Parul Christian

Parul Christian is a Professor and Director of the Program in Human Nutrition at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University. She is affiliated with the Department of International Health and the Center for Human Nutrition, with a strong focus on improving maternal and child health in low-income settings through evidence-based nutrition interventions.

Her research interests span public health, nutrition, micronutrients, maternal and child health, reproductive health, and epidemiology. She employs community trials and epidemiological methods to study the impact of nutritional interventions on pregnancy outcomes, child growth, development, and long-term cardiometabolic health. Her work is primarily conducted in South Asia and Africa, with a focus on Bangladesh and Nepal.

The trends in her recent publications reflect a sustained commitment to addressing maternal undernutrition, adolescent nutrition, micronutrient supplementation, and innovative field diagnostics. Her research combines clinical trials, policy-relevant analysis, and technological innovation, such as mobile health tools and portable diagnostic devices, to tackle persistent public health challenges in resource-limited contexts.

Her scientific awards include recognition from Danone, the Harry D. Kruse Award, and the Delta Omega Honor Society. She is also an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

• Mid-Career Nutrition Leadership Institute, Danone (2014)
• Alumni Achievement Award, M.S. University of Baroda (2008)
• Pollin Stipend for Young Investigator ($100,000) (2004)
• Early Career Nutrition Leadership Institute, Danone (2000)
• Delta Omega Honor Society (1997)
• Harry D. Kruse Award (1996)
• Society for International Nutrition Research Student Prize (1996)

Parul Christian has advised numerous students and mentored large-scale research projects, including the JiVitA trials in Bangladesh. She has led major grants from institutions such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she served as a Senior Program Officer from 2016 to 2019. Her research portfolio includes projects on anthelminthics, multivitamin supplementation, complementary feeding, and antenatal micronutrient interventions.

She leads or collaborates with multidisciplinary teams focused on nutrition, epidemiology, and public health technology. Her lab and field teams operate in rural Bangladesh, Nepal, Ethiopia, and Pakistan, conducting community-based trials and surveillance. Current initiatives include wireless health technologies for neonatal care and vitamin A deficiency screening tools.