Usha Ramakrishnan

Usha Ramakrishnan is the Chair and Distinguished Richard N. Hubert Professor in the Hubert Department of Global Health at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. She is also a faculty member in Emory's Laney Graduate School doctoral programs in Nutrition and Health Sciences and Global Health and Development. Her research focuses on global maternal and child nutrition, particularly micronutrient interventions and their impacts on pregnancy and child outcomes. Dr. Ramakrishnan has led large-scale trials like the PRECONCEPT study in Vietnam, examining preconception micronutrient supplementation, and the POSGRAD trial in Mexico, evaluating prenatal DHA supplementation. She collaborates internationally with institutions across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Europe.

Education:

• Ph.D., Cornell University
• M.Sc., University of Madras
• B.Sc., University of Madras

Research Interests: Her work spans maternal and child health, nutrition interventions, and the effects of household air pollution on child growth. Recent projects include analyzing the long-term effects of micronutrient supplementation on child cognition and growth, and studying the impacts of cooking fuel transitions on birth outcomes. She employs randomized controlled trials and longitudinal cohort studies to address global health inequities.

Grants & Advising: As principal investigator of NIH-funded projects, Dr. Ramakrishnan has secured grants for studies on DHA supplementation and preconception health. She mentors students in doctoral programs and has advised on projects addressing anemia in pregnant women and dietary diversity in adolescents.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the National Institute of Public Health (Mexico), the World Health Organization, and NGOs to implement scalable nutrition programs. Leads the Emory Global Research for Women initiative, fostering interdisciplinary work on gender and health.