معرفی
Lei Xu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Education and Promotion within the College of Health and Human Performance at East Carolina University. He serves as Director of the Public Health Genomics Lab located in the Carol Belk Building, focusing on translational genomic applications for public health practice across diverse populations including parents of children with autism spectrum disorders, diabetes patients, ethnic minorities, and adolescents.
Dr. Xu's research centers on public health genomics with emphases on genetic testing for autism, cancer prevention, family health promotion, and mental health/substance use interventions. His work addresses health disparities through community-based studies in rural Eastern North Carolina and statewide collaborations with local health departments, employing mixed-methods approaches to investigate barriers in healthcare access and intervention effectiveness among vulnerable populations.
Analysis of his 2020-2024 publications reveals three dominant research trajectories: pandemic impacts on diabetes self-management education and mental healthcare access, HPV vaccination disparities among immigrant communities, and cancer risk behavior interventions using parent-adolescent dyadic frameworks. His autism genomics work consistently examines parental decision-making around genetic testing in underserved populations.
Scientific recognition includes:
- Most Valuable Professor (MVP) by Women's Volleyball Athletes, East Carolina University (2019)
Dr. Xu secured Simons Foundation grants as Principal Investigator for autism genetic testing projects (2015-2017) and served as Co-PI on environmental triggers of autism research. His service includes editorial work for Frontiers in Public Health (2023-2024) and conference abstract reviewing for the American Public Health Association (2021-2022).
The Public Health Genomics Lab conducts community-engaged research on autism spectrum disorders and cancer prevention, with recent projects examining rural-urban disparities in diabetes education, HPV vaccination uptake among immigrant populations, and mental health service barriers during the pandemic. The lab maintains active partnerships with North Carolina local health departments and national organizations including the American Public Health Association.
