Dr. Melanie Franklin is a pediatric psychologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with expertise in sleep disorders, treatment adherence, and pediatric psychology. She operates within the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and collaborates across multiple teams. BA in Psychology – Muhlenberg College PhD in School Psychology – Lehigh University Residency and Fellowship in Pediatric Psychology – Nemours/A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital Her research focuses on: Sleep behavior in chronic illness populations Mental health communication barriers ADHD functional outcomes Treatment adherence strategies Recent publications demonstrate expertise in ADHD comorbidities , Cystic Fibrosis sleep interventions , and academic functioning analysis . Key collaborations include: Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Sleep Center Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Division
Dr. Elaine T. Jurkowski serves as Professor in Social Work at Southern Illinois University's College of Health and Human Sciences, holding multiple leadership roles including Graduate Program Director (2021-present) and Program Director for Gerontology Programs (2020-present). She maintains cross-appointments as Adjunct Professor in the School of Medicine's Family Practice Residency Program and Professor in the Department of Health Education, demonstrating her interdisciplinary impact. B.S.W. (Industrial Social Work), University of Manitoba, Canada M.S.W. (Policy and Administration), University of Manitoba, Canada Ph.D., Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago M.B.A., Southern Illinois University Carbondale (2022) Dr. Jurkowski's research program centers on health disparities, access to mental health services, aging, and disability issues, with particular focus on rural populations. Her work bridges public health, social work, and gerontology through innovative approaches to program evaluation, technology-enhanced teaching, and culture change in long-term care settings. She has developed expertise in international health planning and inter-professional collaboration across diverse cultural contexts. Her publication portfolio shows consistent thematic development across decades, with recent work focusing on medical tourism during the pandemic, rural-urban health disparities, and technology applications in gerontology education. These publications reflect her commitment to addressing healthcare access challenges for vulnerable populations through both scholarly inquiry and practical interventions. Great Cities Research Fellow in Health Provost Faculty Fellow (2018) Provost Assessment Fellow (2016) Student Hotspotting certification (2018-present) A.P.M. Assessment Academy certification (2016, 2017) Dr. Jurkowski has successfully secured over $1 million in research funding from agencies including Health Resources and Services Administration, The Hartford Foundation, and Administration on Aging. Her grant portfolio demonstrates sustained commitment to improving services for older adults and people with disabilities, particularly in rural settings. She has served as Graduate Program Director twice (2003-2014, 2021-present), mentoring numerous social work students through their academic and professional development. Her professional activities extend beyond campus through international consulting in West Africa, Hong Kong, India, China, Russia, and Egypt, and community engagement via the "Dare to Care" radio show and board service with Caring Counseling Ministries, Supporting People in Need, and UNA/USA Southern Illinois Chapter.
James B. Kaper is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He serves as Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and previously held leadership roles as Senior Associate Dean (2014–2019) and Chair (2007–present). His research focuses on the molecular pathogenesis of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae , including vaccine development and bacterial-host interactions. Education: BS (1973) and PhD (1979) in Microbiology from University of Maryland; Postdoc in Molecular Pathogenesis at University of Washington (1979–1981) Dr. Kaper’s work has led to the creation of live attenuated cholera vaccines, including CVD 103-HgR, the first licensed recombinant bacterial vaccine. His lab investigates bacterial genetics, intestinal colonization, and immune system activation, particularly TLR5 response to V. cholerae flagellin. He has authored 303 peer-reviewed articles and 68 book chapters. His research has been funded continuously by NIAID since 1982. Key publications include foundational work on V. cholerae vaccines (1984), genomic structure (1998), and quorum sensing in EHEC/EPEC (1999). His lab’s recent studies focus on phosphotyrosine proteomics (2013) and pathogenicity island regulation (2007). Scientific awards: Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology (1994); NIH Merit Award (2004); ASM DC White Award (2019) Editorial roles: Editor-in-Chief, EcoSal (2006–present); Associate Editor, International Journal of Medical Microbiology (2000–present) As an academic leader, Dr. Kaper has mentored over 60 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. He holds multiple patents for cholera vaccines and E. coli diagnostics, including U.S. Patents 4,935,364; 5,399,494; and 6,204,004. His lab at UMSOM combines basic science with translational applications for enteric disease prevention.
