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Advancing the Next Generation
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2025 Scholars
Jasjit Ahluwalia | MD, MPH, MS
Professor | Brown University School of Public Health
Research Interest: Minority Health and Health Disparities; Cancer Prevention and Control; Nicotine Addiction and Smoking Cessation
Research Summary: For the past 30 years I have focused my career on improving the health of high-risk populations, including underserved, lower SES, and ethnic minorities. I have devoted the past 3 decades to conducting randomized clinical trials with smokers who are African American. This spans more than 7 NIH R01 funded grants, and more than 9 clinical trials. I have mentored over 25 junior faculty and post-docs who have gone on to faculty positions, department chairs and a Dean, been promoted, and are actively funded by the NIH and foundations. My research is in nicotine addiction, tobacco use, and smoking cessation in vulnerable populations. I have also served as the PI of a Center of Excellence in Health Disparities and Minority Health - this grant established the Center for Health Equity for which I served as the founding Executive Director. In 2011, the University of Minnesota received a CTSA award, for which I served as the Associate Director of the Center, and as Director of Clinical Research Training, Education, and Career Development. In addition, I was the founding chair of the charted NIH study section titled, Health Disparities and Equity Promotion, and in 2014, completed a 3-year term on the federal government's NIH/DHHS National Advisory Council on Minority Health and Health Disparities, for which I served as chair during the last year of my term. At Brown I continue mentoring, the most enjoyable aspect of my job, as well as lead and collaborate on intervention grants and projects to improve the lives of those most vulnerable.
Research Summary: For the past 30 years I have focused my career on improving the health of high-risk populations, including underserved, lower SES, and ethnic minorities. I have devoted the past 3 decades to conducting randomized clinical trials with smokers who are African American. This spans more than 7 NIH R01 funded grants, and more than 9 clinical trials. I have mentored over 25 junior faculty and post-docs who have gone on to faculty positions, department chairs and a Dean, been promoted, and are actively funded by the NIH and foundations. My research is in nicotine addiction, tobacco use, and smoking cessation in vulnerable populations. I have also served as the PI of a Center of Excellence in Health Disparities and Minority Health - this grant established the Center for Health Equity for which I served as the founding Executive Director. In 2011, the University of Minnesota received a CTSA award, for which I served as the Associate Director of the Center, and as Director of Clinical Research Training, Education, and Career Development. In addition, I was the founding chair of the charted NIH study section titled, Health Disparities and Equity Promotion, and in 2014, completed a 3-year term on the federal government's NIH/DHHS National Advisory Council on Minority Health and Health Disparities, for which I served as chair during the last year of my term. At Brown I continue mentoring, the most enjoyable aspect of my job, as well as lead and collaborate on intervention grants and projects to improve the lives of those most vulnerable.
Jori Bogetz | MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Research | University of Washington School of Medicine
Research Interest: Improving Care for Children with Complex Medical Conditions, Improving Care for Children and Families through Interventions that Support High Quality Communication and Family-Centered Care.
Research Summary: Jori F. Bogetz, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, the Associate Director of Research at the Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics and Palliative Care, and an attending physician in pediatric palliative care at Seattle Children's Hospital. Dr. Bogetz completed her pediatric residency and an Academic General Pediatrics Fellowship at Stanford University and a Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship at MGH/Harvard University/Boston Children's Hospital. Her research focuses on improving care for children with complex medical conditions, including severe neurological impairment, and their families through interventions that support high quality communication and family-centered care. Dr. Bogetz has received funding for her research from the National Institutes of Health Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Cambia Health Foundation, the National Palliative Care Research Center, the Seattle Children's Research Institute, and the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health. Dr. Bogetz has published >50 papers in peer reviewed journals and contributed to 4 foundational textbooks in her field. She serves as a member-at-large on the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Roundtable on Quality Care for Patients with Serious Illness.
Research Summary: Jori F. Bogetz, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, the Associate Director of Research at the Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics and Palliative Care, and an attending physician in pediatric palliative care at Seattle Children's Hospital. Dr. Bogetz completed her pediatric residency and an Academic General Pediatrics Fellowship at Stanford University and a Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship at MGH/Harvard University/Boston Children's Hospital. Her research focuses on improving care for children with complex medical conditions, including severe neurological impairment, and their families through interventions that support high quality communication and family-centered care. Dr. Bogetz has received funding for her research from the National Institutes of Health Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Cambia Health Foundation, the National Palliative Care Research Center, the Seattle Children's Research Institute, and the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health. Dr. Bogetz has published >50 papers in peer reviewed journals and contributed to 4 foundational textbooks in her field. She serves as a member-at-large on the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Roundtable on Quality Care for Patients with Serious Illness.
Darpit Dave | PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher | Purdue University
Research Interest: Digital Health Technologies, Glucose Monitoring, Cardiometabolic Health, Chronic Disease Self-Management, Equitable Healthcare
Research Summary: I am a postdoctoral researcher at Purdue University. I am interested in developing machine learning algorithms to self-manage chronic diseases and enhance AI-based technologies to make healthcare more accessible for the underserved populations. I am particularly interested in the domain of cardiometabolic health. Prior to my postdoctoral tenure, I completed my PhD from Texas A&M University where my research focused on developing robust, accessible and inexpensive solutions for diabetes care, especially for people with type-1 diabetes.
