Holick Lab
Welcome!
Understanding people. Advancing health. Creating immersive learning.
Welcome to the Holick Lab at the University of Montana.
Our work connects neuroscience, pharmacology, immersive technology, and community-engaged research. We investigate how people learn, experience healthcare, and make decisions about their health. Through this work we have a diverse set of outcomes, we aim to make scientific concepts more accessible, strengthen communication between patients and providers, and develop learning experiences that connect knowledge with everyday life.
We explore how virtual reality can help people understand experiences and biological processes that may otherwise be difficult to see, explain, or understand at a deeper level. Our projects include empathy training grounded in Indigenous healthcare experiences, immersive tools that illustrate the immune response to vaccination, and interactive approaches to teaching science. We examine how these experiences influence understanding, engagement, and attitudes, while considering how they can be used effectively in classrooms and healthcare settings.
Our research also extends beyond immersive technology to culturally grounded approaches to nutrition and wellness. Working alongside Indigenous partners, community advisors, and healthcare professionals, we are developing programs that connect food access and practical cooking skills with cultural knowledge and health education. These efforts recognize that health is shaped by relationships, resources, culture, and the places people call home. Community partnership guides how we ask questions and carry out our work. We value the expertise of people with lived experience and seek their guidance in defining priorities, developing research activities, and interpreting findings. We strive to build reciprocal relationships in which partners help shape both the research process and how its outcomes are shared.
Students are central to the Holick Lab. Through hands-on research and mentorship, they gain experience asking meaningful questions, working across disciplines, and communicating with different audiences. We encourage curiosity and thoughtful discussion as students develop their skills and explore their roles as scientists, educators, and healthcare professionals.
We welcome students, community members, and collaborators who share an interest in improving education and health through research rooted in scientific inquiry and human experience in Montana.
Our approach
- Community partnership: Develop research priorities and activities with community members and partners.
- Immersive learning: Explore how virtual reality can support understanding, engagement, and empathy.
- Student mentorship: Help students develop research skills through meaningful participation in interdisciplinary projects.
Connect with us
Interested in research, student opportunities, or collaboration? Contact Dr. Katie Holick at Katie.holick@umt.edu.