Joel Goh is Associate Professor at the Department of Analytics and Operations, NUS Business School, National University of Singapore. He serves as Director of the J.Y. Pillay Comparative Asia Research Centre (under NUS Global Asia Institute) and PhD Program Director at the Institute of Operations Research and Analytics (IORA). Previously, he was Assistant Professor at Harvard Business School (2014-2017) and Visiting Scholar (2017-2022). BSc, MSc, PhD in Operations, Information, and Technology from Stanford University His research focuses on healthcare analytics (preventing health conditions, hospital operations, frailty assessment), supply chain analytics (digital business models, platform leakage), and service platform operations (hospital-at-home programs, incentive design). He co-created the Robust Optimization Made Easy (ROME) software. Recent publications analyze workplace psychological safety (2024), hospital-at-home models (2024), and platform leakage dynamics (2023). His work spans 18+ journals with 740+ citations for burnout cost studies (2022) and 606+ citations for physician well-being research (2017). Teaching Honors : 2023: Best MBA Teaching & Skinner Innovation Award 2021: NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award 2020: Early Career Research Excellence Award & 40 Under 40 Best MBA Professors Advising & Grants : Served as PhD Program Director. Received NUS Start-Up Grant R-314-000-110-133 (2021) and Humanities & Social Sciences Fellowship (2021). Editorial roles include Associate Editor at Management Science , Manufacturing & Service Operations Management , and Senior Editor at Production and Operations Management .
Allison Ross Eckard, MD is Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) College of Medicine, serving as Division Chief for Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Director of MUSC's Ryan White Pediatric HIV Clinic and HIV Transition Clinic. She maintains an adjunct faculty position at Emory University and holds board certification in Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Her primary research focuses on metabolic, cardiovascular, and nutritional complications of chronic HIV and antiretroviral therapy across age groups, with emphasis on inflammation's role in comorbidities like cardiovascular disease and bone disorders. Current investigations include NIH R01-funded research on interventions for weight gain and abdominal fat in HIV, vitamin D supplementation, and statin therapy. She has published nearly 60 peer-reviewed papers on HIV pathogenesis and treatment optimization. Dr. Eckard co-chairs the DHHS panel for Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in HIV-Exposed and HIV-Infected Children and serves on the DHHS panel for Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Adults and Adolescents with HIV . Her clinical work specializes in comprehensive HIV care for children through young adults, with particular focus on adolescent/young adult transition issues and global health initiatives through Lespwa Timoun in Haiti. Recent efforts include developing COVID-19 treatment guidelines for children and school safety protocols. HIV Specialist certification (American Academy of HIV Medicine) Fellow, Infectious Diseases Society of America Fellow, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society Fellow, HIV Medical Association Member, HIV Medical Association's 'Ending the HIV Epidemic' working group She leads MUSC's HIV education initiatives and serves as inpatient consultant for pediatric infectious diseases, with advanced training in tropical medicine. Her NIH-funded research examines targeted interventions to minimize comorbidity development in HIV, while her clinical leadership spans the Ryan White HIV program, transition clinics, and global health partnerships.
Bernadka Dubicka is a Clinical Professor and Honorary Clinical Chair in the Division of Neuroscience at the University of Manchester. She holds dual roles as a research lead at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust and as the child and adolescent mental health research lead for Health Innovation Manchester. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health and previously served as Chair of the Child and Adolescent Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2017–2021). Her academic qualifications include a BSc in Psychology and MBBs from University College London, followed by FRCPsych accreditation in child psychiatry. She earned a gold medal for her MD thesis on behavioral disorder implications in depression. Dubicka’s research focuses on adolescent depression, mood disorders, and brief interventions, including the IMPACT and STADIA trials evaluating psychological treatments and standardized diagnostic assessments. Her work also addresses technology’s role in youth mental health and the eco-crisis’s mental health impacts. Education: BSc Psychology, University College London MBBs, University of London MD Thesis (Gold Medal), University College London FRCPsych, Royal College of Psychiatrists Her research spans depression treatment efficacy, behavioral activation, and cross-national studies on pediatric bipolar disorder. She collaborates internationally and has led over 49 publications. Awards include a gold medal for her thesis and recognition as an RCPsych Fellow. Her work also emphasizes policy advocacy, such as addressing digital rights for children and mental health responses to climate change (e.g., COP26 contributions). She trains clinicians in brief psychosocial interventions and behavioral activation through academic programs and national courses. Grants & Funding: Co-investigator on the £1.1M HTA-funded STADIA trial evaluating remote mental health assessments. Principal investigator on the IMPACT trial, one of the largest adolescent depression trials globally. Labs/Teams: Collaborations include the University of Cambridge (IMPACT trial), University of Nottingham (STADIA), and international taskforces on treatment-resistant depression.
