Adolfo Cuevas
Adolfo Cuevas
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Associate Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences
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Professional overview
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Adolfo G. Cuevas, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at NYU's School of Global Public Health, where he also co-directs the BioSocial Research Initiative (BSRI). His research examines how psychosocial stressors influence health across the lifespan, using epidemiological, psychological, and biological approaches to understand these relationships.
Dr. Cuevas currently leads three NIH-funded projects, totaling nearly $7 million, that investigate the effect of psychosocial stressors on biological dysregulation. These studies investigate how psychosocial stress contributes to biological dysregulation. His first project (R01DK137805; 2024–2029) addresses a key gap in the field by examining how social adversity affects allostatic load across three life course stages and identifying gene expression pathways that link adversity to biological stress. It is also the first study to assess how social relationships—such as kinship and community ties—buffer the impact of social adversity on gene expression and stress physiology. His two additional projects (R01DK137246 and R01MD019251) explore the role of neighborhood and interpersonal stress in obesity across developmental stages, from childhood to older adulthood, with a focus on molecular indicators of stress-related proinflammatory biology that may contribute to adipose tissue formation.
Dr. Cuevas’ work has appeared in leading journals including Annals of Internal Medicine, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, and American Journal of Public Health. It has also been featured by media outlets such as Forbes, USA Today, and NPR’s Code Switch.
In recognition of his contributions to research on stress and health, Dr. Cuevas has received numerous honors, including the Herbert Weiner Early Career Award, the National Minority Quality Forum’s 40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health Award, and the Diversity Scholar Award from the Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard University.
Prior to joining NYU, he was the Gerald R. Gill Assistant Professor of Race, Culture, and Society at Tufts University. He earned his PhD and MS in applied psychology from Portland State University and completed postdoctoral training at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
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Education
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PhD, Applied Psychology, Portland State UniversityMS, Applied Psychology, Portland State UniversityBA, Psychology, City College of New York, 2010Certificate, Applied Biostatistics, Harvard Catalyst
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Honors and awards
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National Institute of Health Loan Repayment-Renewal (2021)Diversity Scholar Award, Nutrition Obesity Research Center, Harvard University (2019)National Institute of Health Loan Repayment (2019)40 Under 40 Leaders in Health, National Minority Quality Forum (2018)Neubauer Faculty Fellowship, Tufts University (2017)Portland African American Leadership Fellowship (2013)National Cancer Institute R25E Summer Research Experience, The University of Texas MD, Anderson’s Cancer Prevention Research Training Program (2012)Bernard R. Ackerman Foundation Award for Outstanding Scholarship (2010)Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge Graduate of the Year (2010)City University of New York Pipeline Fellowship (2009)City University of New York Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge (SEEK) Scholarship (2009)Psi Chi Honor Society (2009)Dean’s List Scholar (20082009)Chi Alpha Epsilon (XAE) Honor Society (2008)City College of New York’s William Wright Scholarship (2008)City College of New York Community Service Award (2008)SEEK Scholarship (2008)
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Areas of research and study
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ObesityPsychosocial StressRacial/Ethnic Disparities
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Publications
Publications
Discrimination exposure and lymphocyte differentiation: Results from the health and retirement study
AbstractCuevas, A., Kranz, E. O., Bather, J. R., Zhang, X., Chang, V. W., Cole, S. W., & Cuevas, A. G. (n.d.).Publication year
2026Journal title
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity-HealthPage(s)
101170Abstract~Neighborhood Opportunity and Cellular Senescence in a National Sample of US Adults
