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Center Scholars

Training is one of the most vital missions of our Center, and our Center Scholars represent the future leaders of the field.

Our Scholars are a group of trainees and early-career professionals whose research interests and goals align with those of the CDSE.

If you are a master's or doctoral student or a clinical fellow and you are interested in becoming a Center Scholar, please contact us.

Current Center Scholars

FasikaAbreha

Fasika Molla Abreha, MD

Degree Program: MPH
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, Drug Access, Safety and Effectiveness

Dr. Fasika Molla Abreha is a full time MPH student at the school of public health. She completed her medical degree at Haramaya University in Ethiopia after which she worked as a general practitioner and lecturer for a teaching university hospital. There she also served as the clinical governance and quality unit officer. She gained her Masters of Science in healthcare management in Italy from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart after which  she worked on several international projects including European Horizon 2020 projects. She worked as a healthcare data analyst and consultant for the Netherlands research institution (NIVEL) as well as assistant researcher for the Artificial intelligence unit in the Catholic University that works on Health Technology Assessment (HTA). She also worked on the health economic review for different vaccine effectiveness studies conducted in Italy and other European countries. She is passionate about Health Economic Outcome Research (HEOR) by using data from clinical trials, surgical outcome research and the applications of digital health to improve healthcare delivery.

Allie Babyak

DEGREE PROGRAM: MHS Health Economics and Outcomes Research
ADVISORS: Jeromie Ballreich, MHS, PHD
RESEARCH FOCUS: PHARMACEUTICAL POLICY, PHARMACOECONOMICS

Allie Babyak is a candidate in the MHS Health Economics and Outcomes Research program. Prior to her time at John Hopkins, Allie worked at a D.C.-based consulting firm, guiding health plans, pharmaceutical companies, and public sector employee health plans on their federal policy and communication strategies. Her research interests include pharmaceutical policy, pharmacoeconomics, and patient access. Allie earned her BA in Government with minors in Statistics and Education from Georgetown University.  

Sheriza Baksh

Umaima Tahir Banda, BSc

Degree Program: MPH (Epidemiology/Biostatistics)
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, Safety and effectiveness of vaccines and biologics

Umaima Tahir Banda is a current full-time MPH student at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, concentrating in Epidemiology/biostatistics. Umaima obtained her BSc Medical Laboratory Science majoring in Chemical Pathology from the University of Ghana, School of Biomedical Science and Allied Health. She also has certificates in Global Health Project Management and Leadership and Management from the University of Washington. Umaima previously worked with multiple healthcare organizations as the lead biomedical scientist. She has about ten years of combined clinical and volunteer experience. She is interested in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and biologics, including their utilization in low-middle-income countries using real-world evidence synthesis.

 

Cheryl Chia

Cheryl Chia, PhD

Degree program: MPH/MBA
Advisor: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS 
Research Focus: Public health policy and pharmacoeconomics

Cheryl Chia completed her BSc (Genetics) and PhD (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) at the University of Melbourne, Australia, and is now a full-time MPH/MBA student (Class of 2022) at Johns Hopkins University.  Cheryl has spent several years as a research scientist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research in Singapore, undertaking discovery research in immunology and oncology. More recently, Cheryl assumed the role of Operations Lead at the Office of the Director, NIH, in supporting the All of Us Research Program: a landmark precision medicine initiative that aims to collect genetic and health data from one million diverse volunteers in the US. In this role, Cheryl worked on areas spanning governance, researcher engagement, patient experience and retention, and biospecimen/data access. Her research interests include pharmacoeconomics and unintended consequences of public health policies. 

 

Michael Chiu

Michael Chiu

Degree program: ScM Epidemiology

Michael Chiu completed a BS in Human Biology at the University of California, San Diego. He currently works in data visualization, supporting clinical trials and drug development at a pharmaceutical company. Here, Michael employs statistical methods to assess drug safety, and his work is used in the development of safety update reports which are submitted to the FDA for review. Michael is pursuing an ScM in Epidemiology with a focus on pharmacoepidemiology at the Bloomberg School of Public Health where he hopes to use big data analytics to approach research topics in pharmacoepidemiology, regulatory science, and experiment design. 

 

Sanika Chivate

Sanika Chivate

Degree program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Research Focus: Infectious disease epidemiology and pharmacoepidemiology

Sanika has completed her Bachelor of Pharmacy from the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai with a research focus on pharmaceutical formulation development and pharmacokinetics. She has also completed a semester at Hochschule Hannover, where she completed credit courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, and clinical research. Post her undergraduate degree, she worked as a Scientific Editor/ Reviewer for the Allied Healthcare team at Cactus Communications. Currently, she is an MHS student in the Infectious Disease Epidemiology track at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research interests lie in the intersection of infectious disease epidemiology and the pharmaceutical epidemiology. She is also interested in exploring the domains of pharmaceutical consulting, clinical trial research, and generic formulation development. 