Susan A. Murphy is the Mallinckrodt Professor of Statistics and of Computer Science at Harvard University, with affiliations to the Kempner Institute. She leads the Statistical Reinforcement Learning Lab, focusing on developing algorithms to inform sequential decision-making in health, particularly for Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions (JITAIs) and micro-randomized trials (MRTs). Her work is funded by NIH institutes, including NIDA, NHLBI, and NIBIB. Dr. Murphy has been awarded a MacArthur Fellowship (2013) and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine (2014) and the National Academy of Sciences (2016). Her research integrates statistical methods with computer science techniques to optimize mobile health interventions. She collaborates with d3Lab and mDOT on projects like HeartSteps and Sense2Stop, evaluating real-time treatment policies. Notable contributions include advancing MRT designs, sample size calculations, and reinforcement learning algorithms for personalized healthcare. Dr. Murphy advises a large team of postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates, many of whom hold academic and industry roles globally. She emphasizes engagement in digital interventions, balancing personalization with ethical considerations. Her lab’s work spans algorithm development, clinical trial design, and causal inference, aiming to improve health outcomes through adaptive interventions.
Professor Nicholas Buckley is a leading academic in Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Sydney and holds a Visiting Professor position at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. He serves as Research Director for the South Asian Clinical Toxicology Research Collaboration (SACTRC) and is a Consultant Clinical Pharmacologist & Toxicologist at the NSW Poisons Information Centre and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. His work focuses on improving clinical toxicology practices, poison control policies, and understanding mechanisms of drug toxicity. Co-founder of SACTRC for agrochemical poisoning and snakebite research Chair of Australian Therapeutic Guidelines - Toxicology writing group Editorial roles in Clinical Toxicology, Drug Safety, and Australian Prescriber Research Interests include toxicovigilance, epidemiology of poisoning, acute kidney injury in poisoning/snakebite, pesticide safety interventions, antidote development, and pharmacoepidemiology of psychotropic drugs. His work combines clinical trials, population surveillance, and translational research. Scientific Contributions span 440+ peer-reviewed articles and 22 book chapters, with continuous funding since 2002. He has supervised over 20 higher degree students and leads international collaborations in low-and-middle-income countries through NIHR RIGHT4. Key Affiliations : Member of Charles Perkins Centre, Australian Medicines Handbook Editorial Advisory Board, and NIHR RIGHT4 programme.
Björn Pasternak is a Research Professor leading the Pharmacoepidemiology group at the Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet. His team specializes in large-scale registry studies focused on adverse drug effects, with research programs in pediatric pharmacoepidemiology, safety of diabetes medications, and rapid assessment of drug safety concerns. The group leverages high-quality epidemiological methods to inform evidence-based clinical decisions. Pasternak's research interests span pharmacoepidemiology, drug safety, diabetes outcomes, cardiovascular risk, and perinatal health. His work utilizes nationwide registries to evaluate real-world drug effects, socioeconomic disparities in treatment, and long-term outcomes of chronic therapies. Key focuses include GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, antibiotic use in pregnancy, and opioid safety. Recent publications demonstrate strong emphasis on Scandinavian cohort studies of diabetes medications (GLP-1 agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors) and their associations with thyroid cancer, liver events, intestinal obstruction, and cardiovascular/renal outcomes. Other trends include perinatal pharmacovigilance (antibiotics, acid-suppressive drugs) and neurodegenerative risks in athletes.
