معرفی
Dr. Rachel Reimer serves as Associate Professor and Department Chair of Public Health at Des Moines University (DMU), concurrently directing the Master of Public Health (MPH) and Master of Health Care Administration (MHA) programs. She joined DMU in 2009 as part-time faculty before assuming these leadership roles, overseeing curriculum development and student training in public health practice.
Dr. Reimer earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Social Psychology with a health behavior focus from Iowa State University. Her academic foundation drives her interdisciplinary approach to public health challenges.
Her research examines social, environmental, and cultural determinants of health behaviors, with recent emphasis on epigenetic mechanisms of nicotine and alcohol consumption. This work bridges behavioral science and molecular biology to understand how lifestyle factors alter gene expression. Earlier publications addressed orthopedic biomechanics and surgical outcomes, reflecting her evolving research trajectory toward molecular public health.
Analysis of her publication history reveals three distinct phases: orthopedic surgery research (2013-2017), behavioral studies on parental monitoring and HPV awareness (2013-2014), and current epigenetic investigations of substance use (2021-present). Her recent high-impact work in Preventive Medicine and Nicotine and Tobacco Research demonstrates methodological rigor in DNA methylation analysis.
As MPH and MHA Program Director, Dr. Reimer mentors graduate students through capstone projects and professional development. She actively contributes to academic service as a peer reviewer for Preventive Medicine, Pediatrics, American Journal of Public Health, and Nicotine and Tobacco Research, while serving on the Drake University College of Pharmacy Advisory Board and American College of Healthcare Executives – Iowa Chapter.