 

Carissa White Dukes, MPH

Degree Program: DrPH
Advisor: Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, Precision Psychiatry

Carissa White Dukes is a DrPH student pursuing the custom concentration track with a focus in pharmacoepidemiology and mental health. She is a dedicated pharmacoepidemiologist having worked in industry since graduating from Indiana University Richard Fairbanks School of Public Health with her Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in 2015. She has a passion for improving mental health outcomes through rigorous research and data analysis and is driven by the potential of pharmacoepidemiology to inform and improve psychiatric drug safety and efficacy. In her current role she analyzes large-scale patient data to understand patient populations, identify trends, risks, and opportunities for precision medicine in mental health. She is committed to advancing the understanding of mental health conditions and the factors that influence their prevalence, treatment, and outcomes. Her research efforts have spanned a wide range of topics, from investigating the safety and efficacy of psychotropic medications to examining the impact of social determinants on mental health disparities.  With a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree, she hopes to gain the academic background and practical experience necessary to tackle complex issues at the intersection of pharmaceuticals and epidemiology in mental health. She also plans to use her acquired skills to contribute to the advancement of precision psychiatry for improved outcomes.

Grace Gahlon

Grace Gahlon

Degree program: ScM (Epidemiology)
Research Focus: Class II and III medical devices, real-world evidence, regulatory science

Grace Gahlon is an ScM candidate in the Department of Epidemiology. She currently works as a research assistant on hearing aid devices at the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health. Prior to her matriculation to JHSPH, she served as a research assistant at the RAND Corporation, supporting health services and population health projects. Through her work, she developed an interest in medical device safety, the use of real-world evidence, and regulatory science. Grace received her Bachelor’s in Mathematics from Boston College in 2018.

 

Scott Goldman

Scott Goldman

Degree program: MPH/MBA
Advisor: Matthew D. Eisenberg, PhD

Scott Goldman earned undergraduate degrees in Economics and Spanish at Wake Forest University in 2015. Following graduation, he gained more than 4.5 years of experience as a paralegal at a Washington, D.C. law firm which specialized in regulatory compliance consulting for products and services that fall under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Federal Trade Commission. Scott began the MPH/MBA program at JHU in July 2020. He aspires to more effectively analyze the safety and efficacy of drugs, medical devices, and biologics to better inform mergers and acquisitions transactions.

 

Shota Hasui, MA

Shota Hasui, MA

Degree program: MPH (Epidemiology/Biostatistics)
Research Focus: Pharmacoeconomics, Real World Evidence, Comparative Effectiveness, Health Technology Assessments, Meta-research/Critical Appraisal

Shota Hasui is an MPH candidate concentrating in epidemiological and biostatistical methods. Prior to his time at Hopkins, Shota was a senior account manager at CommCore, a boutique communications consulting firm. At CommCore, Shota worked on pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients, particularly in the oncology and rare disease spaces. His work centered on framing clinical trial data readouts (Phase I – Phase III) for the investor audience. His clients included: Merck, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, and Alexion Pharmaceuticals. He has worked on various therapeutic modalities including immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T therapy, gene therapy, and gene editing. Shota has an MA in Film and Media Studies from Columbia University and a BA in Religious Studies from Gettysburg College.

 

Jamie Heyward

Jamie Heyward, MPH

Degree program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Advisors: Jodi Segal, MD, MPH & Hemalkumar Mehta, PhD
Research focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, regulatory science

Jamie Heyward is a PhD student in the Department of Epidemiology. For the last four years, he was a research data analyst with the Johns Hopkins Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness and a program coordinator for the Johns Hopkins Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science (JH-CERSI). In these roles, he oversaw and led research on drug utilization and regulatory oversight of prescription drugs; and managed a multi-year, collaborative research initiative with FDA and Johns Hopkins investigators. Prior to working in the CDSE, he obtained a Masters of Public Health (MPH) from Johns Hopkins. He is interested in innovative methods to evaluate the real-world safety and effectiveness of therapeutics using novel data sources and analytic techniques; and their application in pharmacovigilance and regulatory science.

