Jennifer Gierisch

Jennifer Gierisch, PhD, is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Health Behavior at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at Duke University Medical Center. She is also core faculty and associate director of the Durham Veterans Affairs Evidence-based Synthesis Program. Her research focuses on intervention science, evidence synthesis, and health services research, with an emphasis on promoting sustained health behavior change through theory-informed strategies.

Education:

• PhD in Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2008)
• MPH in Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2000)

Her research interests include cancer prevention (breast/lung), diabetes management, community-based participatory research, implementation science, and medical decision making. She designs clinical trials and systematic reviews to evaluate behavioral interventions for smoking cessation, weight management, and physical activity. She also collaborates on studies addressing obesity, tobacco control, and women’s health.

Academic Contributions:

• Advises students on special projects and serves as a practicum preceptor
• Guest lectures in health behavior courses
• Contributes to the Durham VA Evidence-based Synthesis Program

Her work bridges clinical and population-level research, emphasizing patient-centered approaches and stakeholder engagement to improve healthcare decision-making processes.