Research Summary: I am a postdoctoral researcher at Purdue University. I am interested in developing machine learning algorithms to self-manage chronic diseases and enhance AI-based technologies to make healthcare more accessible for the underserved populations. I am particularly interested in the domain of cardiometabolic health. Prior to my postdoctoral tenure, I completed my PhD from Texas A&M University where my research focused on developing robust, accessible and inexpensive solutions for diabetes care, especially for people with type-1 diabetes.
Yanmin Gong | PhD
Associate Professor | University of Texas at San Antonio
Research Interest: Edge Intelligence, Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, Data Security and Privacy, Digital Health
Research Summary: Yanmin Gong holds a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering and is an Associate Professor at The University of Texas at San Antonio, where she directs the Trustworthy and Intelligent Networked Systems (TINS) Lab. Her research interests encompass edge intelligence, trustworthy artificial intelligence, data security and privacy, and digital health. Her expertise lies in designing innovative interventions and leveraging machine learning techniques to improve health outcomes. Through her research, Dr. Gong aims to bridge the gap between technology and healthcare, contributing to more accessible and effective healthcare solutions.
Research Summary: Yanmin Gong holds a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering and is an Associate Professor at The University of Texas at San Antonio, where she directs the Trustworthy and Intelligent Networked Systems (TINS) Lab. Her research interests encompass edge intelligence, trustworthy artificial intelligence, data security and privacy, and digital health. Her expertise lies in designing innovative interventions and leveraging machine learning techniques to improve health outcomes. Through her research, Dr. Gong aims to bridge the gap between technology and healthcare, contributing to more accessible and effective healthcare solutions.
Evan Holloway | PhD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology | UCSF
Research Interest: mHealth, Youth Involved in the Legal system, Secondary Prevention of Substance Use, Co-Design, Machine Learning, Ecological Momentary Assessment/Intervention, Disrupting the "School-to-Prison Pipeline"
Research Summary: Evan D. Holloway (he/they) received his PhD in clinical psychology (forensic and child/adolescent specialization) from Fordham University. He completed clinical internship and a research postdoctoral fellowship in the Clinical Psychology Training Program at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He received advanced training in substance use in the UCSF Postdoctoral Traineeship in Substance Use Disorders Treatment and Services Research. He is now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UCSF. He is a mixed methods applied clinical researcher focusing on improving behavioral health and legal outcomes for youth involved in the legal and foster care systems or at risk for system involvement. He is currently implementing a NIDA-funded K23 to co-design an mHealth secondary prevention ecological momentary intervention for youth on probation or who have gotten in trouble at school to prevent the development of cannabis use disorder. He is interested in the potential of mHealth research to prevent violence and improve access to substance use interventions for community-based adolescents.
Research Summary: Evan D. Holloway (he/they) received his PhD in clinical psychology (forensic and child/adolescent specialization) from Fordham University. He completed clinical internship and a research postdoctoral fellowship in the Clinical Psychology Training Program at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He received advanced training in substance use in the UCSF Postdoctoral Traineeship in Substance Use Disorders Treatment and Services Research. He is now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UCSF. He is a mixed methods applied clinical researcher focusing on improving behavioral health and legal outcomes for youth involved in the legal and foster care systems or at risk for system involvement. He is currently implementing a NIDA-funded K23 to co-design an mHealth secondary prevention ecological momentary intervention for youth on probation or who have gotten in trouble at school to prevent the development of cannabis use disorder. He is interested in the potential of mHealth research to prevent violence and improve access to substance use interventions for community-based adolescents.
Patty Kuo | PhD
Assistant Professor | University of Pennsylvania
Research Interest: Mental Healthcare Disparities, Psychotherapy Research, Cultural Processes in Therapy
Research Summary: My research focuses on (a) understanding therapeutic processes that contribute to mental health care disparities for racial-ethnic minorities and other marginalized communities, and (b) application of advanced statistical techniques to examining therapist-client interactions. I am particularly interested in better understanding how therapists navigate conversations about cultural contexts and identities with clients, and how to leverage technology to better scale up feedback for therapists to improve quality of care on large scales. My current research projects focus on examining (a) cultural responsiveness of community cognitive behavioral-therapists, (b) understanding therapist, supervisor, agency leader, and BIPOC and LGBTQ+ perspectives in providing feedback to therapists surrounding culturally responsive care, and (c) creation of a natural-language processing based feedback tool to improve multicultural orientation of therapists.
Research Summary: My research focuses on (a) understanding therapeutic processes that contribute to mental health care disparities for racial-ethnic minorities and other marginalized communities, and (b) application of advanced statistical techniques to examining therapist-client interactions. I am particularly interested in better understanding how therapists navigate conversations about cultural contexts and identities with clients, and how to leverage technology to better scale up feedback for therapists to improve quality of care on large scales. My current research projects focus on examining (a) cultural responsiveness of community cognitive behavioral-therapists, (b) understanding therapist, supervisor, agency leader, and BIPOC and LGBTQ+ perspectives in providing feedback to therapists surrounding culturally responsive care, and (c) creation of a natural-language processing based feedback tool to improve multicultural orientation of therapists.
