechanics and molecular anthropology. She is particularly interested in expanding the knowledge base we use to understand human energetics - much of our work is based on samples with limited demographics and phenotypes - limiting its applicability to humans at large. She has previously presented on topics with applications for Rehabilitation Medicine and Biomechanics.

Katie Rainsberger

Graduate Student Member

University of Colorado - Colorado Springs

Lead for Testing for Evidence of High Altitude Adaptations Among Endurance Athletes

Katie is currently a graduate student in Applied Physiology (MSc) at University of Colorado (UCCS). She completed her undergraduate degree at UW after working with Rob and being advised by Dr. Melanie Martin to complete her honors thesis, Testing for Evidence of High Altitude Adaptations Among Endurance Athletes. Her study aims to determine if the altitude at which athletes developed and are currently training will be associated with faster gender-adjusted personal records and greater lung capacity, by comparing personal records and biomarkers of oxygen transport organs among endurance athletes who experienced early development at altitude or sea level and are currently training at altitude or sea level. Katie is also currently a professional track and field athlete, training with hopes of making an Olympic Team.

Anamika Nanda

Undergraduate Student Member

University of Washington

Lead for Examining the Influence of Psychosocial Stress on Telomere Length in NCAA Collegiate Swimmers

Anamika is an undergraduate senior pursing a Bachelor's of Arts in Medical Anthropology and Global Health. Her honors thesis, Examining the Influence of Psychosocial Stress on Telomere Length in NCAA Collegiate Swimmers, focuses on the differences in divisions of competition between division I and division III and how the psychosocial stressors associated with them contributes to telomere length in NCAA swimmers along with their non-active counterparts with her advisor Dr. Alvin Logan. Her study is looking at how psychosocial stress may be contributing to decreased telomere length in NCAA swimmers and hope to advocate for the mental health of student-athletes as a whole. Anamika is working towards preparing herself for medical school applications to become an orthopedic surgeon and specialize in sports medicine to continue working with athletes throughout her career.