 

Joseph Hwang, MD, MSc

Degree Program: Postdoctoral Fellow
Advisors: Caleb Alexander, MD, MS & Todd Fojo, MD, MHS
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, Diabetes, HIV

Joseph Hwang is a general internal medicine fellow at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed his M.D. at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and internal medicine residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He also received M.Sc. in epidemiology and has studied prescription drugs and health outcomes in chronic diseases. His research interests include pharmacoepidemiology, diabetes, and HIV.

Ozi Iyalomhe

DEGREE PROGRAM: MPH
ADVISOR: JUNG-IM SHIN, MD, PHD
RESEARCH FOCUS: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY, DRUG UTILIZATION

Ozi Iyalomhe is a physician trained in Russia with extensive experience in managing lassa fever outbreaks and conducting clinical trials at the Institute for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers and Emergent Pathogens in Southern Nigeria. Currently enrolled in the full-time MPH program, Ozi is concentrating in epidemiology and biostatistical methods. His research interests intersect effectiveness and outcomes research in chronic and infectious diseases, including HIV and diabetes. 

Corey Joseph

Corey Joseph, MPH

Degree program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Advisor: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Causal inference and machine learning applications to pharmacoepidemiology

Corey Joseph is a PhD student in the Department of Epidemiology. Over the past three years, he led global evidence generation activities for the approval and reimbursement of pharmaceutical drugs in the ophthalmology, gastroenterology, and oncology therapeutic areas at Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Before Takeda, Corey held roles of increasing responsibility in the real world evidence group at IQVIA, and in the upper aerodigestive oncology group at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He obtained his MPH from the Boston University School of Public Health and his Bachelors of Science in Public and Community Health from the University of Maryland. His research interests are in the intersection of causal inference and machine learning methodologies.

 

Michael Kennedy

Michael Kennedy, PharmD

Degree Program: MPH
Advisor: Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Interests: Pharmacoepidemiology, Addiction and Overdose in Community Pharmacy Settings

Michael is currently a part-time MPH student and a Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellow, with a focus area in Addiction and Overdose.  He has spent most of his career as a pharmacist for CVS Health in the Detroit area.  Most recently, Michael has transitioned to a pharmacy advisor within their corporate office, working with a product development team in pharmacy operations.  In this role he helps research, develop, and implement new programs and initiatives with an aim to achieve better health outcomes for patients and communities. His research interests include pharmocoepidemiology and health behaviors as they relate to expanding the role of the community pharmacist in identifying and preventing addiction and overdose. 

 

Banda Abdallah A Khalifa

Banda A Khalifa, MD, MH, MBA

Degree Program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Advisor:  G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Interest: Vaccine science policy and pharmaceutical outcomes and effectiveness

Dr. Banda Khalifa is an award-winning physician and a doctoral (Ph.D.) student in the department of epidemiology who works as a vaccine regulatory and policy analyst at the Johns Hopkins International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC).  He was an MPH & MBA Johns Hopkins Sommer Scholar and a Center Scholar focused on epidemiology and biostatistics with a certificate in Pharmacoepidemiology from 2018 to 2020. His MBA emphasis was in health systems, finance, and management, and he graduated as a Beta Gamma Sigma (International Business Honor Society) member. Dr. Banda has led and managed teams in government and non-governmental organizations through transformations that resulted in the organization's go-big objective being realized. He joined the Ghana Armed Forces in 2014 and won the Chief of the Defense Staff Award by Ghana's president after commissioning as the overall best graduating cadet. He led the medical team for Ghana's Aviation team on four UN Peacekeeping missions. Dr. Banda worked as a manager for the Covid-19 response program within the Baltimore City Health Department.  Dr. Banda formerly served as the vaccine and health delivery advisor for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. Dr. Banda received the 2022 alum impact award at the University of Ghana School of Medicine and Dentistry's 60th-anniversary celebration. His research interests include vaccination science policy, effectiveness, and outcomes research.

 

Kyungah Kim

Kyungah Kim, PharmD

Degree Program: MPH
Advisor: Ann-Margret Ervin, PhD, MPH

Kyungah is currently a part-time MPH student. Prior to Hopkins, Kyungah obtained her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Purdue University and worked as a pharmacist in retail and hospital settings. She then worked as a researcher at a drug safety and consulting company participating in prescription-to-OTC switch safety analysis, drug benefit-risk assessment, Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies assessments, and adverse event analysis to evaluate safety signals. Her areas of interest include pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacovigilance, and regulatory science.

