Welcome to the SPAN Lab!
Directed by Professors Ryan Bogdan, Patrick Hill, and Thomas Oltmanns at Washington University in St. Louis
The primary study being conducted in the SPAN lab is the St. Louis Personality & Aging Network (SPAN) study. This study was launched in April of 2007 and it is being conducted by a multidisciplinary team of investigators who have substantial experience in personality, aging, and epidemiological studies. It is a prospective, longitudinal study of the stability and impact of personality in later life. The study examines connections among personality traits, physical and subjective health, social adjustment, and biological markers of immune system functioning in a sample of participants approaching the challenges of later life. A primary goal of the SPAN study is to identify the extent to which personality and personality problems influence the ability to adapt successfully to important life transitions.
May 2024
- Once again, the SPAN lab proudly celebrates its Fall 2024 undergraduate graduates: Annika Wei, Deanna Adams, Ellie Skemp, Lauren Blaydon, and Kamala Madireddi. Your dedication and achievements have illuminated our lab with brilliance, and we couldn’t be prouder of each of you. As you embark on new journeys, may success, health, and wellness accompany you every step of the way. Congratulations, graduates!
- We’d also like to thank our wonderful participants! After nearly 7 years, we have concluded collecting data for both our SPIN1 and SPIN2 projects. It goes without saying, but without our loyal and dedicated participants and their families, there would be no SPAN Study. Please visit this page for a special message: For Our Participants
January 2023
- Happy new year! With the new year comes another new face — the SPAN Lab would like to send a big welcome to the newest full-time research technician Jayne Siudzinski. Jayne has a strong background in bio-science and will serve us well in our continuing our SPIN2 research. Welcome aboard Jayne!
May 2023
- The Span Lab would like to congratulate three exceptional undergraduates on their recent graduation. Their invaluable contributions to our research have left a lasting impact. One of these remarkable graduates (Lorey) will be joining us full-time, and we have no doubt she will excel and make a significant impact with her exceptional skills and dedication. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors, knowing they will continue to thrive and achieve great success.
July 2023
After an esteemed career spanning 46 years, creator of SPAN Dr. Thomas Oltmanns bids farewell to academia, leaving an indelible mark on psychology. As a mentor, researcher, and trailblazer, his dedication has inspired countless students and advanced our understanding of the human mind. We celebrate his legacy and extend our heartfelt gratitude for his remarkable contributions. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Oltmanns for his unparalleled dedication to the pursuit of knowledge and wish him a fulfilling and joyous retirement.
June 2022
- After six years spent at WashU, four of them as an undergrad and two as the BrainLab’s Lab Manager, Isabella Hansen is leaving the nest and starting her new career in New York City. We are so very appreciative of all your hard work and wish you nothing but success in the big city!!
- SPIN2 is running very smoothly and we just can’t say thank you enough to our participants for their continued participation in our study. Click here for a special message from Dr. Oltmanns and Dr. Bogdan.
September 2022
- The SPAN Lab would like to extend a big welcome to Abigail King as Dr. Bogdan’s new Project Coordinator. We are super excited you have joined the team and look forward to continuing our SPIN2 momentum with your help!
October 2021
- Our project coordinator of the last two years, Sawsan Salah, has moved on to the next steps of her career and we want to both thank her for her hard work and wish her nothing but success in the future!
- We also want to welcome our new project coordinator – Jackie Bean. Jackie comes to us with a less than traditional acadamia background having spent the last 13 years as a 911 Dispatcher. She has already hit the ground running and we’re very excited to have her as the new coordinator.
December 2021
- After several years of preparation, we have finally launched the second phase of the SPIN study – appropriately named SPIN2!
- The lab recently received some upgrades, including new paint, light fixtures, etc. Here are some pictures!
i loved taking the lab tests, learned a lot about my self, the people who tested me were great
Span has made me realize that despite age, I have value. Since starting Span, I have attended college where my emphasis is on Psych and English Writing. (Honors). I have been remote counseling several youths rescued from sex trafficking all of which have been diagnosed with C-PTSD. Amongst their issues are BPD, DID, and one diagnosed as a Clinical Lycanthrope. Ethics and legal requirements prevent me from disclosing more. This contact has produced a drive in me to do more, so I started a drive called OurHomeStead School Farm. More data can be seen in our web OurHomeStead.Farm