Sherry Pagoto

Sherry Pagoto, PhD, is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at UMass Chan Medical School, affiliated with the T.H. Chan School of Medicine. Her work bridges behavioral medicine, public health, and digital health innovation.

• BA in Psychology, Oakland University
• MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology, Western Michigan University

Dr. Pagoto’s research focuses on behavioral interventions for weight management, skin cancer prevention, and health communication through digital platforms. She is a leader in leveraging social media and mobile technologies to deliver and study health behavior change. Her work often explores how digital tools can be used to improve engagement, accessibility, and scalability of public health interventions. She has a particular interest in obesity, tanning behaviors, and maternal and adolescent health.

Her recent publications highlight a strong trend toward digital health solutions—especially social media and app-based interventions—for lifestyle modification, weight loss, and cancer prevention. Many of her studies employ randomized controlled trials, feasibility assessments, and content analyses of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (X).

Dr. Pagoto is actively involved in advocacy and policy, particularly through her contributions to the Society of Behavioral Medicine. She has published on health policy issues such as reimbursement for behavioral interventions and regulatory actions on indoor tanning. Her collaborative research spans multiple domains including dermatology, oncology, cardiology, and infectious disease prevention.

She mentors and collaborates on numerous clinical trials and intervention studies, often focusing on underserved populations and health disparities. Her lab and research teams frequently work on projects involving remote delivery of care, digital engagement strategies, and the ethical use of social media in health research.