Matison McCool | PhD
Assistant Research Professor | University of New Mexico
Research Interest: Wearable Sensors, Real-Time Intervention for Substance Use Disorders, Advanced Quantitative Methods
Research Summary: I incorporate the use of wearable sensors (electrocardiogram/photoplethysmography) into existing and new treatment modalities to help improve real-time outcomes for individuals struggling with substance use disorders. By understanding the effects of individual treatment components on stress, I aim to help decrease the harms associated with substance use by creating science-informed adaptive interventions. I am also interested in advanced quantitative methods (multilevel modeling, machine learning, multilevel measurement modeling) to help better understand the relationship between predictors and substance use outcomes in daily life. My current work focuses on using electrocardiogram sensors to understand how psychophysiological self-regulation may change because of mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) and how that change may affect drinking outcomes.
Research Summary: I incorporate the use of wearable sensors (electrocardiogram/photoplethysmography) into existing and new treatment modalities to help improve real-time outcomes for individuals struggling with substance use disorders. By understanding the effects of individual treatment components on stress, I aim to help decrease the harms associated with substance use by creating science-informed adaptive interventions. I am also interested in advanced quantitative methods (multilevel modeling, machine learning, multilevel measurement modeling) to help better understand the relationship between predictors and substance use outcomes in daily life. My current work focuses on using electrocardiogram sensors to understand how psychophysiological self-regulation may change because of mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) and how that change may affect drinking outcomes.
Shriti Raj | PhD
Assistant Research Professor | Stanford University
Research Interest: Human-Computer Interaction, Consumer Decision-Support, Diabetes, Patient-Generated Data
Research Summary: I am an Assistant Research Professor in Center for Biomedical Informatics Research and a junior fellow in the Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence at Stanford University. My research focuses on developing methods and techniques to augment human engagement with health data and algorithms to support data-based sensemaking and decision-making activities. I use qualitative methods to examine the practices and challenges of leveraging self-tracked data from wearable devices to inform the management of chronic conditions. I use mixed methods to design and evaluate patient-centered mobile interfaces to enhance patients' ability to act upon their health data. My work has contributed to an educational program at the University of Michigan to train people with Type 1 diabetes in using data from continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps to make everyday care decisions. It has also contributed to the design of an automated insulin delivery system at Tidepool, a non-profit organization serving the Type 1 diabetes community. My research has been published in top Human-Computer Interaction venues (ACM CHI, CSCW, and IMWUT) with one best paper honorable mention award. My dissertation research was awarded the Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship by the University of Michigan. My long-term goal is to develop and deploy mobile interventions that enable patients and clinicians in using wearable device data toward better health outcomes.
Research Summary: I am an Assistant Research Professor in Center for Biomedical Informatics Research and a junior fellow in the Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence at Stanford University. My research focuses on developing methods and techniques to augment human engagement with health data and algorithms to support data-based sensemaking and decision-making activities. I use qualitative methods to examine the practices and challenges of leveraging self-tracked data from wearable devices to inform the management of chronic conditions. I use mixed methods to design and evaluate patient-centered mobile interfaces to enhance patients' ability to act upon their health data. My work has contributed to an educational program at the University of Michigan to train people with Type 1 diabetes in using data from continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps to make everyday care decisions. It has also contributed to the design of an automated insulin delivery system at Tidepool, a non-profit organization serving the Type 1 diabetes community. My research has been published in top Human-Computer Interaction venues (ACM CHI, CSCW, and IMWUT) with one best paper honorable mention award. My dissertation research was awarded the Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship by the University of Michigan. My long-term goal is to develop and deploy mobile interventions that enable patients and clinicians in using wearable device data toward better health outcomes.
Stephanie Rolin | MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Psychology | Columbia University
Research Interest: Health Inequities, Mass Incarceration & Mental Illness, Interventions to Reduce the Risk of Violence for People with Psychosis
Research Summary: Stephanie Rolin is a forensic psychiatrist and researcher at Columbia University. She graduated from Dartmouth with an MD and MPH. Dr. Rolin completed her residency in psychiatry and fellowship in forensic psychiatry at Columbia University. She is passionate about addressing health inequities, with a focus on the public health crisis of mass incarceration of people with mental illnesses. She is mentored by Drs. Paul Appelbaum and Lisa Dixon about developing and testing interventions to reduce the risk of violence for people with psychosis. Her research has won multiple awards and she has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Mental Health and the New York State Office of Mental Health.
Research Summary: Stephanie Rolin is a forensic psychiatrist and researcher at Columbia University. She graduated from Dartmouth with an MD and MPH. Dr. Rolin completed her residency in psychiatry and fellowship in forensic psychiatry at Columbia University. She is passionate about addressing health inequities, with a focus on the public health crisis of mass incarceration of people with mental illnesses. She is mentored by Drs. Paul Appelbaum and Lisa Dixon about developing and testing interventions to reduce the risk of violence for people with psychosis. Her research has won multiple awards and she has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Mental Health and the New York State Office of Mental Health.
