Professor Tariq Butt of Swansea University's Faculty of Science and Engineering leads the Biocontrol and Natural Products (BANP) group , focusing on entomopathogenic fungi and natural product-based biopesticides for managing pests impacting food security , human health , and agriculture . He co-directs the Natural Products BioHub and Health Technology Solutions Research Institute . His cross-disciplinary research includes collaborations with Dr Joel Loveridge (Chemistry) for chemical ecology, Professor Chedly Tizoui (Engineering) for plant-based molluscicides, and Professor Dan Eastwood (Biosciences) for fungal biocontrol. Externally, he works with experts in Greece, Brazil, Turkey, Saudi Arabia , and companies like Certis Belchim and Lallemand . Recent publications highlight his work on fungal volatile organic compounds for pest control, mosquito repellents , and microbial consortia to reduce chemical dependencies. He has supervised over 35 PhD/MSc students and contributed to 174+ peer-reviewed articles and 14 book chapters .
Mienah Z. Sharif serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of California - Berkeley in the School of Public Health - Division of Community Health Sciences, with an affiliate appointment in Epidemiology at the University of Washington. Her academic journey includes a PhD from the University of California Los Angeles (2016), an MPH from the same institution, and a BA in Economics and Government from Smith College. PhD, University of California Los Angeles, 2016 MPH, University of California Los Angeles BA, Economics and Government, Smith College Dr. Sharif employs a social justice, global, and intersectional approach to examining health inequities among racial and ethnic minority groups across the lifecourse. Her research centers on structural factors, differential exposure to adverse social conditions, and psychosocial factors influencing health and wellbeing. She extends her work on racism and discrimination to examine religious identity as structural inequality through the racialization of religion. As a mixed-methods researcher, she prioritizes community-engaged research aimed at guiding health and social policies addressing systemic inequities. Her publication record demonstrates consistent focus on structural determinants of health, with recent work examining Palestinian health equity, immigrant and refugee health during the pandemic, and critical race approaches to health research. Her articles span public health, epidemiology, and social justice domains, with increasing emphasis on practical applications for policy development and health equity interventions. Dr. Sharif's scholarly contributions reflect a commitment to addressing health disparities through rigorous research grounded in critical race theory and social justice frameworks. Her work bridges academic research with community needs, emphasizing the importance of structural interventions to address systemic health inequities.
Dr. Kanwaljeet S. Anand is a dual-appointed Professor of Pediatrics (Pediatric Critical Care) and Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. As director of the Pain/Stress Neurobiology Lab and Jackson Vaughan Critical Care Research Fund, he serves as Editor-in-Chief of Pediatric Research and maintains active membership in Bio-X, MCHRI, and Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. Rhodes Scholar with D.Phil from University of Oxford Harvard postdoctoral fellowship and Boston Children's Hospital residency Founded Harmony Health Clinic - Arkansas' largest charitable medical-dental facility A translational researcher with 30+ years of impact, Dr. Anand established the first scientific framework for infant pain perception and developed novel pain assessment methodologies. Current research focuses on: Hair biomarker analysis for stress and social affiliation (cortisol/oxytocin) Machine learning systems for objective pain detection in non-verbal infants Biopsychosocial interventions for stress reduction in disadvantaged youth Neurotoxicity mechanisms of sedatives in developing brains Global NICU opioid usage patterns through the NeoOpioid Consortium His work has yielded over 260 publications and significant advances in: Pediatric pain management protocols Neonatal stress biomarker development Critical care neurobiology insights Community health initiatives AI-driven clinical decision support systems Scientific Recognition 9th Annual 'In Praise of Medicine' Public Address, Erasmus University (2014) Nightingale Excellence Award (2016) Honorary Doctorate from University of Örebro (2019) NIH SBIB-H82 Study Section Chair (2018) Multiple IASP and American Pain Society awards Swedish Academy of Medicine's Nils Rosén von Rosenstein Award (2009) St. Jude Endowed Chairholder (2010) As mentor to Med Scholar Anjali Gupta and advisor to numerous professional bodies, Dr. Anand maintains active clinical leadership in Pediatric Intensive Care while advancing computational approaches to pain detection through collaborations with Stanford's AI researchers.
Alison Galvani is the Burnett and Stender Families Professor of Epidemiology at Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine, where she serves as founding director of the Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis (CIDMA). Her interdisciplinary work bridges epidemiology, evolutionary ecology, and health economics to inform public health policies for diseases including HIV, Ebola, influenza, and COVID-19. Her research focuses on optimizing vaccination strategies and healthcare interventions through mathematical modeling. Recent studies examine SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics, RSV vaccine impact, and integration of social determinants into infectious disease models. She has pioneered frameworks for conflict-induced migration analysis and pharmaceutical policy evaluations. Notable scientific awards include the Bellman Prize, Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists, and Guggenheim Fellowship. Her publications span top journals like The Lancet , Nature Communications , and PNAS , with media coverage in major outlets and policy references.
