Education
PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2013
MHS, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2010
BA, Cornell University, 2008
Overview
I am an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. As a statistical geneticist and genetic epidemiologist, my research focuses on method development for diverse populations, specifically in admixed populations. As the majority of genomic research is conducted in populations of European descent, many of the tools and frameworks utilized are optimized for homogeneous populations. However, the largest minority groups within the United States are admixed, drawing recent genetic ancestry from two or more continental populations. Many of my efforts focus on improving statistical methods for complex trait mapping and polygenic risk scores for these populations to address existing health inequities and ensure downstream translation for all.
The second arm of my research program focuses on the genetic susceptibility to infectious disease and vaccine response, with an eye towards host-pathogen co-evolution. This is a natural complement to my work in diverse populations as the burden of infectious disease morbidity and mortality is predominantly in non-European populations.
I am currently a member of numerous NIH consortia, including the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) Study, the Genome Sequencing Program (GSP), the Clinical Genome Resource (ClinGen), and the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program, as well as several international collaborations.