Huining Li is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at North Carolina State University . Her research focuses on Internet of Things (IoT) , cybersecurity , and mobile computing , with a specialized emphasis on mobile health (mHealth) technologies. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from University at Buffalo (2024). Her work addresses privacy-preserving sensing mechanisms , biomarker measurement , and fairness in dynamic mobile environments , developing systems for chronic wound care, Parkinson’s disease management, and mental health therapy. Recent publications highlight innovations in mmWave biometrics , machine learning for health diagnostics , and non-contact monitoring . Scientific Awards: Best Paper Awards (SenSys 2019, BodyNet 2021, ICHI 2022) Best Paper Candidate (SenSys 2022) Harold O. Wolf Achievement Award (2024) EECS Rising Star (2023) NIH mHealth Training Institute Scholar (2025) She teaches courses in Mobile Health Systems and Applications and Computer Networks , and actively serves on NSF panels , TPC committees (ACM MobiSys, IEEE-EMBS BSN), and as Associate Editor for journals like Elsevier Smart Health.
Manuel R. Amieva is a Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine , holding joint appointments in Pediatrics - Infectious Diseases and Microbiology & Immunology . He is also a member of the Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI) . His clinical practice at Stanford Medicine Children's Health focuses on pediatric infectious diseases. Education: Medical Education: Stanford University School of Medicine (1997) Fellowship: Stanford University Pediatric Infectious Disease Fellowship (2004) Internship & Residency: Stanford Health Care at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (1998-1999) Dr. Amieva's research investigates host-pathogen interactions at epithelial barriers, with specific expertise in Helicobacter pylori , Listeria monocytogenes , Salmonella enterica , and Staphylococcus aureus . His lab develops innovative organoid culture systems with controlled polarity to study microbial colonization and oncogenic mechanisms. Key discoveries include: H. pylori's manipulation of epithelial junctions via the CagA protein Listeria's exploitation of cell extrusion sites for invasion Staphylococcus toxin interactions with adherens junctions Gastric stem cell activation by pathogens Recent publication trends show continued leadership in infectious disease mechanisms (2020-2025), with a focus on: Pathogen-specific epithelial breach strategies Organoid modeling of viral/bacterial interactions Redox-dependent host factor regulation Single-cell spatial transcriptomic analyses Multi-institutional educational frameworks His scientific collaborations span disciplines including: Gastric cancer genomics initiatives COVID-19 lung infection models Stem cell-microbe interactions Medical education reform projects Dr. Amieva maintains active clinical research while mentoring students in both the Microbiology & Immunology and Pediatrics programs. His lab at Stanford employs advanced 3D confocal microscopy and organ-on-a-chip technologies to visualize epithelial colonization dynamics.
Dr. Jiaqi Gong serves as Associate Professor in Computer Science and Adjunct Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Alabama's College of Engineering, while directing the Alabama Center for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. His academic foundation includes: B.S. in Engineering, China University of Geoscience (2004) Ph.D. in Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (2010) Dr. Gong's research pioneers human-AI convergence through cyber-physical systems and smart health technologies, developing mobile/wearable platforms to enhance human perceptual, cognitive, and physical capabilities. His work spans artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, and IoT with applications in healthcare, environmental monitoring, and education. The Sensor-Accelerated Intelligent Learning (SAIL) laboratory he founded drives innovation in behavior change interventions, human movement modeling, and educational data mining. Recent publications reveal strong interdisciplinary trends: healthcare AI dominates with medication adherence prediction and surgical classification systems, while environmental applications feature flood-risk communication and drought analysis. His work increasingly integrates generative AI and LLMs across domains, demonstrating methodological innovation in federated learning, knowledge graphs, and explainable storytelling frameworks. Notable recognitions include: Best Student Paper Award, IEEE/ACM Connected Health Conference (2022) Best Student Paper Award, Body Sensor Networks Conference (2019) Data Challenge Win, IEEE Biomedical Health Informatics (2018) Best Paper Award, Body Area Networks Conference (2014) Best Demonstration Award, IEEE Wireless Health Conference (2014) Dr. Gong leads significant funded projects including a $2M CDC/NIOSH grant for first responder safety and $3M NSF funding for hydrologic research. As SAIL laboratory director, he mentors students in developing clinically deployed technologies for multiple sclerosis, dementia, and mental health. Future work focuses on scaling AI applications in chronic disease management and climate resilience through the Alabama AI Center. The SAIL laboratory (founded 2017) operates as a multidisciplinary hub developing wearable/mobile systems for health applications, with active collaborations across medical clinics and engineering departments for real-world deployment of behavior change interventions and movement analysis tools.