Sayma Akther | PhD
Assistant Professor | San Jose State University
Research Interest: mHealth, AI and Machine Learning, Human Health and Behavior Sensing, Ubiquitous Computing, Wearable Sensor Technology, and Human-Computer Interaction
Research Summary: My work emphasizes the development of robust algorithms for daily behavior recognition and wellness monitoring, addressing challenges such as data noise, missing values, and imbalanced datasets. I am dedicated to advancing mobile health through innovative research and practical applications, aiming to bridge the gap between technical development and user-centric solutions. Additionally, I am interested in developing app-based interventions that can be used to monitor and predict early signs of functional decline in older adults.
Research Summary: My work emphasizes the development of robust algorithms for daily behavior recognition and wellness monitoring, addressing challenges such as data noise, missing values, and imbalanced datasets. I am dedicated to advancing mobile health through innovative research and practical applications, aiming to bridge the gap between technical development and user-centric solutions. Additionally, I am interested in developing app-based interventions that can be used to monitor and predict early signs of functional decline in older adults.
Justin Chan | PhD
Assistant Professor | Carnegie Mellon University
Research Interest: Intelligent Mobile and Embedded Systems for Computational Health and Wireless Sensing
Research Summary: Justin Chan is an assistant professor in the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. His research focuses on intelligent mobile and embedded systems for computational health and wireless sensing. His work on detecting ear infections using smartphones has been commercialized by Wavely Diagnostics where he is a co-founder. This technology is now FDA-listed and is available to select early access healthcare systems. His earable device for low-cost newborn hearing screening has been presented to Kenya's Ministry of Health. It has led to a larger effort called TUNE to bring universal newborn hearing screening across Kenya. His work has been recognized by SIGMOBILE Research Highlights twice, SIGMOBILE Doctoral Dissertation Award Runner Up, and a IEEE Pervasive Computing Emerging Rockstar feature. He earned his PhD from the University of Washington and my Bachelors degree with high honors from Dartmouth.
Research Summary: Justin Chan is an assistant professor in the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. His research focuses on intelligent mobile and embedded systems for computational health and wireless sensing. His work on detecting ear infections using smartphones has been commercialized by Wavely Diagnostics where he is a co-founder. This technology is now FDA-listed and is available to select early access healthcare systems. His earable device for low-cost newborn hearing screening has been presented to Kenya's Ministry of Health. It has led to a larger effort called TUNE to bring universal newborn hearing screening across Kenya. His work has been recognized by SIGMOBILE Research Highlights twice, SIGMOBILE Doctoral Dissertation Award Runner Up, and a IEEE Pervasive Computing Emerging Rockstar feature. He earned his PhD from the University of Washington and my Bachelors degree with high honors from Dartmouth.
Hannah Fisher | PhD
Assistant Professor | Duke University
Research Interest: Psycho-oncology, Breast and Hematologic Cancers, Mindfulness and Behavioral Symptom (e.g., insomnia, fatigue, distress, pain) Management Interventions using mHealth
Research Summary: I am a Clinical Health Psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Duke University School of Medicine. I am a member of the Duke Pain Prevention and Treatment Research Program and the Duke Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the Duke Cancer Institute. I completed my graduate training in clinical health psychology at the University of Miami and my clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University Medical Center. My research program is focused on improving health outcomes in people with cancer. I am involved in research developing and testing mHealth-supported behavioral interventions that address insomnia and related symptoms (e.g., fatigue, distress, pain) reported by cancer patients.
Research Summary: I am a Clinical Health Psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Duke University School of Medicine. I am a member of the Duke Pain Prevention and Treatment Research Program and the Duke Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the Duke Cancer Institute. I completed my graduate training in clinical health psychology at the University of Miami and my clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University Medical Center. My research program is focused on improving health outcomes in people with cancer. I am involved in research developing and testing mHealth-supported behavioral interventions that address insomnia and related symptoms (e.g., fatigue, distress, pain) reported by cancer patients.
Heewon Gray | PhD
Associate Professor | University of South Florida
Research Interest: mHealth Nutrition Interventions, Childhood Obesity Prevention, Health Promotion, Implementation Science
Research Summary: My research focuses on identifying and implementing effective behavioral strategies to promote healthy eating habits among young people and their families, utilizing mixed methods research approaches. I have developed and implemented a nutrition education program that addressed the specific challenges faced by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. I have also studied the impact of the food environment on health outcomes. I conduct community-engaged research aimed at increasing access to healthy foods and improving eating behaviors among children and families in underserved communities. I am currently leading a community-derived multilevel-multicomponent nutrition intervention designed to reduce food access disparities in underserved neighborhoods.
