Each year, a distinguished lecturer is invited to the University at Buffalo to present the “Golden Lectureship.” The primary audience is first- and second-year students in the medical school. The lecture reinforces the theme of Dr. Golden’s teaching career—that there is an interaction among the brain, mind, body, and spirit.

Mind-Body Medicine focuses on the interactions among the physical body, thoughts, beliefs, and emotions as related to health. For the Goldens, mind-body medicine also required a successful interaction between physician and patient.

Dr. Golden was a successful practitioner of diagnostics and treatment of heart conditions, but he was also recognized as an outstanding teacher of bedside manner. The “Walk and Talk” clinic that Lawrence Golden founded along with his wife, Nancy, a family therapist, also emphasized the importance of social support and spirituality in the recovery of patients from life threatening illnesses. 

The Golden Lecture series is similarly broad based to provide an opportunity to hear an outstanding lecturer speak on a topic enlightening to medical students, faculty, and the larger community.

Thomas Ritz, PhD, is a University Distinguished Professor of psychology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

His research of the past 30+ years has focused on the psychobiology of respiration, psychosomatic medicine of respiratory disease, and comorbid affective disorders, with an emphasis of consolidating a basic research foundation and translating findings into psychological, behavioral, and life-style interventions for asthma.

“Asthma: Insights Into the Mind – Body Relationship” by Thomas Ritz, PhD

1 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Room 2120 A&B in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

(This will be the 23rd lecture in the series.)