Ashli Owen-Smith is a behavioral scientist affiliated with the School of Public Health at Georgia State University , where her research focuses on mental health disparities, suicide prevention, and integrative/complementary approaches for complex mental-physical health conditions. She works with underserved populations including refugees/immigrants, incarcerated individuals, and LGBTQ+ communities through community-based participatory research and mixed-methods frameworks. Her current projects are funded by CDC , DBHDD , and DPH . Education: Ph.D. in Behavioral Sciences (Emory, 2009), S.M. in Public Health (Harvard, 2005), B.A. in Psychology (Smith College, 2001) Her research spans mental health , trauma , suicide prevention , and mindfulness-based interventions . Recent work examines telehealth adaptations for chronic pain and mental health, vaccine hesitancy in refugee communities, and social determinants of suicide . She leads studies on gender-affirming care and health disparities in LGBTQ+ populations. Key article trends include epidemiological analysis of suicide risk factors, COVID-19 impacts on mental health, ICD-10 coding for autism, and complementary medicine in trauma recovery. Subfields span telehealth , health equity , mental-physical comorbidity , and community engagement . Students she has mentored include C.A. Scarlett , T. Griner , and M.M. Sesay . Her work integrates public health policy , clinical research , and health systems analysis .
Jessica Illuzzi is the Deputy Dean for Education and Harold W. Jockers Professor of Medical Education at the Yale School of Medicine, where she is also a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences. She plays a pivotal role in medical education leadership, curriculum development, and accreditation efforts, while maintaining an active research program in maternal and neonatal health. Harvard University, AB in Biochemical Sciences (1994) Harvard Medical School, MD (1998) Yale School of Graduate Studies, MS in Epidemiology (2006) Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale-New Haven Hospital (2002) Her research focuses on the impact of obstetric interventions on maternal and neonatal outcomes, especially among low-risk women. Key areas include cesarean section, vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), group B streptococcus prophylaxis, and innovative maternity care models. She has led studies on labor management, health disparities, and quality improvement in obstetric care. Recent publications highlight trends in racial and ethnic disparities in maternal outcomes, validation of VBAC prediction tools, neonatal resuscitation guidelines, and integrated maternal-child care models in Haiti. Her work spans clinical epidemiology, health services research, and digital health interventions in obstetrics. Hellman Award (2017) Leah Lowenstein Award (2010) Roy M. Pitkin Award (2010) Bohmfalk Award (2007) Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Teaching Award (2006) Dr. Illuzzi has been a strong advocate for medical education reform and student mentorship. She previously served as clerkship director and curriculum director, and has played key roles in Yale’s curriculum redesign and LCME reaccreditation. She has also led quality improvement initiatives in labor care and contributed to national guidelines on neonatal resuscitation. Her collaborative research network includes frequent co-authors such as Xiao Xu and Katherine Harper Campbell.
David J Mehlman, MD serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine (Cardiology) at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, with clinical practice at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. His expertise spans echocardiography, general cardiology, and prosthetic heart valve disease management. His academic training includes: MD from Johns Hopkins University (1973) Internal Medicine Intern at Johns Hopkins Hospital (1974) Medicine Resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital (1976) Cardiology Fellowship at University of Chicago Hospitals (1978) Dr. Mehlman's research focuses on structural heart disease mechanisms and diagnostic applications, particularly in valve prostheses evaluation and exercise-induced cardiac adaptations. His work bridges clinical cardiology with cardiovascular imaging techniques to address complications in valvular interventions and transplant-related cardiomyopathies. His publication history reveals consistent contributions to cardiovascular pathology, with emphasis on aortic homograft performance, amyloidosis-related cardiac deterioration, and athlete physiology. Key methodologies involve advanced echocardiography and radiofrequency ultrasound for prosthetic valve assessment. He maintains prestigious recognition as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor across multiple years: Castle Connolly Top Doctor (2019) Castle Connolly Top Doctor (2018) Castle Connolly Top Doctor (2017) Castle Connolly Top Doctor (2016) Castle Connolly Medical Top Doctor (2006) Castle Connolly Medical Top Doctor (2005) Castle Connolly Medical Top Doctor (2005) Castle Connolly Medical Top Doctor (2004) Board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Dr. Mehlman integrates clinical practice with ongoing research in structural heart disease while adhering to Northwestern's professional disclosure standards.