 

Gauri Kore

Gauri Kore, MBBS

Degree Program: ScM (Epidemiology)
Advisor: Shruti Mehta, PhD
Research Interests: Infectious disease epidemiology, pharmacoepidemiology

Gauri obtained her M.B.B.S. degree from G.S. Medical College in India. During her medical school she obtained clinical research and data analysis experience when she conducted research to study the association of premenstrual syndrome with sleep quality. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science Epidemiology degree from JHSPH. She is working part time as a Research Assistant with the ‘Implementation Science and HIV Research’ team where she works on understanding the impact of different forms of ART, PREP and other interventions on HIV affected population and population at risk for HIV in Low- and Middle-income countries. Her thesis focuses on the associates and correlates of Syringe Service Program and Opioid Substitution Therapy among intravenous drug users in India. Her career interest includes working as an epidemiologist for pharmaceutical firms that focus on HIV-medication related drug research and development.

 

Randall Kuffel, ScM

DEGREE PROGRAM: PHD (EPIDEMIOLOGY)
ADVISOR: HEMALKUMAR MEHTA, PHD
RESEARCH FOCUS: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY, CLINICAL DECISION-MAKING

Randall Kuffel is a PhD student in the Department of Epidemiology. Prior to joining BSPH, he worked as a research associate at the San Francisco VA Health Care System in the Department of Psychiatry. His research has focused on the epidemiology of late-life suicide in the US veteran population, with emphases on antipsychotic medications, frailty, and PTSD.

Lipin Lukose, PharmD

Degree Program: MPH
Research Interests: Pharmacoepidemiology, Medication Access and Safety

Lipin Lukose is currently a full time MPH student at the School of Public Health. Prior to joining the school, he obtained his PharmD and was involved in various research projects in pharmacovigilance evaluating newer adverse events of medications from the FAERS database. He presented his research at the International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology and the Asian Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology. He also undertook a fellowship with the University of Sydney, where he was involved in evaluating the impact of pharmacists in home-medication reviews. His research interests lie in real-world evidence, comparative safety and effectiveness of medications and ensuring medication access.

Aster Meche, MPH

Aster Meche, MPH

Degree Program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Advisor: John Jackson, ScD & G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, drug utilization

Aster Meche is a PhD student in the Department of Epidemiology. For the past four years, she worked at Pfizer Inc where she supported real-world evidence generation activities for pharmaceutical drugs in development and post approval, specifically in oncology and inflammation and immunology therapeutic areas. Aster obtained her MPH from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and her Bachelors of Science in Public Health Sciences from University of California, Irvine. Her research interests include measures of quality of care, pharmacy access, utilization to medications, and treatment effectiveness.

 

Kriti Rastogi

Kriti Rastogi

Degree Program: MHS (Mental Health)
Advisor: Jeanine Parisi, PhD, MA & Elise Weerts, PhD
Research Focus: Behavioral pharmacology of alcohol, substance use in underserved populations

Kriti Rastogi completed her Bachelor of Science at Emory University in 2022, where she majored in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and Psychology. While at Emory, she studied early signs of behavioral alterations following repeated general anesthesia exposure in infancy at the Emory National Primate Research Center. In her work, she developed a deeper curiosity for the behavioral effects of other drugs, sparking an interest in behavioral pharmacology. Kriti will begin her Master of Health Science degree in Mental Health at JHSPH, where she is interested in behavioral pharmacology research and exploring public health approaches to treating substance use disorder. 

 

Rupshikha Sen

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Advisor: Keri Althoff, MPH, PhD
Research focus: Drug safety and effectiveness, HEOR/RWE and Regulatory Science

Rupshikha Sen completed a Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Karnataka, India in 2019. Since then, she has been a clinical practitioner and was employed as a Drug Safety Physician in a CRO working on expedited pharmacovigilance efforts for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, she is working on a project that aims to see the population effects of the COVID vaccine on long COVID outcomes. She began her training at JHSPH in September 2022, where she hopes to learn more about the use of RWE to answer questions about economic feasibility, drug utilization and implementation of targeted emulated trials. Some of her other areas of interest include the use of epidemiological forecasting, consulting and causal inference research.

Biruk Teshome, MD, MSc

Degree Program: MPH
Advisor: Yvonne Commodore-Mensah, PhD, MHS
Research Focus: Cardiovascular pharmacoepidemiology/pharmacoeconomics

Biruk is a physician with an MSc in Health Economics and Management. With over four years of experience as a frontline clinician, medical director, and Clinical Quality Mentor, Biruk has spearheaded Clinical Quality Improvement projects at both hospital and regional levels. Following his MSc, he became a key player in Health Technology Assessment (HTA), specializing in Artificial Intelligence and new drug development. He Co-led the development of a groundbreaking framework for assessment of AI in healthcare. As a Program Manager at IQVIA Italy, Biruk led multidisciplinary teams in executing Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCTs) and Patient Support Programs (PSPs). Currently pursuing an MPH at the Bloomberg School of Public Health with a focus on Epidemiology and Biostatistics, he is deeply passionate about pharmacoeconomics, pharmacoepidemiology, and Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR), particularly in non-communicable diseases. 

