Chronic diseases account for some of the nation’s leading causes of death and drivers of trillions in annual health care costs, though many of them are preventable. Public health tackles a wide range of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and more by designing interventions that reduce risky behaviors and promote healthy ones. Some of the many interventions that our public health experts have spearheaded include programs to reduce tobacco and alcohol use, improve nutrition, and promote physical activity.
Zuzana Bic, MD, DrPH
Research Interests
Some of Dr. Bic’s research interests include preventive care, lifestyle medicine, worksite health & wellness, college health, health literacy, addiction and its prevention, global health and nutrition.
Bernadette Boden-Albala, MPH, DrPH
Research Interests
Boden-Albala has dedicated her career to promoting health equity for all, defining and intervening on social determinants of disease, and leading community-level health assessments and solutions. She has expertise in cardiovascular disease and stroke, emerging infectious diseases, epidemiology as well as global health.
Boden-Albala looks forward to mobilizing the entire Wen Public Health community’s commitment towards health equity, social justice, academic excellence and passion for the growth and transition of this program to a world-class school of population and public health.
Karen Edwards, MS, PhD
Research Interests
Primary research focus is in genetic epidemiology and the use of multivariate approaches to define phenotypes for complex diseases. Edwards’ genetic epidemiology research covers a broad range of conditions, including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, melanoma and Parkinson’s Disease. Her research interest also looks into the interactions between environmental factors (particularly diet) and genetic susceptibility (Gene x environment interactions). Additionally, Edwards works on several interdisciplinary projects that focus on the ethical, legal or social implications of genomics and applications to clinical and public health practice.
Michael Kleinman, MS, PhD
Research Interests
Kleinman’s research focuses on the mechanisms of cardiopulmonary injury following inhalation of toxic compounds. His laboratory uses state-of-the-art methods to evaluate the roles of free radicals and oxidative stress in sensitive human volunteers and laboratory animals. In vitro methods are used to evaluate specific mechanisms. Other interests include analytical and atmospheric chemistry, environmental sampling and analysis, and the application of mathematical and statistical methods to environmental and occupational assessments of exposure and risk.
Alana LeBrón, MS, PhD
Research Interests
Her research interests include structural racism and health, health of Latino/a communities, and community-based participatory research.
Karen Lincoln, PhD, MSW, MA, FGSA
Research Interests
Dr. Lincoln is a social worker with a joint degree in social work and sociology. Reflecting her interdisciplinary training, her scholarship is grounded in theories and methods developed in the fields of social work, sociology and psychology. She has applied these principles to identify factors that both harm and promote mental health and well-being among Black Americans.
Dr. Lincoln is the only scholar nationally who has systematically contributed to the literature on the impact of negative interaction (e.g., conflict, excessive demands, manipulation) on mental health among African American and Caribbean Black adults. Her efforts have 1) advanced our understanding of the impact and modeling of social support and negative interaction on mental health among diverse populations, 2) identified negative interaction as a particularly important risk factor for mental health among vulnerable populations, and 3) documented within-and between-group differences with respect to risk and protective factors associated with a variety of mental health outcomes among diverse populations.
Brittany Morey, MPH, PhD
Research Interests
Morey’s research focuses on how structural barriers shape racial/ethnic health inequities with special focus on the ways in which neighborhood social and physical environments impact the health and well-being of AAPI communities. Her work aims to inform equitable public policy and programming to reduce the burden of disease and disparities. Outside of her role at UCI, she also sits on the board of directors for the Center for the Pacific Asian Family, a non-profit organization in Los Angeles that addresses the root causes of gender and family violence in AAPI communities.
Andrew Odegaard, MPH, PhD
Research Interests
Dr. Odegaard’s research largely focuses on the patterns, causes and consequences of obesity and insulin resistance, with particular attention to dietary intake. He has concentrated efforts related to aspects of body composition and adipose tissue depots hypothesized to be causal factors in the predominant chronic diseases of the current era. His research considers the life course and employs observational and randomized study designs.
Kristina Uban, PhD
Research Interests
Her research background covers a wide range of topics in neuroscience and brain health, from neuroendocrine function to cognitive/mental health outcomes among diverse populations. She is well-versed in different types of research involving neuroimaging and salivary biosciences to non-invasively examine brain-hormone relationships among all age groups.