Dr. Sharon K. Sagiv is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health and an investigator at the Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health. Her research focuses on prenatal and early-life environmental toxin exposures, particularly persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, pesticides, and consumer chemicals, and their impacts on child neurodevelopment. She has extensively studied associations between environmental toxicants and neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD and autism, alongside innovative work using functional neuroimaging to assess neural activity in exposed populations. Dr. Sagiv holds a PhD in Epidemiology from UNC Chapel Hill (2004), an MPH from Boston University (1998), and a BA in Biology from Franklin and Marshall College (1993). She has contributed to major cohorts such as CHAMACOS and Project Viva, examining long-term effects of pollutants like PFAS, organophosphates, and PBDEs. Her work bridges epidemiology, toxicology, and neuroimaging to advance understanding of environmental health risks. Research interests emphasize translational environmental health science, with a focus on pesticide mixtures, air pollution, and endocrine disruptors. Key themes include exposure assessment frameworks, functional neuroimaging outcomes, and developmental origins of health disparities. She teaches grant-writing seminars and collaborates globally on pesticide neurotoxicity studies in farmworker populations. Recent publications highlight links between prenatal PFAS exposure and metabolic outcomes, pesticide exposure and brain connectivity, and traffic pollution’s role in neurocognitive decline. Her research portfolio includes systematic reviews on air pollution health impacts and methodological innovations for assessing chemical mixtures in pregnancy. Dr. Sagiv’s work has policy implications for environmental regulations and public health interventions targeting vulnerable populations.
Professor Thomas Astell-Burt is a Professor of Cities and Planetary Health at the University of Sydney's School of Architecture, Design and Planning. His work focuses on the intersection of urban environments, green spaces, and public health. He is a member of the Sydney Environment Institute and the Charles Perkins Centre. His research examines how urban planning and green infrastructure can mitigate health inequities, combat climate change, and improve mental/cardiometabolic health. Key areas include nature prescriptions, heat-related mortality, and the role of green spaces in reducing loneliness. Recent grants include projects on aged care workforce sustainability, nature-based strategies for loneliness reduction, and the PANDA Trial for cardiometabolic disease prevention. Over 180+ publications span peer-reviewed journals like Scientific Reports , Climate , and PloS One , with a focus on global health trends and urban environmental policies. His work bridges epidemiology, urban design, and interdisciplinary collaboration to inform evidence-based health policies. Key affiliations include leadership roles in global health initiatives and collaborations with institutions like the University of Glasgow. His research has been cited in policy frameworks addressing urban sustainability and planetary health.
Dr Elizabeth Hallam is an Associate Professor in Visual, Material, and Museum Anthropology at the University of Oxford's School of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography. She holds additional roles as a Research Affiliate at the Pitt Rivers Museum, Fellow of St Peter's College, and Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies in Cultural Anthropology (ISCA). Her research focuses on the anthropology of the body, death, material and visual cultures, human anatomy, and three-dimensional models in medical education. She is also the Editor of the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute and has curated exhibitions such as 'Designing Bodies: Models of Human Anatomy from 1945 to Now'. Her academic journey includes a BA and PhD from the University of Kent, followed by positions at the University of Sussex and Aberdeen University. She has authored/co-authored influential works like Anatomy Museum: Death and the Body Displayed (2016), which won the Wellcome Medal. Her current projects explore museums of anatomy, 3D modeling in anthropology, and collaborative art practices. Key research themes include death and memorializing processes, the role of material culture in knowledge production, and interdisciplinary studies on creativity and improvisation. She advises four DPhil students and has been involved in ARC-funded projects on cemetery futures and postmortem practices. Awards: Wellcome Medal for Anthropology as Applied to Medical Problems (2016) Grants: Projects funded by the Australian Research Council, Henry Moore Foundation, and Royal College of Surgeons Labs/Teams: Collaborations with University of Melbourne and curatorial networks in Europe/USA
Yan Ma serves as Professor and Chair of Biostatistics at the University of Pittsburgh, with additional appointments in Orthopaedic Surgery and Clinical and Translational Science. Previously, he was Professor and Vice Chair at George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health (2014-2022) and Assistant Professor at Hospital for Special Surgery/Weill Cornell Medical College (2008-2014). His educational background includes: PhD in Statistics, University of Rochester (2008) MA in Statistics, University of Rochester (2004) MS in Mathematics, Syracuse University (2003) BS in Statistics, Beijing Normal University (2001) Ma's research centers on advanced statistical methodologies including missing data imputation, machine learning, meta-analysis, causal inference, and longitudinal methods, applied across orthopedics, anesthesiology, health disparities, and emergency medicine through team science and translational research frameworks. His publication trajectory demonstrates sustained innovation from methodological foundations (2008-2012) to contemporary applications in health disparities and machine learning (2016-2022), consistently addressing complex biomedical challenges through high-impact journals like JAMA and Health Services Research. His scientific recognition includes: ASA's Statistics in Epidemiology Young Investigator Award (2010) Interorganizational Team Science Award (2012) ORISE FDA Research Fellowship (2017) APHA Achievement in Academia Award Ma has secured R01 funding from NIH/AHRQ for missing data methods in health disparities research while serving as Associate Editor for ASA journals and reviewer for NIH/PCORI/VA panels, demonstrating leadership in statistical methodology development and interdisciplinary collaboration. His team-science approach bridges statistical innovation with clinical implementation across orthopedics and anesthesiology, driving evidence-based practice through methodological rigor and cross-disciplinary partnerships.