Research Summary: My research focuses on identifying and implementing effective behavioral strategies to promote healthy eating habits among young people and their families, utilizing mixed methods research approaches. I have developed and implemented a nutrition education program that addressed the specific challenges faced by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. I have also studied the impact of the food environment on health outcomes. I conduct community-engaged research aimed at increasing access to healthy foods and improving eating behaviors among children and families in underserved communities. I am currently leading a community-derived multilevel-multicomponent nutrition intervention designed to reduce food access disparities in underserved neighborhoods.
Rita Hu | PhD, MSW
Provost's Postdoctoral Fellow | The University of Chicago
Research Interest: Ageism and Social Relationships, Emotional Health, Cognitive Outcomes Across the Lifespan
Research Summary: Dr. Rita Hu is a developmental psychologist and licensed social worker with expertise in internalized ageism, social relationships, and cognitive health in older adults. Her research focuses on understanding how internalized self-directed ageism shapes social relationships, emotional health, and cognitive outcomes across the lifespan. She has conducted longitudinal studies demonstrating how internalized self-directed ageism contributes to social isolation, loneliness, and memory decline, with social relationships playing a critical mediating role. In practice, Dr. Hu has implemented phone-based mindfulness interventions targeting social isolation among homebound older adults, collaborated with Meals on Wheels to develop culturally responsive support systems for older immigrants, and researched sustainable volunteering programs in rural America to foster agency and build meaningful social connections. Her current work explores the integration of mobile health (mHealth) methodologies into evidence-based psychosocial interventions to deliver tailored, real-time support and promote psychosocial well-being among older adults.
Research Summary: Dr. Rita Hu is a developmental psychologist and licensed social worker with expertise in internalized ageism, social relationships, and cognitive health in older adults. Her research focuses on understanding how internalized self-directed ageism shapes social relationships, emotional health, and cognitive outcomes across the lifespan. She has conducted longitudinal studies demonstrating how internalized self-directed ageism contributes to social isolation, loneliness, and memory decline, with social relationships playing a critical mediating role. In practice, Dr. Hu has implemented phone-based mindfulness interventions targeting social isolation among homebound older adults, collaborated with Meals on Wheels to develop culturally responsive support systems for older immigrants, and researched sustainable volunteering programs in rural America to foster agency and build meaningful social connections. Her current work explores the integration of mobile health (mHealth) methodologies into evidence-based psychosocial interventions to deliver tailored, real-time support and promote psychosocial well-being among older adults.
Huining Li | PhD
Assistant Professor | North Carolina State University
Research Interest: Mobile Health, Mobile Computing, Digital Biomarker
Research Summary: I am an Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science at North Carolina State University. I focus on applying research advancement to the field of mobile health. I am involved in developing mobile health systems to assist with chronic wound care, Parkinson's disease management, and mental health therapy. Within these research projects, Huining has invented a set of technical innovations such as precise measurement in biomarkers, high accessibility in mHealth service, and fairness in privacy protection. Particularly, her works create privacy-by-design sensing mechanisms and address the complexities of safeguarding data privacy while maintaining fairness in heterogeneous and dynamic mobile environments.
Research Summary: I am an Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science at North Carolina State University. I focus on applying research advancement to the field of mobile health. I am involved in developing mobile health systems to assist with chronic wound care, Parkinson's disease management, and mental health therapy. Within these research projects, Huining has invented a set of technical innovations such as precise measurement in biomarkers, high accessibility in mHealth service, and fairness in privacy protection. Particularly, her works create privacy-by-design sensing mechanisms and address the complexities of safeguarding data privacy while maintaining fairness in heterogeneous and dynamic mobile environments.
Larissa McGarrity | PhD
Associate Professor, Section Chief | The University of Utah
Research Interest: Intervention Development, Psychological Health, Risk and Resilience, Severe Obesity, Bariatric Surgery, Weight Management
Research Summary: I am a clinical health psychologist with research expertise in psychosocial health among patients with severe obesity, especially in the bariatric surgery and medical weight management context. I am particularly passionate about broadening the focus in this field from the near-exclusive study of pathology and risk factors toward the study of resilience and patient and family strengths that can be channeled into effective and accessible interventions for this highly stigmatized population. My current K12 award project is a pilot randomized controlled trial testing feasibility, acceptability, and proof-of-concept of ReConnect (Reimagining Us in the Context of Bariatric Surgery), a remotely-delivered dyadic positive psychology intervention I developed for post-bariatric surgery patients and their romantic partners. An additional pilot-funded line of research focuses on psychological and behavioral responses to genetic testing for contributors to severe obesity in the weight management clinic setting.
Research Summary: I am a clinical health psychologist with research expertise in psychosocial health among patients with severe obesity, especially in the bariatric surgery and medical weight management context. I am particularly passionate about broadening the focus in this field from the near-exclusive study of pathology and risk factors toward the study of resilience and patient and family strengths that can be channeled into effective and accessible interventions for this highly stigmatized population. My current K12 award project is a pilot randomized controlled trial testing feasibility, acceptability, and proof-of-concept of ReConnect (Reimagining Us in the Context of Bariatric Surgery), a remotely-delivered dyadic positive psychology intervention I developed for post-bariatric surgery patients and their romantic partners. An additional pilot-funded line of research focuses on psychological and behavioral responses to genetic testing for contributors to severe obesity in the weight management clinic setting.
