Annlouise R Assaf

Annlouise R. Assaf is an Adjunct Professor at Brown University's Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, and a Senior Director/Patient Health Activation Expert at Pfizer's Chief Medical Office. Her career spans academia and industry, focusing on pharmacoepidemiology, health equity, and evidence-based patient communication. She led major initiatives such as the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), a landmark $628M study on postmenopausal health, recruiting over 6,000 participants in Rhode Island. Her research emphasizes cardiovascular disease, cancer prevention, and improving health literacy through culturally sensitive communication strategies.

Dr. Assaf has secured over $55M in grants, including NIH-funded projects and Pfizer collaborations. Her work includes studies on hormone therapy's cognitive impacts, dietary interventions, and the efficacy of medications like sildenafil for female sexual arousal disorder. She has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and serves on professional committees such as the American Heart Association's Leadership Council and the International Society of Pharmacoepidemiology.

Key awards include the W.E. Upjohn Prize (2015–2018), ISPE Fellowship (2012), and YWCA Women of Achievement Award (2006). She directs the Pfizer/Brown pre-doctoral fellowship in epidemiology and teaches courses in public health and medical education. Her current role at Pfizer integrates behavioral science into patient-facing materials to enhance adherence and reduce disparities in healthcare outcomes.

• Grants: WHI (1995–2005), Osteoarthritis Initiative (2002–2009), Pfizer-funded sildenafil trials (2002–2003)
• Labs/Teams: Brown Center for Primary Care and Prevention, WHI Vanguard Clinical Center