Sara Hägg is a Senior Lecturer at the Karolinska Institutet , affiliated with the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics . She is also a Docent in molecular epidemiology. PhD in Computational Biology (Linköping University, 2009) MSc in Molecular Biology (Stockholm University, 2003) BSc in Computer Science (Stockholm University, 2003) Her research focuses on human biological aging , including measurement of aging markers (telomere length, epigenetic clocks, frailty index), causal pathway analysis, and identification of geroprotectors for age-related diseases. She utilizes longitudinal twin studies (SATSA, GENDER, HARMONY), UK Biobank, and Swedish cohorts with methods like Mendelian randomization and genome-wide analyses . Recent articles demonstrate trends in epidemiological aging research , with emphasis on cardiovascular aging , neurological disease interactions , metabolic profiling , and epigenetic clocks . Her work often involves multivariable modeling and cross-cohort validation . Leadership roles include Director of LifeGene Core Facility (2024-) and Founding Board Member of the Nordic Aging Society (2023-). She serves on expert groups for the Swedish Twin Registry and Strategic Research Area in Epidemiology and Biostatistics .
Kan Haidong is a Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean at the School of Public Health, Fudan University (Shanghai, China). He holds the Chang-Jiang Scholar Professorship from the Ministry of Education and serves as an Associate Editor for Environmental Health Perspectives and International Journal of Epidemiology . His research focuses on environmental epidemiology, air pollution impacts, and climate change health effects. He has authored over 114 h-index papers and been recognized as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher and Stanford Top 2% Scientist. Education: PhD in Environmental Epidemiology, Fudan University (2003) MS in Environmental Health Sciences, Fudan University (2000) MD in Preventive Medicine, Shanghai Medical University (1997) Research Interests: Kan’s work bridges environmental exposures (air pollution, climate change) with human health outcomes. Key areas include particulate matter toxicity, heatwave mortality, and policy-driven health interventions. His studies often involve large-scale epidemiological analyses and global health collaborations. Key Awards: Wu-Jieping Paul Janssen Medical-Pharmaceutical Award (2018) US EPA Scientific Achievement Award (2015) Elsevier Top Influential Chinese Scholar (2014–2023) Grants/Editorial Roles: He leads WHO air quality guideline projects and chairs editorial boards for top journals. His grants focus on climate health adaptation and pollution mitigation strategies in China and globally. Labs/Teams: Directs Fudan’s Environmental Health Department and collaborates with global networks like the China Kadoorie Biobank and Lancet Planetary Health initiatives.
Dr. Annalies Denoble is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at Yale School of Medicine. She specializes in maternal-fetal medicine, focusing on high-risk pregnancies, particularly those complicated by cardiovascular disease. Her research addresses gaps in understanding maternal heart disease, hypertension, and vaccine safety during pregnancy. Education: MD and MSc in Clinical Research, University of Michigan Medical School (2014) Bachelor of Arts in French Studies, Duke University (2008) Research Interests: Her work centers on cardiovascular complications in pregnancy, including hypertension, heart failure, and congenital heart disease. She collaborates with Yale's multi-disciplinary Pregnancy Heart Team to optimize care for patients with cardiac conditions. Her studies also investigate vaccine safety, preeclampsia, and maternal mortality reduction strategies. Recent Research Trends: Her publications highlight late-onset postpartum hypertension, vaccine safety in pregnancy, and hypertension progression during and after pregnancy. She emphasizes extending postpartum care and improving risk prediction models for adverse cardiac events. Awards: Recognized as a 'Top Doctor' in Yale Ob/Gyn Physicians for 2025. Collaborations & Clinics: Dr. Denoble works with the Pregnancy Heart Team and Yale Medicine's Maternal-Fetal Medicine unit. She sees patients at locations in New Haven, New London, and Waterbury, CT.
