Marc D. Gellman

Professional Life

Dr. Gellman is a University of Miami (UM) Hurricane lifer, having started his academic career at the University of Miami in 1970 as he entered his freshman year with a major in Psychology and minors in Biology and Chemistry.  If he entered the University of Miami with today’s major options he would have been a Neuroscience major.  After receiving his undergraduate degree he decided on taking a few years off from academia to travel and ponder his career goals.  After those few years away from UM, Dr. Gellman decided to return for graduate school.  It is said that once your get sand in your shoes from walking on Miami Beach, you can never get it out and will frequently return to those sandy beaches.  Dr. Gellman continued his neuroscience and psychobiology interests in grad school in the Psychology Department at UM, initially conducting animal research into an understanding of how the central nervous (the brain) controls the cardiovascular system (heart rate and blood pressure) for his Master’s degree.  This led to his first publication in the Journal of the Autonomic Nervous System ¹.  He decided for his doctoral research to explore the new field of behavioral medicine combined with psychophysiology, and to delve into human research to get a better understanding of the effects of physical and psychological stress on the cardiovascular system.  At this time he was beginning to learn about the conduct of human research through an assistantship with the Division of Clinical Pharmacology at UM and taking courses at the UM Medical School through the Department of Pharmacology, all combining his interests in Psychology and Pharmacology (aka Drugs and Behavior).  This new knowledge led to Dr. Gellman receiving his first grant.  It was from a pharmaceutical company that manufactured the leading drug for treating hypertension (Inderal).  The company was exploring new uses for the drug and funded Dr. Gellman to explore it’s effectiveness in reducing stress.  His Ph.D. work was completed in 1984.  This research led to publications on blood pressure regulation ^{2, 3}.  Following a post-doctoral fellowship in Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine from the National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Gellman joined the faculty of the Department of Psychology in 1986 where he remains to this day and continues to conduct research funded by NHLBI.  With his background in Psychology and Pharmacology he teaches an undergraduate course in the Psychology Department on  Drugs and Behavior (PSY 320).  His most recent publication was the 4-volume major reference work, the Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine ⁴ in 2013, and is currently at work on a second edition.

1. Gellman, M.D., Schneiderman, N., Wallach, J.H., and LeBlanc, W. (1981). Cardiovascular responses elicited by hypothalamic stimulation in rabbits reveal a medio-lateral organization.  Journal of the Autonomic Nervous System, 4, 301-317. https://ac.els-cdn.com/0165183881900345/1-s2.0-0165183881900345-main.pdf?_tid=4924dc6d-d4b7-419b-97ec-0143f242a37d&acdnat=1541775229_9f5d56d8c4a32ab1a9771c1b51f908d3
2. Ironson, G. H., Gellman, M. D., Spitzer, S. B., Llabre, M. M., DeCarlo-Pasin, R., Weidler, D. J., & Schneiderman, N. (1989).  Predicting home and work blood pressure measurements from resting baselines and laboratory reactivity in black and white Americans.  Psychophysiology,26, 174-184. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-8986.1989.tb03151.x

3. Gellman, M.D., Spitzer, S.B., Ironson, G.H., Llabre, M.M., Saab, P., DeCarlo-Pasin, R., Weidler, D.J., & Schneiderman, N.(1990).  Posture, place and mood effects on ambulatory blood pressure.  Psychophysiology,27, 544-551. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.1990.tb01972.x

4. Gellman, M.D.and Turner, J.R. (2013). Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer Science + Business Media: New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9.ISBN 978-1-4419-1004-2 (Print). ISBN 978-1-4419-1005-9 (eBook).

Dr. Gellman at Woodstock

MGellman-GMA-Woorstock from Andre Perwin on Vimeo.

Personal Life

Dr. Gellman is a life-long rock and roll enthusiast having grown up during the 1960’s and listening to the sounds of The Beatles and Rolling Stones.  His musical tastes were influenced by his neighbor, Bruce Springsteen, and by attending the Woodstock Music and Art Festival held in Bethel, NY, August 1969.  It was at this festival, that as a high school student, the foundation was laid for Dr. Gellman to search for a better understanding of how drugs effect behavior and the relationship of drugs with music.  These interests have been merged together in the lectures Dr. Gellman gives as part of the UM course on The Sixties.  His lecture is entitled, “The Psychedelic Sixties: from the Hippies to the Yippies, to the Woodstock Generation.

Dr. Gellman is also a recreational bicyclist and has participated in numerous charity bicycle events including the MS and AIDS Rides and the Dolphin Cancer (Cycling) Challenge, raising funds for the UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.  Dr. Gellman, along with his wife, Dr. Jill Turner, ride a custom built tandem bicycle that they have toured many parts of the world on.