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Phillip MarottaView profile

Assistant Professor

• Public Health
• Criminal Justice System
• Substance Use Disorders
• +12 more

Phillip Marotta is an Assistant Professor at the Brown School , Washington University in St. Louis , specializing in public health disparities linked to the criminal justice system. His work emphasizes substance use treatment interventions for justice-involved populations and the HIV care continuum for those with opioid use disorders (OUD). Research Focus: Marotta investigates medication-assisted treatments for OUD in carceral settings, including methadone's impact on recidivism and overdose risks post-release. He also studies how racial/ethnic discrimination affects treatment access and how law enforcement attitudes shape harm reduction policies in Tijuana, Mexico. A current NIH-funded project examines intersectional stigma in rural Missouri health centers, aiming to improve adoption of harm reduction services like syringe exchange and OUD medications. Collaborations: Partnering with institutions such as the Missouri Rural Health Association and School of Medicine , Marotta uses mixed methods (surveys, interviews) to address provider apprehensions and systemic barriers in rural primary care clinics. Missouri is a priority state due to rising rural HIV rates and poor engagement in care. Scientific Awards: NIH Developmental/Exploratory grant (2022) Washington University Career Development Award Program fellowship Johns Hopkins University fellowship Prior Roles: Before joining the Brown School, Marotta was a postdoctoral research fellow at Yale School of Medicine. His work bridges social work, public health, and criminal justice to develop interventions for marginalized communities.

Nisha BeharieView profile

Assistant Professor

• Substance Use
• Homelessness
• Mental Health
• +7 more

Nisha Beharie, Dr.P.H., M.P.H. , serves as an Assistant Professor at the School of Health Sciences and Practice at New York Medical College . With over two decades of experience in public health research and program development, she specializes in addressing intersections between substance use , homelessness , and mental health through qualitative and mixed-methods research . Her work emphasizes harm reduction and policy advocacy for marginalized populations. Education: B.S. in Psychology, Fordham University M.P.H. in Child, Adolescent, and Reproductive Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Dr.P.H. in Community, Society, and Health, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York Dr. Beharie's research focuses on trauma-informed public health approaches , particularly for families experiencing homelessness and communities impacted by opioid-related harms . Her studies have informed real-time program improvements at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and shaped shelter environment policies to reduce stigma in substance use services. Her recent publications center on opioid treatment expansion , HIV risk factors , and homelessness policy analysis , reflecting her commitment to urban health equity . Key trends include harm reduction strategies , shelter governance , and primary care integration for substance use treatment. Scientific Awards: CDUHR Postdoctoral Fellowship Dr. Beharie actively advises on policy statements through the New York State Public Health Association (NYSPHA) Policy and Advocacy Committee and previously contributed to NYC DOHMH initiatives. She partners with community organizations to address systemic inequities in housing and healthcare access.

• Infectious Diseases
• HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis C
• +7 more

Judith Feinberg is a Professor at West Virginia University School of Medicine with appointments across multiple departments including Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry, Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Department of Neuroscience, and the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. She earned her MD from Rush Medical College and has established herself as a leading expert in infectious diseases related to substance use disorders, particularly focusing on the opioid epidemic's impact in rural communities. Dr. Feinberg's research primarily focuses on HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and the intersection of infectious diseases with substance use disorders. Her work emphasizes harm reduction strategies, syringe service programs, and improving access to treatment for people who inject drugs in rural settings. She has been instrumental in establishing evidence-based interventions to address the opioid crisis in Appalachia, with particular attention to West Virginia, which has some of the highest rates of hepatitis and overdose deaths in the United States. Her publication record demonstrates consistent focus on the epidemiology of infectious diseases among people who use drugs, with recent work examining the HERO study outcomes, hepatitis C treatment adherence, and the impact of the opioid epidemic on rural communities. Her research shows increasing attention to integrated care models addressing both substance use disorders and associated infectious diseases. 2020 You Make a Difference Award, Community Liver Alliance, Pittsburgh 2015 Cincinnati Healthcare Hero, finalist and winner, Community Outreach Dr. Feinberg holds numerous federal and state grants addressing the opioid epidemic, including funding from NIDA, PCORI, the Appalachian Regional Commission, and CDC. She has been pivotal in establishing the first E.B. Flink Vice Chair for Research position in the Department of Medicine at WVU. Her work bridges clinical research, public health policy, and community-based interventions to address the complex challenges of substance use disorders in rural America.