Jacqueline Seiglie | MD
Assistant Professor | MASS General Hospital & Harvard University
Research Interest: Type 2 Diabetes Epidemiology in Latin America, Development of Digital Health Tools to Improve Diabetes Self-Management among Latino Adults
Research Summary: Dr. Seiglie is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a practicing endocrinologist and diabetologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. She received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed both her internal medicine residency and fellowship training in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Seiglie's research focuses on the epidemiology of type 2 diabetes in Latin America and on the development of scalable interventions that can improve diabetes self-care among Latino adults. Born and raised in Santiago, Chile, she has had a long-standing interest in working to improve diabetes care for Latino adults through clinical care and research.
Research Summary: Dr. Seiglie is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a practicing endocrinologist and diabetologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. She received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed both her internal medicine residency and fellowship training in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Seiglie's research focuses on the epidemiology of type 2 diabetes in Latin America and on the development of scalable interventions that can improve diabetes self-care among Latino adults. Born and raised in Santiago, Chile, she has had a long-standing interest in working to improve diabetes care for Latino adults through clinical care and research.
Ziping Xu | PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher | Harvard University
Research Interest: Reinforcement Learning for Mobile Health, Machine Learning
Research Summary: My primary research interests lie in machine learning and artificial intelligence, with a particular focus on Reinforcement Learning (RL) and their application to digital interventions, especially in the health domain. I develop machine learning theories addressing key challenges in mobile health applications such as transfer learning, sample-efficient algorithms design in RL, and statistical inference for adaptively collected data. I am also actively involved in interdisciplinary collaborations, working closely with domain experts on the implementation of Reinforcement Learning for adaptive intervention deliveries in real mobile health clinical trials.
Research Summary: My primary research interests lie in machine learning and artificial intelligence, with a particular focus on Reinforcement Learning (RL) and their application to digital interventions, especially in the health domain. I develop machine learning theories addressing key challenges in mobile health applications such as transfer learning, sample-efficient algorithms design in RL, and statistical inference for adaptively collected data. I am also actively involved in interdisciplinary collaborations, working closely with domain experts on the implementation of Reinforcement Learning for adaptive intervention deliveries in real mobile health clinical trials.
Justin White | PhD
Associate Professor | Boston University of Public Health
Research Interest: Smoking Cessation, mHealth, Behavior Change, Health Economics, Behavioral Economics, Public Policy
Research Summary: I study the effects of behavioral interventions and public policies on risk factors for chronic disease in underserved populations. I am particularly interested in behavioral strategies to promote smoking cessation, informed by my training in behavioral economics. I draw on a variety of methodological approaches, including randomized interventional trials and quasi-experimental econometric techniques applied to large data sets. I am interested in developing smartphone-delivered adaptive interventions for smoking cessation.
Research Summary: I study the effects of behavioral interventions and public policies on risk factors for chronic disease in underserved populations. I am particularly interested in behavioral strategies to promote smoking cessation, informed by my training in behavioral economics. I draw on a variety of methodological approaches, including randomized interventional trials and quasi-experimental econometric techniques applied to large data sets. I am interested in developing smartphone-delivered adaptive interventions for smoking cessation.
Erin Bange | MD, MSCE
Assistant Attending | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Research Interest: Cancer Care Delivery, Implementation Science, Time Burden of Cancer Care, Development of Novel Care Delivery Paradigms that Improve the Quality of Life of Cancer Patients through the Strategic Use of Technology to Better Connect the Home, Community, and Clinic.
Research Summary: I am a medical oncologist and Assistant Attending in the Genitourinary Oncology Service of the Department of Medicine at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) with advanced training in biostatistics and epidemiology. My research focuses on understanding the time and logistical burdens on cancer patients as well as designing and testing novel care delivery strategies that better integrate the home and clinic. My current research interest is the development of enhanced telehealth- integrating remote monitoring, home phlebotomy, and support for injection of cancer medications in the home setting with telehealth encounters. I am actively testing whether an enhanced telehealth program can provide more cancer care in the home setting for patients with breast and prostate cancer. Additionally, I have a career development award to design and pilot a novel telehealth-enabled clinical trials platform incorporating virtual patient navigators, electronic consent (e-consent), remote nursing assessments and patient education, electronic collection of patient-reported outcomes, remote monitoring, and mobile phlebotomy services aimed at improving access to clinical trials.
Research Summary: I am a medical oncologist and Assistant Attending in the Genitourinary Oncology Service of the Department of Medicine at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) with advanced training in biostatistics and epidemiology. My research focuses on understanding the time and logistical burdens on cancer patients as well as designing and testing novel care delivery strategies that better integrate the home and clinic. My current research interest is the development of enhanced telehealth- integrating remote monitoring, home phlebotomy, and support for injection of cancer medications in the home setting with telehealth encounters. I am actively testing whether an enhanced telehealth program can provide more cancer care in the home setting for patients with breast and prostate cancer. Additionally, I have a career development award to design and pilot a novel telehealth-enabled clinical trials platform incorporating virtual patient navigators, electronic consent (e-consent), remote nursing assessments and patient education, electronic collection of patient-reported outcomes, remote monitoring, and mobile phlebotomy services aimed at improving access to clinical trials.