Astha Wahi

Astha Wahi, BDS, MBA 

Degree Program: ScM (Epidemiology)
Advisor: Catherine Sutcliffe, PhD, Maria Deloria Knoll, PhD
Research Focus: Infectious disease epidemiology, pharmacoepidemiology, vaccine science and policy, real-world evidence use

Astha completed her B.D.S (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) from M.M. College of Dental Sciences and Research, India and completed her MBA from IMT-Ghaziabad, India. While practicing as an oral health care provider, she has also worked on research projects related to oral cancers wherein she studied the correlation of subjective and objective swallowing outcomes in oral cancers following free flap reconstruction and also the preoperative prediction of extracapsular spread (ECS) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients. Currently she is pursuing her ScM in Epidemiology and her thesis research focuses on studying the relationship of antibiotic resistance with pneumococcus serotype (PCV-13 vaccine type and non-vaccine type) in children hospitalized with suspected pneumonia (in India) and comparing it with community carriage in India. Her research and career interests lie in pharmaceutical consulting, vaccine science and real-world safety and effectiveness of therapeutics.

 

Amelia Wallace

Daniel Willie-Permor, MD 

Degree Program: MPH
Advisor: Conan Dickson, PhD
Research Focus: Artificial intelligence and machine learning in the drug discovery/manufacturing processes

Daniel Willie-Permor is a Ghanaian-trained physician with over nine (9) years of practice; his most recent station being the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Hospital. He is also the founder of the healthcare company GLOSAWEL Healthcare, primarily focused on developing digital health technologies to enhance access to quality healthcare.  He is currently enrolled in the full-time MPH program (Epidemiology/Biostatistics track).  He is a Fulbright Scholarship recipient, and currently the Co-President of the Digital Health Society at the Bloomberg School.  He has special interests in digital health, biostatistics, cardiovascular & clinical epidemiology, clinical trials, and pharmacology. He hopes to gain further insights and training in establishing best practices for the applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the drug discovery/manufacturing process.

 

Lijuan

Lijuan Zeng, MHS

Degree Program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Advisors: Stephan Ehrhardt, MD & Sheriza Baksh, PhD
Research Focus: Design and conduct of clinical trials, benefit-risk assessment, pharmacoepidemiology

Lijuan Zeng is a PhD student in Epidemiology. She previously worked at Statistics Collaborative, Inc. for several years as a biostatistician, providing statistical services regarding study designs and analyses of clinical research to pharmaceutical and biotech companies. She also served as an independent reporting statistician for Data and Safety Monitoring Boards for mainly industry-sponsored phases 2 and 3 clinical trials. Lijuan obtained her MHS in Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and her Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Science from Fudan University. Her research interest includes design and conduct of clinical trials, benefit-risk assessments, and pharmacoepidemiology.

 

Jinqi Zhan, MPH

DEGREE PROGRAM: PHD (EPIDEMIOLOGY)
ADVISORS: Douglas A. Jabs, M.D., M.B.A., M.S. & Ann Margret Ervin, Ph.D., MPH.
RESEARCH FOCUS: ADAPTIVE DESIGN CLINICAL TRIALS, REGULATORY SCIENCE

Jinqi Zhan is a Ph.D. student in the Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis Track at the Department of Epidemiology. She completed her MPH (Chronic Disease Epidemiology) at Yale University and worked in a biotech company for several years before starting her doctoral training. She gained experience in clinical trial regulatory submissions, Institutional Review Board applications, data monitoring, and patient recruitment in the US and Asia through executing an international oncology trial. For her future research, she hopes to explore adaptive design clinical trials, precision medicine, and regulatory science in cancer drug development. 

Ziang (Bill) Zhou, BS

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Advisor: Hemalkumar Mehta, PhD
Research Focus: Drug-drug interactions for concomitant use of DOACs and statins

Ziang(Bill) Zhou earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from Washington University in St. Louis in 2022. Currently, he is pursuing a master’s degree in epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public health. Bill’s research field of interest is pharmacoepidemiology, and he is working with Dr. Mehta on a project studying the risk of adverse events among AF patients taking DOACs and statins concomitantly.