Sarah Bauerle BassView profile

Professor

• Health Communication
• Risk Communication
• Public Health
• +13 more

Sarah Bauerle Bass is a Professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the College of Public Health, Temple University. She is also the Director of the Risk Communication Laboratory and a member of the Cancer Prevention and Control research program at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Her work bridges public health, behavioral science, and communication to address critical health disparities and improve decision-making through tailored messaging. Her research interests focus on health and risk communication , particularly in designing and testing public health messages for diverse and underserved populations. Using advanced techniques such as perceptual mapping , vector modeling , and psychomarketing methods (including eye-tracking), she investigates how emotional and physiological responses influence message processing. Her work spans areas including PrEP uptake , clinical trial participation , genomic testing , diabetes management , HIV care , and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy . She has been funded by NIH (NCI, NIMH, NIDA, NIBIB), American Cancer Society, Merck, and various state and local public health agencies. Her recent publications reveal a consistent focus on health equity , patient-centered communication , and behavior change interventions . Across diverse populations—including African Americans, transgender women, and people who use drugs—her work emphasizes the role of medical mistrust , cultural sensitivity , and technology-based solutions (mHealth, Web 2.0) in improving health outcomes. The interdisciplinary nature of her research integrates public health, psychology, marketing, and communication theory. Great Teacher Award (2012) Lindback Award for Excellence in Teaching (2007) Excellence in Teaching Award, College of Public Health (2006) Riegelman Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Public Health Education Everett M. Rogers Award for Excellence in Public Health Communication (2021) Dr. Bass has led numerous grants focused on health communication interventions and disparities. She mentors students and teaches graduate courses such as Health Communication and Research Experience in Health Professions. She has advised or collaborated with many researchers and students, though formal advisees are not listed. Her lab, the TU Risk Communication Lab , serves as a hub for innovative research in message design and evaluation.

Catherine TomkoView profile

Academic

• Substance Use
• Mental Health
• Overdose Prevention
• +17 more

Catherine Tomko, PhD, MHS, is an Assistant Scientist in the Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research focuses on structural determinants of substance use, mental health, trauma, and health disparities among marginalized populations, particularly women who use drugs and sex workers in Baltimore, Maryland. PhD, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2021 MHS, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2016 BA, The George Washington University, 2011 Dr. Tomko specializes in qualitative and quantitative epidemiological methods to study social and structural causes of health inequities. Her work examines the impacts of gentrification, policing, drug decriminalization, and internalized stigma on health outcomes. She has led research on mobile buprenorphine induction, HIV prevention, and resilience among structurally vulnerable women. Her methodological expertise includes latent variable analysis, structural modeling, and psychometrics. Her recent publications highlight trends in overdose prevention, mental health disparities, trauma, and policy evaluation. Key themes include the intersection of substance use and mental health, healthcare access barriers, and the role of structural vulnerabilities in shaping health outcomes for marginalized populations. Scientific Awards: Gustav J. Martin Award for Innovation in HIV Research Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award, National Institute of Mental Health Dr. Tomko has been involved in multiple research grants and collaborative projects focused on harm reduction, HIV prevention, and mental health interventions. She frequently partners with community-based organizations in Baltimore to implement and evaluate public health programs. Her work emphasizes community engagement, equity, and translating research into policy. She is affiliated with research initiatives including the SAPPHIRE and EMERALD studies, which focus on cohort retention and combination HIV prevention among female sex workers. Her research network spans public health, social work, and clinical practice, contributing to interdisciplinary efforts in health equity.

• Public Health
• Internal Medicine
• Health Equity
• +4 more

Divya Venkat is a Medical Educator at Duquesne University's College of Osteopathic Medicine. She actively contributes to residency training programs, serving as a clinical preceptor and researcher within the Center for Inclusion Health. Her work focuses on addressing healthcare disparities and improving access for marginalized populations. Education: MD from George Washington University School of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency at Allegheny Health Network Dr. Venkat co-directs the Inclusion Health Track and founded the Clinician Educator Track in the internal medicine residency program. She pioneered the RIvER clinic for post-incarceration care and established a low-barrier mobile clinic providing medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) through local syringe services programs. Her research interests center on social determinants of health, health equity, and community-based interventions for underserved populations. She has developed novel curricula on social determinants of health and mentors trainees in clinical and educational roles.

