Heather Volk

Heather Volk, PhD, MPH, is a Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, affiliated with the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering. She is also a member of the Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities.

• PhD in Epidemiology, Saint Louis University (2006)
• MPH, Boston University (2002)
• BA, University of Notre Dame (2000)

Research Interests: Volk’s work focuses on identifying gene-environment interactions for neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Her studies examine how prenatal/early-life air pollution exposure influences ASD risk, inattention, and cognitive delays. She integrates genetics, environmental biomarkers, and epigenetics to explore biological mechanisms and susceptibility factors.

Scientific Awards:

• 2014: Research included in Annual Review of Advancements from the Autism Science Foundation
• 2012: Top Ten Research Advancements by Autism Speaks

Advising and Collaborations: She advises doctoral students (e.g., Goodrich AJ, Kerin T) and collaborates on large-scale projects like the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program. Her recent work includes studies on mitochondrial DNA copy number, parental physical activity in autism cohorts, and sex differences in psychopathology.