Katharine Daniel | PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology | University of Virginia School of Medicine
Research Interest: Digital Mental Health; Ecological Momentary Assessment; Anxiety; Emotion Regulation
Research Summary: My research uses mobile phone technology and intensive time series methods to investigate the real-world effects of anxiety and emotion dysregulation. The goal of my research is to help individuals better navigate the complex emotional challenges of living with cancer through developing and implementing context-aware emotion regulation digital mental health interventions.
Research Summary: My research uses mobile phone technology and intensive time series methods to investigate the real-world effects of anxiety and emotion dysregulation. The goal of my research is to help individuals better navigate the complex emotional challenges of living with cancer through developing and implementing context-aware emotion regulation digital mental health interventions.
Tiffany Glynn | PhD
Research Science Investigator/Clinical Psychologist | Harvard
Research Interest: Health Disparities, Community-Engaged Methods to Design and Implement Multi-Level Interventions, HIV and Related Comorbidities
Research Summary: Dr. Tiffany Glynn, PhD (she/her) is a clinical health psychologist and public health research scientist. She is faculty at Harvard Medical School with a clinical-research joint appointment in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. Additionally, she is an affiliated researcher at The Fenway Institute, the research branch of Fenway Health. Rooted in Syndemic Theory, Dr. Glynn's research examines how biological processes, health behaviors, mental health issues, social climate, and structural factors interact to drive health disparities among marginalized populations. She utilizes community-engaged methods to design and implement multi-level interventions to achieve health equity. The majority of her work has focused on HIV and related comorbidities among transgender women, sexual minority men, and people using drugs.
Research Summary: Dr. Tiffany Glynn, PhD (she/her) is a clinical health psychologist and public health research scientist. She is faculty at Harvard Medical School with a clinical-research joint appointment in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. Additionally, she is an affiliated researcher at The Fenway Institute, the research branch of Fenway Health. Rooted in Syndemic Theory, Dr. Glynn's research examines how biological processes, health behaviors, mental health issues, social climate, and structural factors interact to drive health disparities among marginalized populations. She utilizes community-engaged methods to design and implement multi-level interventions to achieve health equity. The majority of her work has focused on HIV and related comorbidities among transgender women, sexual minority men, and people using drugs.
Gabriela Halder | MD, MPH
Assistant Professor | University of Alabama at Birmingham
Research Interest: Implementation and Dissemination Science, Human Centered Design, Health Equity, Patient-Centered Outcomes, Gamified Interventions
Research Summary: I am a urogynecologic surgeon, research scientist, and assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. My research focuses on advancing healthcare through the integration of Implementation and Dissemination Science and Human-Centered Design principles. I am particularly passionate about promoting health equity by developing and evaluating patient-centered interventions that address the unique needs of diverse populations. By leveraging innovative strategies such as gamified interventions, I aim to enhance intervention engagement and improve health outcomes. My work is dedicated to bridging the gap between evidence-based practices and real-world application to create scalable, equitable, and impactful healthcare solutions.
Research Summary: I am a urogynecologic surgeon, research scientist, and assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. My research focuses on advancing healthcare through the integration of Implementation and Dissemination Science and Human-Centered Design principles. I am particularly passionate about promoting health equity by developing and evaluating patient-centered interventions that address the unique needs of diverse populations. By leveraging innovative strategies such as gamified interventions, I aim to enhance intervention engagement and improve health outcomes. My work is dedicated to bridging the gap between evidence-based practices and real-world application to create scalable, equitable, and impactful healthcare solutions.
Yincheng Jin | PhD
Assistant Professor | Binghamton University (SUNY)
Research Interest: Mobile Computing, HCI, Human Activity Recognition (HAR), Smart Health
Research Summary: My research focuses on Human Activity Recognition (HAR), Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Accessibility, and Smart Healthcare, with the overarching goal of promoting healthier living and enabling more intelligent environments. To advance this vision, I develop innovative machine learning models to analyze human actions and everyday activities, to advance health monitoring through the detection of physiological biomarkers, and to facilitate the development of novel accessibility solutions for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) community, along with other applications.
Research Summary: My research focuses on Human Activity Recognition (HAR), Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Accessibility, and Smart Healthcare, with the overarching goal of promoting healthier living and enabling more intelligent environments. To advance this vision, I develop innovative machine learning models to analyze human actions and everyday activities, to advance health monitoring through the detection of physiological biomarkers, and to facilitate the development of novel accessibility solutions for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) community, along with other applications.
Ryan Mace | PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology | MASS General Hospital & Harvard Medical School
Research Interest: Accelerometry, Ecological Momentary Assessment, Mobile Cognitive Assessment, Virtual Reality, Aging, Dementia Prevention, Brain Health
Research Summary: My research focuses on digital health approaches to increasing engagement with lifestyle changes linked to brain health. I integrate multiple digital health tools, such as wearable devices and smartphone applications, to help older adults monitor and reinforce physical activity, sleep, and other lifestyle goals. My research is committed to ensuring that older adults, particularly those from underserved communities, benefit equitably from these technological advancements. My long-term goal is to create accessible, scalable technology-enabled interventions that bridge the digital health divide and support diverse older adults in preventing dementia.