 

Elizabeth Szymanski

DEGREE PROGRAM: MHS
ADVISOR: Dr. Ann-Margret Ervin, MPH,PHD
RESEARCH FOCUS: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY, REAL-WORLD EVIDENCE, AND PATIENT ADVOCACY

Elizabeth Szymanski is an MHS candidate in the Epidemiology Department, specializing in Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis. She completed a BA in Neuroscience at Oberlin College, Ohio, with a focus on psychopharmacology, addiction science, and cognitive science. Prior to her time at Johns Hopkins, she worked as a Scientific Content Specialist for a life science and healthcare marketing agency. She conducted biostatistics research in genomic neurobiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and served as a research associate for the Cognitive Development Laboratory at the University of California, San Diego. She is interested in pharmacoepidemiology, real-world evidence, and patient advocacy.

Xinyi Sun

DEGREE PROGRAM: MHS (EPIDEMIOLOGY)
ADVISOR: Hemalkumar B. Mehta, PhD
RESEARCH FOCUS: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY, CAUSAL INFERENCE

Xinyi Sun earned her Bachelor Degree of Medicine with a major in Public Health from Sun Yat-sen University, China. Throughout her undergraduate study, she gained valuable knowledge and skills in epidemiological research and data analysis. Her bachelor’s degree thesis focused on studying the effects of switching ART regimens on renal function among people living with HIV. She is currently pursuing her MHS degree in Epidemiology, where her focus lies in causal inference methodology. Her specific interest extends to the application of these methods in pharmacoepidemiology.

Qilin Deng

DEGREE PROGRAM: MHS (EPIDEMIOLOGY)
ADVISORS: G. CALEB ALEXANDER, MD, MS
RESEARCH FOCUS: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS

Qilin Deng is an MHS student at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, focusing on epidemiology with a keen interest in pharmacoepidemiology and the impact of lifestyle on diseases. Before joining Hopkins, Qilin earned a Bachelor of Medicine, specializing in Preventive Medicine. Her future research interests include delving into more real-world evidence, conducting benefit-risk assessments, and engaging in pharmacoepidemiology.

Graduated Scholars

Enoch Abbey, MD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: John Jackson, ScD
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology

Ekta Agarwal, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Drug Safety and Adherence

Taiwo Akindahunsi, MD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Sabina Haberleen, PhD
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, Clinical Trials and Drug Safety and Surgical Outcomes in Neurosurgery

Kayte Andersen, MSc

Degree Program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS & Jodi Segal, MD, MPH
Research Focus: Use Beyond the Evidence Base: An Evaluation of Pharmacotherapy During COVID-19

Shirin Ardeshirrouhanifard, PharmD, MPH, PhD

​​​​​​​Degree Program: Postdoctoral Fellow
Adviser: Hemalkumar Mehta, PhD & Jodi Segal, MD, MPH
Research Focus: Safety and effectiveness of medications in cancer population

Melat Asebot, MD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH 
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, Clinical Trials, Drug Safety and Effectiveness

Samuel Kwakye Ayeh, MBChB (MD), MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Jonathan Golub, PhD
Research Focus: Risk factors associated with positive latent tuberculosis test in pregnant women

Sheriza Baksh, PhD, MPH

Degree Program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS & Stephen Ehrhardt, MD
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology

Daniah Basodan, MBBS, FRCPC

Degree program: MPH
Adviser: Mara McAdams DeMarco, PhD, MS

Chelsea Canan, MPH, PhD

Degree Program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Bryan Lau, PhD
Research Focus: Epidemiologic Methods; Prescription Opioid Misuse

Jessica Chasler, PharmD, BCPS 

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Jodi Segal, MD, MPH
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology

Lian-Yu Chen, MD, PhD

Degree Program: PhD (Mental Health)
Adviser: Ramin Mojtabai, MD, PhD
Research Focus: Substance Use Disorders, Service Utilization and Psychiatric Comorbidities

Audrey Cheng, MPH

Degree Program: MPH 
Research Focus: Pharmaceutical policy and law

Francine Chingcuanco, MHS

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Utilization of Generic Medicines

Stacy Elder Dalpoas, PharmD, MPH, BCPS

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Jodi Segal, MD, MPH

Matthew Daubresse, MHS

Degree Program: DrPH (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Mara McAdams Demarco, PhD, MS
Research Focus: Impact of Policy Interventions on the Utilization of Prescribed Controlled Substances

Mindi DePaola, MSPH

Degree Program: MSPH (International Health)
Adviser: Victoria B. Chou, PhD, MS
Research Focus: Drug Utilization and Access in Underserved Populations