AbstractCuevas, A., Rodrigues, M., Bather, J. R., Crump, A. A., Kranz, E. O., Cole, S. W., & Cuevas, A. G. (n.d.).Publication year
2026Journal title
Social Science & MedicinePage(s)
119196Abstract~Perceived Discrimination and Immunological Aging: A Systematic Review of Cellular and Molecular Markers
AbstractCuevas, A., Cuevas, A. G., Kranz, E., Rodrigues, M., Binns, A., Martin, G., Herz, N., Crump, A. A., Bather, J. R., & Cole, S. W. (n.d.).Publication year
2026Journal title
Biopsychosocial Science and MedicineVolume
88Issue
2Page(s)
137Abstract~Religiosity, Spiritual Practices, and Epigenetic Aging: Insights from a Population-Based Sample of Middle-Aged US Adults
AbstractCuevas, A., Ashe, J. J., Bather, J. R., Crump, A. A., Sims, M., Faber, K. E., Williams, D. R., & Cuevas, A. G. (n.d.).Publication year
2026Journal title
PsychoneuroendocrinologyPage(s)
107795Abstract~Adverse childhood experiences patterns and biological aging in a representative sample of older Americans
AbstractCuevas, A., Zhang, X., Slopen, N., Binns, A. A., & Cuevas, A. G. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
PsychoneuroendocrinologyPage(s)
107682Abstract~Aging anxiety and epigenetic aging in a national sample of adult women in the United States
AbstractCuevas, A., Rodrigues, M., Bather, J. R., & Cuevas, A. G. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
PsychoneuroendocrinologyPage(s)
107704Abstract~Burden of Unfair Treatment and Subclinical Atherosclerotic Risk Among Black Adults: The Moderating Role of Religious Coping
AbstractCuevas, A., Ashe, J. J., Cuevas, A. G., Skipper, A. D., Bentley???Edwards, K., Waldstein, S. R., Turney, I. C., Zonderman, A. B., & Forde, A. T. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Journal of the American Heart AssociationVolume
14Issue
23Page(s)
e043832Abstract~Cumulative Racism and Substance use: Results from the 2023 Racism and Public Health Study
AbstractCuevas, A., Rouhani, S., Harris, A., Cuevas, A., Rhodes-Bratton, B., McSorley, A.-M., & Goodman, M. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Drug and Alcohol DependenceVolume
267Page(s)
112284Abstract~Differential associations between relationship stressors and natural killer cell gene expression by race/ethnicity and sex among older US adults
AbstractCuevas, A., Rodrigues, M., Bather, J. R., & Cuevas, A. G. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Brain, Behavior, and ImmunityPage(s)
106116Abstract~Discrimination and dendritic cell abundance among older adults in the health and retirement study
AbstractCuevas, A., Bather, J. R., Kranz, E. O., Rodrigues, M., Cole, S. W., & Cuevas, A. G. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Brain, Behavior, and ImmunityPage(s)
106087Abstract~Discrimination and the Immune System among Adults
AbstractCuevas, A., & Cuevas, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Page(s)
87Abstract~Experiences of patient-provider concordance in healthcare among All of Us participants, 2017-2023
AbstractCuevas, A., Holm, J., Cuevas, A., Wang, V. H.-C., Pag??n, J. A., & Silver, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Patient Education and CounselingPage(s)
109258Abstract~Experiences of patient-provider concordance in healthcare among All of Us participants, 2017–2023
AbstractHolm, J., Cuevas, A., Wang, V. H., Pagán, J. A., & Silver, D. R. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Patient Education and CounselingVolume
139AbstractObjective: To examine differences in care experiences and preferences related to patient-provider relationships across both cultural and personal patient identities. Methods: Logistic regression was used to test the associations between patient characteristics and patient survey responses using 2017–2023 data from the All of Us dataset. Results: Nearly two thirds of the All of Us participants considered it important that their providers were like them (63.2 %) and could often see them (66.3 %). The odds of reporting that it was important that their providers were like them were higher among all groups compared to non-Hispanic White participants (non-Hispanic Black: aOR 2.59 95% Confidence Interval (CI) [2.41–2.78]; Hispanic: aOR 1.42 95% CI [1.33–1.51]; non-Hispanic Asian: aOR 1.45 95% CI [1.33–1.59]; non-Hispanic Other: aOR 1.16 95% CI [1.08–1.25]). Female participants (aOR 1.29 95% CI [1.25–1.33]), those that spoke a language other than English at home (aOR 1.45 95% CI [1.38–1.53]), those with Medicaid (aOR 1.23 95% CI [1.15–1.32]) or no insurance (aOR 1.17 95% CI [1.10–1.25]) compared to those privately insured, and those with a disability (aOR 1.15 95% CI [1.11–1.20]) were more likely to report that it was very/somewhat important their provider be similar to them. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the dimensions of patient identity contribute to inequities in receiving culturally concordant care. Practice implications: The significant subgroup differences across all survey questions suggest that previous interventions addressing cultural competence in providers may not reach all the patient populations. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach to improving the care experiences of different patient populations, adopting the key behaviors derived from both patient-centered and culturally competent care and by using the guiding principles of cultural humility would enable providers to tailor care that is centered on patient needs and preferences.From Discrimination to Disease : The Role of Inflammation
AbstractCuevas, A., & Cole, S. W. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Harvard Review of PsychiatryVolume
33Issue
2Page(s)
83-89AbstractDiscrimination is an established social determinant of mental health that contributes to psychiatric illness disparities among marginalized populations. There is emerging research elucidating the biological mechanisms connecting discrimination to mental health outcomes, revealing inflammation as a key pathway. This column synthesizes evidence from existing literature on the links between discrimination and inflammation, and outlines both the opportunities and challenges in this field. The discussion highlights the necessity of a multifaceted approach to address discrimination, and thus, reduce inflammation at both individual and population levels.From discrimination to disease: the role of inflammation
AbstractCuevas, A., Cuevas, A. G., & Cole, S. W. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Harvard review of psychiatryVolume
33Issue
2Page(s)
83Abstract~From social determinants to the molecular level: Investigating the relationship between discrimination exposure and lymphocyte differentiation using the Health and Retirement Study
AbstractCuevas, A., Kranz, E., Cuevas, A., & Bather, J. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Abstract~Genetic and environmental contributions to the associations between midlife personality and late-life metabolic health
AbstractFreilich, C. D., Kunkel, J. J., Dugan, K. A., Vomacka, E. J., Cuevas, A., Markon, K., McGue, M., Roisman, G. I., & Krueger, R. F. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
ObesityAbstractObjective: Personality traits such as conscientiousness and emotional stability are consistently linked with better metabolic health, but there is limited evidence on the etiology of these associations and their robustness across the life-span. Methods: Therefore, we estimated phenotypic, genetic, and unique environmental associations of traits indexed by the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire in early-to-middle adulthood (mean age = 38.3 years) with BMI, waist circumference, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, C-reactive protein, triglycerides, and glycated hemoglobin in older adulthood (mean age = 70.4 years) using the Minnesota Twin Registry sample (n = 950). Results: Traits that indexed emotional instability in midlife, such as alienation and stress reactivity, were significant predictors of several metabolic outcomes late in life (bivariate |r| ≤ 0.22), whereas negative associations with traits related to conscientiousness (e.g., control, constraint, achievement) tended to be more modest. For most traits that were phenotypically associated, we observed significant genetic correlations. Additionally, alienation and stress reactivity had weak-to-moderate unique environmental correlations with BMI, waist circumference, and C-reactive protein (re = 0.10–0.29). Conclusions: These results are consistent with an etiology of declining metabolic health into old age involving the propensity toward negative affective experiences decades prior, further validating the health relevance of individual differences in personality.Genetic and environmental contributions to the associations between midlife personality and late???life metabolic health
AbstractCuevas, A., Freilich, C. D., Kunkel, J. J., Dugan, K. A., Vomacka, E. J., Cuevas, A. G., Markon, K., McGue, M., Roisman, G. I., & Krueger, R. F. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
ObesityVolume
33Page(s)
110Abstract~Intersecting race/ethnicity and gender in physiological dysregulation profiles and associations with socioeconomic status among older adults in the United States
AbstractZhang, X., Krobath, D. M., Tembo, P., & Cuevas, A. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
SSM - Population HealthVolume