Research Summary: My research focuses on digital health approaches to increasing engagement with lifestyle changes linked to brain health. I integrate multiple digital health tools, such as wearable devices and smartphone applications, to help older adults monitor and reinforce physical activity, sleep, and other lifestyle goals. My research is committed to ensuring that older adults, particularly those from underserved communities, benefit equitably from these technological advancements. My long-term goal is to create accessible, scalable technology-enabled interventions that bridge the digital health divide and support diverse older adults in preventing dementia.
Karen 'Chaelin' Ra | PhD
Assistant Research Professor | Rutgers Cancer Institute
Research Interest: Smoking Cessation, Sleep Health, mHealth, EMA, JITAI intervention
Research Summary: Dr. Ra was awarded a K99/R00 grant from the National Institute of Health (NIDA) in 2024. Her research focuses on developing mHealth interventions to optimize tobacco cessation by incorporating strategies to improve sleep health using sensors and smartphone apps. She is particularly interested in the promise of sleep intervention for behavior change to reduce health disparities in tobacco cessation.
Research Summary: Dr. Ra was awarded a K99/R00 grant from the National Institute of Health (NIDA) in 2024. Her research focuses on developing mHealth interventions to optimize tobacco cessation by incorporating strategies to improve sleep health using sensors and smartphone apps. She is particularly interested in the promise of sleep intervention for behavior change to reduce health disparities in tobacco cessation.
Bryan Ranger | PhD
Ferrante Family Assistant Professor | Boston College
Research Interest: Medical Devices and Instrumentation, Ultrasound, Imaging, Global Health, Digital Health, AI/Machine Learning, Sensing, mHealth, Human-Computer Interaction
Research Summary: My research focuses on the intersection of biomedical engineering, global health, and AI, with a particular emphasis on developing innovative imaging technologies to improve healthcare accessibility. Currently, I'm exploring AI-enabled mobile ultrasound systems for nutritional assessment, aiming to create portable, non-invasive tools that can help diagnose and manage malnutrition in underserved populations.
Research Summary: My research focuses on the intersection of biomedical engineering, global health, and AI, with a particular emphasis on developing innovative imaging technologies to improve healthcare accessibility. Currently, I'm exploring AI-enabled mobile ultrasound systems for nutritional assessment, aiming to create portable, non-invasive tools that can help diagnose and manage malnutrition in underserved populations.
Irina Vanzhula | PhD
Assistant Research Professor | University of Louisville
Research Interest: Eating Disorders, mHealth, Treatment Development, Clinical Trials, Precision Medicine
Research Summary: I am a clinical psychologist passionate about advancing the field of eating disorder research. My research program is focused on using the advances in technology (e.g., idiographic methods, sensor data, machine learning, digital software) to inform the development and delivery of accessible interventions for eating disorders. I aim to 1) Understand psychological processes occurring during mealtimes in individuals with eating disorders, 2) Create effective and accessible mHealth mealtime interventions, and 3) Leverage novel research methodology and digital technology to personalize interventions for eating disorders and comorbid conditions based on individual symptom presentations.
Research Summary: I am a clinical psychologist passionate about advancing the field of eating disorder research. My research program is focused on using the advances in technology (e.g., idiographic methods, sensor data, machine learning, digital software) to inform the development and delivery of accessible interventions for eating disorders. I aim to 1) Understand psychological processes occurring during mealtimes in individuals with eating disorders, 2) Create effective and accessible mHealth mealtime interventions, and 3) Leverage novel research methodology and digital technology to personalize interventions for eating disorders and comorbid conditions based on individual symptom presentations.
Chih-Hsiang 'Jason' Yang | PhD
Assistant Professor | University of South Carolina
Research Interest: Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, Aging, Real-Time Data Capturing Techniques
Research Summary: My research focuses on understanding the psychological, cognitive, social, and environmental factors that drive motivation and health behaviors in naturalistic contexts. I have extensive experience conducting human subjects research to examine everyday physical activity and sedentary behavior across the lifespan. Over time, I have developed broad expertise in motivation theories, behavior change techniques, assessment methodologies, research design, and mHealth approaches. My work aims to leverage these interdisciplinary perspectives to improve the accuracy of health behavior assessments and develop effective, context-sensitive interventions that promote long-term health outcomes and prevent chronic diseases.
Research Summary: My research focuses on understanding the psychological, cognitive, social, and environmental factors that drive motivation and health behaviors in naturalistic contexts. I have extensive experience conducting human subjects research to examine everyday physical activity and sedentary behavior across the lifespan. Over time, I have developed broad expertise in motivation theories, behavior change techniques, assessment methodologies, research design, and mHealth approaches. My work aims to leverage these interdisciplinary perspectives to improve the accuracy of health behavior assessments and develop effective, context-sensitive interventions that promote long-term health outcomes and prevent chronic diseases.