Arpit Gupta is an Associate Professor of Finance at the Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University, where he has been a faculty member since 2016. His research lies at the intersection of real estate, household finance, and urban economics, with a strong empirical focus on using large datasets to analyze financial behavior and market dynamics. Ph.D. in Finance and Economics, Columbia Business School B.S. in Mathematics and Economics, University of Chicago His research interests include household finance, real estate markets, mortgage default, bankruptcies, urban economics, and the financial impacts of health shocks and pandemics. He explores how financial constraints affect minority borrowers, how remote work reshapes urban real estate, and how public infrastructure influences property values. His recent publications span top journals such as the Journal of Finance , American Economic Review , Journal of Financial Economics , and PNAS . Themes across his work include the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the valuation of private equity, and the spillover effects of foreclosures. His research often combines innovative data sources with rigorous econometric methods. Notable scientific awards include the Brattle Prize First Place (2019) and the 2016 Top Finance Graduate Award from Copenhagen Business School. He has advised on policy-relevant topics such as office-to-residential conversions, housing equity, and bail reform, and has received media attention for his insights on urban development and real estate trends. Professor Gupta collaborates with a wide network of researchers and maintains active engagement through a Substack newsletter and public data repositories. He advises students and contributes to academic discourse through conference presentations and policy discussions. He is affiliated with research labs and teams focused on urban economics and financial innovation, often collaborating with scholars at Columbia, NYU, and other institutions. His ongoing projects continue to explore the evolving dynamics of housing, finance, and urban resilience in the post-pandemic era.
Professor Eric Morgan at Queen's University Belfast leads parasitology research in the School of Biological Sciences , focusing on climate-driven epidemiology of parasitic infections in animals. His work integrates predictive modeling, parasite transmission dynamics at the wild-domestic interface, and sustainable livestock health solutions. Veterinary parasitology and climate change impact Anthelmintic resistance mitigation strategies AI-enhanced diagnostic systems for animal health Current research students include Anthony George, who investigates Combining alternative approaches for helminth control in grazing livestock . Public engagement initiatives like the BUG Consortium and Poo Patrol translate findings into practical parasite management. His recent publications in 2025 address topics like flood reactors, zoonotic toxocariasis, and precision agriculture tools for parasite risk assessment.
Stephanie Rogers is an Assistant Professor of Geosciences at Auburn University's College of Sciences and Mathematics, specializing in geospatial technologies and environmental applications. She leads the GeoIDEA Lab, focusing on GIScience, water quality modeling, and environmental impacts on honey bee colonies. Her research integrates emerging technologies like drones for ecological monitoring and addresses interdisciplinary challenges such as groundwater management and pollution tracking. Education: PhD in Geosciences from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Research Interests: Rogers' work bridges geospatial innovation with real-world problem-solving. Key areas include: GIS-driven environmental monitoring and modeling Drone-based assessment of water quality and algal blooms Groundwater contamination dynamics and public health implications Honey bee colony health through spatial analysis Advising & Grants: Currently mentors two trainees (Bethany Foust and Mallory Jordan) and collaborates on projects funded by environmental agencies. Her grants focus on geospatial data integration for ecological decision-making. Labs/Teams: GeoIDEA Lab coordinates multidisciplinary efforts in environmental geoscience, with active projects in Alabama's Black Belt region and international glacial archaeology initiatives.
Katrine Eldegard is a Professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management (MINA), Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management (INA). She leads BatLab Norway and contributes extensively to national and international conservation science policy. Institution: Norwegian University of Life Sciences School: Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management Department: Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management Position: Professor Her research centers on understanding how human activities and land use affect natural ecosystems and species across taxa and spatial scales. She specializes in the behavioral, population, and community-level responses of mammals, birds, and insects to anthropogenic pressures such as energy infrastructure, transport networks, and forestry. A major focus is on bat ecology and conservation, pollination dynamics, and biodiversity monitoring in boreal and agricultural landscapes. Her recent publications reveal strong trends in climate change impacts on bat morphology and distribution, pollinator-plant interactions under environmental change, and the ecological consequences of infrastructure development. These works integrate field ecology with advanced modeling and policy-relevant assessments. She has played leading roles in key scientific committees: Chair, Mammal Committee, Norwegian Red List for Species (2021) Chair, Mammal Committee, Norwegian Alien Species List (2023) Member, Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM), CITES Expert Panel Norway’s representative, UNEP/Eurobats Advisory Committee Eldegard has supervised numerous research projects and collaborated with government agencies and private partners on applied ecology. She teaches courses including NATF200 Vern og forvaltning av norsk natur and the upcoming NATF300 Conservation Science. Her work is supported by extensive fieldwork, interdisciplinary collaboration, and integration of ecological theory with practical conservation. She leads BatLab Norway, a research group dedicated to advancing knowledge on bat ecology, behavior, and conservation through innovative methods including telemetry, acoustic monitoring, and landscape analysis.