Leigh Efird, PharmD, MPH, BCPS

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Sherita Hill Golden, MD, MHS
Research Focus: Hospital Drug Utilization

Ijeamaka Ezebilo, MD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser:  Jodi Segal, MD, MPH
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology

Busola Fadojutimi, B. Pharm, MPH, MBA

Degree program: MPH/MBA
Adviser: Stefan Baral, MD & David Chin, MD, MBA 
Research Focus: Disease epidemiology, drug safety and adverse drug reactions

Kevin Fain, DrPH, JD, MPH

Degree Program: DrPH (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Carlos Castillo-Salgado, MD, DrPH, JD
Research Focus: Safety of Opioid Use in the Elderly

Haley Gibbs, PharmD, MPH, BCPS

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

Gillian Gresham, MSc, PhD

Degree Program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Kay Dickersin, PhD
Research Focus: Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis

Mengdong He, MHS

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Edgar R. Miller, MD, PhD
Research Focus: Drug Utilization and Effects

Catherine Hwang, MSPH

Degree Program: MSPH (International Health)
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus:Prescription Drug Utilization and Abuse-Deterrent Formulations

Geetha Iyer, MBBS, MD, ScM

Degree Program: ScM (Epidemiology)
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Drug Utilization and Pharmacovigilance

Myles Jackson, MHS

Degree program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, comparative effectiveness, drug safety

Shiyin Jiao, MHS

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Quality of Pharmaceutical Care, Patient Outcomes, Structure of Clinical Practice

Sindhura Karlapudi, MBBS, MPH

Degree program: MPH
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS

Taruja Karmarkar, MHS, PhD

Degree Program: PhD (Health Policy and Management)
Adviser: Darrel J. Gaskin, PhD
Research Focus: Pharmacoeconomics, Decision Modeling, Pharmaceutical Policy, and Patient Outcomes Research

Christopher Kaufmann, PhD, MHS

Degree Program: PhD (Mental Health)
Advisers: Ramin Mojtabai, MD, PhD & Adam Spira, PhD
Research Focus: Sedative-Hypnotic Use Among the Elderly

Shelby Kemper, PharmD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Jodi Segal, MD, MPH
Research Focus: Quality, Access, Availability and Utilization of Pharmaceuticals in Low and Middle Income Countries

Jeongmin (Hana) Kim, PharmD, ScM

Degree Program: ScM (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Jodi Segal, MD, MPH
Research Interests: Pharmacovigilance, signal detection, drug risk/benefit evaluation, post-marketing surveillance, real-world evidence

Martha Tushemereirwe Kirabo, MD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Janet Holbrook, PhD

Zaina Kiragu, MPharm, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Alain K. Koffi, MD, PhD

Kimberley Lee, MD, MHS

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Jodi Segal, MD, MPH
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology

Seoyoung (Celina) Lee

Degree Program: MSPH (Health Policy & Management)

Shanshan Lin, ScM

DEGREE PROGRAM: SCM (EPIDEMIOLOGY)
ADVISER: CALEB ALEXANDER, MD, MS & JODI SEGAL, MD, MPH
RESEARCH INTERESTS: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY, REAL-WORLD EVIDENCE

Yi-Chen Liu, MHS

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Mara McAdams Demarco, PhD, MS
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology

Xintong Li, BSc

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Adviser:  G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, drug safety, effectiveness and utilization

Eleanor Lucas, BA

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Aditi P. Sen, PhD

Nune Makarova, MD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Debra Roter, DrPH, Professor

Omar Mansour, MHS

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, Drug Utilization

Sathiya Priya Marimuthu, MBBS, MHS

Degree Program: MHS 
Advisers: Brent Petty, MD & Jodi Segal, MD, MPH
Research Focus: Drug Safety and Pharmacoepidemiology

Kathryn Marwitz, PharmD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH 
Adviser: Jodi Segal, MD, MPH
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmaceutical Policy

Morgan Maziarz, MHS

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Ann-Margaret Ervin, PhD
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, drug utilization, clinical trials

Yidnekachew Mogessie, MD, MPH, MBA

Degree Program: MPH-MBA, Certificate in Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Trials
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, clinical trials, health economics and outcomes research, surgical outcomes research

Alexander Moran, MSPH

Degree Program: MSPH (Department of International Health)
Adviser: Lawrence Moulton, PhD
Research Focus: Drug Utilization and Adherence

Morgane Mouslim, DVM, ScM

Degree Program: ScM (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Jodi Segal, MD, MPH & G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology

Joelynn Muwanga, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Research interests: Drug utilization, effectiveness, safety and medication adherence

