Christopher Coe, PhD, receives Hilldale Award

Terry Devitt, University Communications

Five faculty members, including Christopher Coe of the Waisman Center, have received the 2006 Hilldale Awards, which annually recognize excellence in teaching, research and service.

The awards, given each year since 1987, honor professors in four faculty divisions: biological sciences, physical sciences, social studies, and arts and humanities.

Coe, who is the W.B. Cannon Professor of Biopsychology, has been a member of the faculty since 1985. Dr. Coe has been a pioneer in psychoneuroimmunology, which investigates the influence of environmental, social and emotional factors on immune-related diseases. His findings have been significant for health and social policy, particularly in the areas of prenatal care and women’s health.

Coe has been an adviser to the National Children’s Study, an initiative to prospectively evaluate the health of 10,000 babies. He also heads the Biological Assay Core for a large health survey that evaluates the influence of life style and mental well-being on health in 7,000 middle-aged and older adults in the United States. The survey is part of one of the largest grants ever awarded to UW-Madison.

Coe received his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from City College, City University of New York. His Ph.D. in biological psychology is from the Downstate Medical Center at the State University of New York.