30AbstractAllostatic load, a cumulative indicator of physiological wear and tear resulting from chronic stress, is a robust predictor of disease and mortality risk. While prior research has documented racial/ethnic and gender variations in allostatic load, typically assessed by counting biomarkers at extreme levels, few studies have used latent class analysis (LCA) to examine multi-system physiological dysregulation or tested whether these patterns differ across the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender. This study analyzed data from 5743 Black and White adults aged 50 and older in the Health and Retirement Study to address this gap. Based on eight biomarkers representing metabolic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory systems, LCA identified four distinct dysregulation patterns that varied significantly by race and gender. The four classes included: (1) a Healthy Regulation class, identified across all groups but most prevalent among Black men; (2) a Hypertension Dysregulation class, identified specifically among Black men and White women; (3) a Metabolic and Inflammatory Dysregulation class, observed in both Black and White women; and (4) a Hypertension and Metabolic Dysregulation class, observed among Black women and White men. Association analyses revealed that higher educational attainment was significantly linked to reduced odds of metabolic-related dysregulation in all groups except Black men, underscoring the limitations of education alone in mitigating health risks for this group. These findings emphasize the value of an intersectionality framework for understanding how race and gender jointly shape physiological dysregulation patterns and highlight the need for tailored public health strategies that address the specific health risks faced by different population subgroups.Intersecting race/ethnicity and gender in physiological dysregulation profiles and associations with socioeconomic status among older adults in the United States
AbstractCuevas, A., Zhang, X., Krobath, D. M., Tembo, P., & Cuevas, A. G. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
SSM-Population HealthVolume
30Page(s)
101812Abstract~Interventions to improve racial and ethnic equity in critical care: A scoping review
AbstractCuevas, A., Ge, S., Lappen, H., Mercado, L., Lamarche, K., Iwashyna, T. J., Hough, C. L., Chang, V. W., Cuevas, A., Valley, T. S., & Armstrong-Hough, M. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
PloS oneVolume
20Issue
11Page(s)
e0336922Abstract~Measurement invariance of the perceived discrimination scale across race/ethnicity and sex: Findings from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study
AbstractCuevas, A., Xu, S., Widaman, K. F., Patippe, C., Cui, L., Shi, X., Krobath, D. M., Cuevas, A., & Chang, V. W. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
SSM-Mental HealthPage(s)
100512Abstract~Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders : Disparities in the Prevalence of Multiple Chronic Conditions
AbstractCabrera, J. D., Cuevas, A., Xu, V. S., & Chang, V. W. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
American Journal of Health PromotionAbstractPurpose: To examine multimorbidity prevalence by race/ethnicity and unique health disparities for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders (NHPI). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: This study uses combined data from the 2014 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the 2014 NHPI-NHIS. Sample: 38,965 adults, including a representative sample of 2,026 NHPIs. Measures: Self-reported diagnoses of ten chronic conditions and race/ethnicity, including Non-Hispanic (NH) Whites, NH Blacks, NH Asians, NH NHPIs, Hispanics and NH Mixed Race. Covariates include age, sex, marital status, education, family income, and employment status. Analysis: We used multinomial logistic regression models to evaluate the adjusted association between race/ethnicity and number of chronic conditions: none, 1, and ≥ 2 (multimorbidity). Results: Compared to Whites, Asians and Hispanics (aRRR = 0.39, PNative Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders: Disparities in the Prevalence of Multiple Chronic Conditions
AbstractCuevas, A., Cabrera, J. D., Cuevas, A. G., Xu, S., & Chang, V. W. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
American Journal of Health PromotionVolume
39Issue
7Page(s)
1037Abstract~Neighborhood disadvantage and elevated CD14 gene expression among middle-aged adults: Findings from the Midlife in the United States study
AbstractCuevas, A., Bather, J. R., Rodrigues, M., Jiang, Y., Cole, S. W., & Cuevas, A. G. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
PsychoneuroendocrinologyPage(s)
107553Abstract~