Tonda Hughes

Tonda Hughes is a Professor and Associate Dean for Global Health in the College of Nursing at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), and an Adjunct Professor in UIC's School of Public Health. She also holds an Honorary Professorship at Deakin University's School of Nursing & Midwifery (Faculty of Health). Her research focuses on substance abuse and sexual minority (lesbian and bisexual) women's health, particularly alcohol use and minority stress. She leads global health projects and has over 150 peer-reviewed publications.

Education:

• PhD in Nursing, University of Kentucky
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or equivalent, Eastern Kentucky University

Research Interests: Sexual minority women's health, alcohol use disorders, minority stress, global health equity, LGBTQ+ health disparities, and public health policy. Her NIH-funded longitudinal study on sexual minority women's health is the world's longest-running in this field.

Publications Trends: Recent work emphasizes alcohol harm reduction, LGBTQ-affirmative therapies, and intersectional health disparities. Studies often use qualitative methods to explore social determinants of health and healthcare preparedness for diverse populations.

Awards:

• Chicago Institute of Medicine Inductee
• Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame
• Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame
• University of Illinois at Chicago Faculty Scholar

Advising & Grants: Leads international capacity-building initiatives, advises on global health policy, and consults with agencies worldwide. Her NIH grants support long-term cohort studies like the AWARE project.

Labs/Teams: Oversees interdisciplinary teams in substance abuse research and global health equity, collaborating with institutions across Europe and the U.S.