Gregory Pavela

Gregory Pavela is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean in the Department of Health Behavior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health. He holds multiple appointments across the university, including roles in the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), the Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC), and the Survey Research Unit. His research focuses on obesity determinants, social determinants of health, and the intersection of social status with health outcomes.

Dr. Pavela earned a PhD in Sociology from the University of Florida (2013), an MA in Sociology from the University of Florida (2009), and a BA in Sociology from the University of Virginia (2006). His work integrates epidemiological methods with behavioral science to address health disparities and intervention design.

Research interests include obesity epidemiology, life course health trajectories, and the application of behavioral theories to public health challenges such as suicide prevention and HIV risk reduction. His studies often employ longitudinal designs and mixed-methods approaches to strengthen causal inferences.

Recent publications highlight his work on HIV prevention strategies in low-resource settings, the efficacy of mental health interventions like QPR training, and the role of socioeconomic factors in obesity-related mortality. He has secured funding from NIH grants and the UAB Nutrition Obesity Research Center.

Teaching responsibilities include courses such as 'Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health,' 'Advanced Research Methods,' and 'Fundamentals of Clinical Trials.' He actively mentors doctoral students in public health and epidemiology, chairing and participating in multiple dissertation committees.

Current initiatives include exploring intergenerational health effects through bioactive compounds in breast milk and investigating moderators of treatment response in precision nutrition research.