• Emergency Medicine
• Public Health
• Health Policy
• +4 more

Dr. Steve Davis is a Professor at the West Virginia University School of Public Health 's Department of Health Policy, Management, and Leadership, as well as an Adjunct Professor in the West Virginia University School of Medicine 's Department of Emergency Medicine. With over 15 years of experience conducting emergency department research, his work focuses on stroke awareness, national trends in hospitalizations, and the ethical conduct of pharmaceutical research. He also examines how paraphernalia laws and policing behaviors affect syringe access programs for hepatitis C virus prevention in rural Appalachian populations. Education PhD, West Virginia University MPA, West Virginia University MSW, West Virginia University BSW, West Virginia University Research and Publications Dr. Davis utilizes large-scale datasets and systematic reviews to analyze public health challenges, including opioid misuse, infectious disease prevention, and healthcare disparities. His recent publications highlight trends in emergency care, such as opioid-related hospitalizations and the efficacy of harm reduction programs. Professional Service As a former Chair and current member of the West Virginia University Institutional Review Board, Dr. Davis advocates for ethical research practices. He also contributes to academic discourse through lectures on research ethics and a recent book chapter on pharmaceutical research ethics.

• Global Health
• Health Systems Strengthening
• HIV/AIDS
• +4 more

Kristina Talbert-Slagle is an Assistant Professor at the Yale School of Medicine and a Core Faculty member at the Equity Research and Innovation Center. She is also Associate Director of Faculty Mentorship and Academic Programs at the Yale Institute for Global Health. Her work focuses on global health equity, health systems strengthening, and interdisciplinary education. PhD, Yale University (2012) BS, University of Kentucky (2001) BA, University of Kentucky (2001) Dr. Talbert-Slagle's research bridges molecular virology and social systems analysis. She examines how interpersonal, institutional, and ecological factors influence infectious disease dynamics and public health outcomes, particularly in resource-constrained settings like Liberia. Her recent publications highlight trends in health workforce education, power dynamics in global health collaborations, and the adaptation of evidence-based frameworks for local health interventions. These works span topics from HIV pathogenesis to community health systems improvement. Scientific Awards: Yale Poorvu Family Award for Interdisciplinary Teaching (2016) Dr. Talbert-Slagle directs the Faculty Support Initiative at the Yale Institute for Global Health and co-leads projects with the University of Liberia to build sustainable academic systems post-Ebola. Her teaching portfolio includes gateway global health courses and seminars on HIV/AIDS and waterborne disease transmission.

• Forensic Science
• Drug Intelligence
• Illicit Drug Markets
• +6 more

Associate Professor Marie Mc Nerney is a faculty member at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, where she serves as Associate Professor and Course Director for the Bachelor of Forensic Science program. She is affiliated with the Centre for Forensic Science (CFS) at UTS and has established herself as a leading researcher in forensic intelligence and drug market analysis. Dr. Mc Nerney completed her Bachelor and Master's degrees in Forensic Science at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) in 2009. After working as a forensic scientist with the Wallis State Police in Switzerland, she moved to Australia to complete a project on gunshot residues at the UTS Centre for Forensic Science in collaboration with the Australian Federal Police. She earned her PhD on drug intelligence at UTS in 2015, which was a collaboration between the Australian Federal Police, the University of Lausanne, and UTS. In 2016, she was awarded a prestigious Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellowship from UTS. Her research focuses on the use of illicit drug data from multiple sources for intelligence purposes, with particular expertise in analyzing drug markets through the triangulation of data from cryptomarkets, drug seizures, wastewater analysis, and governmental sources. She has extended this approach to other organized systems such as organized crime and security. Dr. Mc Nerney has made significant contributions to forensic intelligence methodology, particularly in document examination and the application of forensic science for proactive crime prevention. Her extensive publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on applying forensic science to intelligence gathering, with recent work examining drug trends among people who inject drugs, dark web market analysis for fraudulent documents, portable technology for drug identification, and the utility of trace evidence for intelligence purposes. Her research shows a clear trajectory toward developing systematic methods for transforming forensic data into actionable intelligence for law enforcement and public health agencies. 2024 UTS Medal for Excellence in Research and Teaching Integration Citations for outstanding contributions to student learning (2024) UTS Teaching and Learning Award - Team Teaching (2022) Dr. Mc Nerney has secured significant research funding, including the 'Residue and Post Overdose Substance Testing (RePOST)' grant (2024-2025), 'Understanding emerging opioid-related harms through improved surveillance, drug checking and information sharing systems' (2020-2021), and 'The use of forensic case data in an intelligence perspective' (2015-2019). She serves as Associate Editor for Forensic Science International and edited the 23rd Meeting collection for the International Association of Forensic Sciences (IAFS). As Course Director for the Bachelor of Forensic Science program, she has developed and taught courses including 'Foundations of Forensic Science,' 'Forensic Intelligence,' and 'Introduction to Forensic Science.' Her work with the Centre for Forensic Science has positioned her at the intersection of academic research and practical forensic applications, collaborating with multiple agencies including the Australian Federal Police. She has been instrumental in developing the forensic intelligence approach that shifts forensic science from a purely reactive service to a proactive contributor to crime prevention and disruption.