Remington Nevin, DrPH, MD, MPH

Postdoctoral Fellow (Occupational Medicine Residency Program, Department of Environmental Health Sciences)
Adviser: Francesca Litow, MD, MPH
Research focus: Occupational Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance

Richard Dunku Nudotor, MB CHB, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Mara McAdams DeMarco, PhD, MS
Research Focus: Clinical Trials, Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, Surgical Outcomes in Pancreatic and Bariatric Surgery

Ken Ogasawara, PhD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, Regulatory Science

Gaurvika ML Nayyar, MPH, MBA

Degree Program: MPH & MBA
Adviser: David Peters, MD, DrPH, MPH
Research focus: Pharmaceutical Quality, Emerging Markets, Health Outcomes, and Access

David Procaccini, PharmD, BCPS, CACP

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Gerard Anderson, PhD
Research Focus: Health Policy and Medication Safety in Pediatric Population

Yao (Lucy) Qiao, MPH, MSc, PhD

Degree Program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Advisers: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS & John W. Jackson, ScD
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology

Emaan Rashidi, MHS

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Stephan Ehrhardt, MD
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology & Psychiatric Epidemiology

Kevin Riggs, MD, MPH

Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research focus: Prescription Drug Costs

Michelle Robinson, PharmD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Jill Marsteller, PhD
Research Focus: Drug utilization, public health policy, medication safety

Cindy Sagoe, BPharm, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Irene Murimi, PhD

Marissa Seamans, PhD, MSPH

Degree Program: Postdoctoral Fellow (Mental Health)
Adviser: Elizabeth Stuart, PhD
Research Focus: Household Patterns of Prescription Medication Use

Alex Secora, MPH, PhD

Degree Program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Advisers: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS & Josef Coresh, MD
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology

Ashton Shaffer

Degree Program: MD-PhD (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Mara McAdams Demarco, PhD, MS
Research Focus: HIV+ Liver Transplant Candidates and Recipients

Mariana Socal, MD, MSc, MPP, PhD

Degree Program: PhD (Department of Mental Health)
Adviser: Antonio Trujillo, MPP, PhD
Research focus: Pharmaceutical Access and Utilization in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Jingwen Tan, PhD, ScM

Advisers: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS & Jodi B. Segal, MD, MPH
Research focus: Epidemiology of Drug-Induced Morbidity and Mortality

Sangeeta Tandon, PharmD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: Andrea Ruff, MD
Research Focus: Pharmaceutical Quality, Access, and Affordability in Low Income Countries

Sarah Tanveer, MA

Degree Program: MA (Public Health Biology)
Advisers: Barry Zirkin, PhD & G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Migraine/Headache disorders, Evidence Synthesis, Comparative Effectiveness Research, Pharmacoepidemiology

Rediet Tekalign, MD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, clinical trials, biologic drug safety, effectiveness in pediatrics

Carolyn Tieu, PharmD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, Comparative Effectiveness Research, Patient Outcomes Research 

Phuong Tran, PharmD, MPH

Degree Program: MPH
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, Cancer Epidemiology, Genetics and Epigenetics

Chinenye Ugoji, BPharm, MPH, PhD

Degree Program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Advisers: Elizabeth Platz, ScD & Lorraine Dean, ScD
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, Cancer, HIV, Outcomes research

Siddhi Umarje, PharmD

Degree Program: ScM
Adviser: Catherine Sutcliffe, PhD

Shilpa Viswanathan, PhD, MS, BPharm

Degree Program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Lisa P. Jacobson, ScD
Research Focus: Effects of Concomitant Medication Use on Adherence to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART)

Amelia Wallace, MS 

Degree Program: PhD (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Elizabeth Selvin, PhD, MPH & Morgan Grams, MD, PhD
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology

Jiajun Wen, MD, MPH, ScD

Degree Program: ScD (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Janet Holbrook, PhD, MPH, MS
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Trials

Xuya Xiao, MHS

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Adviser: Caleb Alexander, MD, MS & Hemalkumar Mehta, PhD
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, drug safety, drug utilization

Yunwen Xu, MHS

Degree Program: MHS
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology, Drug Utilization, Outcomes Research

Jeffrey Yu, MHS

Degree Program: MHS (Department of Health Policy & Management)
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Pharmacoeconomics, Pharmacoepidemiology, Pharmaceutical Policy, Decision Modeling

Hanzhe Zhang, MHS

Degree Program: MHS (Epidemiology)
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Pharmacoepidemiology

Meijia Zhou, MHS

Degree Program: MHS
Adviser: G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS
Research Focus: Drug Utilization and Safety