Kari North

Kari North, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Associate Dean for Research at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. She leads the CVD Genetic Epidemiology Computational Laboratory and holds affiliations with the Carolina Center for Genome Sciences. Her research focuses on genetic epidemiology of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, emphasizing multidisciplinary collaboration and population-based studies. Dr. North serves on national advisory boards, including the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology Council and The Obesity Society, and chairs the PAGE Steering Committee. Awards include the Roger R Williams Award for Genetics Research (2004) and recognition for excellence in cardiovascular epidemiology research.

Education: PhD in Anthropological Genetics (2000, University of Kansas), MA in Anthropological Genetics (1995, University of Kansas), BA in Anthropology (1992, University of South Florida).

Research Interests: Genetic epidemiology, statistical genetics, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and translational public health research. Her work integrates genomic data with sociocultural factors to address health disparities in diverse populations.

Awards:

• Winner of Roger R Williams Award (2004)
• Finalist for Sandra Daughterty Award (2005)
• National Institute of Health Summer Fellowship (1992)

Grants & Leadership: Director of the CVD Genetic Epidemiology Lab, member of the CASE-EPIC Panel A study section, and leader in interdisciplinary research centers such as the Carolina Center for Genome Sciences. Her administrative role as Associate Dean drives strategic research initiatives and compliance at Gillings School.

Labs/Teams: Leads the CVD Genetic Epidemiology Computational Laboratory, fostering collaboration across departments in family- and population-based genetic research.