• Public Health Implementation Science
• Harm Reduction
• Substance Use Disorders
• +6 more

Lori Ann Eldridge serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Education and Promotion within the College of Health and Human Performance at East Carolina University. She is a public health implementation scientist whose work bridges research and practice through evidence-based curriculums, interventions, and policy change. Dr. Eldridge holds a Ph.D. in Health Behavior from Indiana University, Bloomington. Her educational background in implementation science informs her approach to translating research into practical applications that address critical public health challenges. Her research focuses on access to harm reduction within rural communities, particularly examining how laws, policies, regulations, and healthcare delivery systems affect access to prevention, treatment, and harm reduction services for individuals with comorbid diagnoses of mental health conditions, physical and intellectual disabilities, and substance use disorders. Her work spans therapeutic recreation interventions for autism spectrum disorder, pharmacy-based harm reduction programs, and substance use treatment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Dr. Eldridge has secured significant research funding as Principal Investigator on multiple grants including the Pitt County Coalition on Substance Use Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act Opioid and Stimulant Grant (2021-2026), Expanding naloxone access in rural communities in North Carolina (2023-2025), and Implementation of Medication Disposal Programs by Pharmacies (2023-2025). She also serves as Co-Principal Investigator on projects addressing Substance Use and Intellectual Disabilities and Syringe Access in Eastern North Carolina. Faculty Author Book Award, Joyner Library, East Carolina University (2024) Health Science Author Recognition Award, Laupus Library - East Carolina University (2024) Ann James Award, Southeast Recreational Therapy Symposium (2023) Nominated for Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health (2020) Dr. Eldridge actively contributes to public health policy through service on the SAMHSA SPARK Rights Promotion and Protection Technical Expert Panel, where she engages in discussions about human and civil rights in service systems for individuals with mental health and substance use conditions. Her research portfolio demonstrates strong connections between academic scholarship and practical implementation in community settings, with particular emphasis on reducing barriers to essential services for vulnerable populations. She leads Dr. Eldridge's Harm Reduction Lab, which focuses on developing and testing interventions that increase access to harm reduction services through community pharmacies and other accessible settings. Her work with the PharmNet intervention represents a significant contribution to the field of pharmacy-based public health interventions.

Atif ZamanView profile

Physician Scientist

• Hepatology
• Acute Liver Failure
• Gastroenterology
• +3 more

Dr. Atif Zaman is a Physician Scientist at Oregon Health & Science University's School of Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology. His clinical expertise spans hepatology and acute liver failure management, with active research contributions through 2025. His research focuses on acute liver failure mechanisms , prognostic biomarkers , and hepatotoxicity , evidenced by 15+ publications (2014-2025) in journals like Journal of Hepatology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology . Key themes include acetaminophen toxicity, microRNA prognostication, and cerebral edema diagnostics in ALF. Recent publications (2024-2025) highlight outcomes in non-transplant ALF patients and novel CT-based diagnostic approaches. His work frequently involves multicenter collaborations through the Acute Liver Failure Study Group. Dr. Zaman holds an M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine (1991) and an M.P.H. from Oregon Health & Science University (2000), with completed residencies in Internal Medicine (Baylor) and Gastroenterology fellowship (OHSU).