EQ-BEST Faculty Mentors
James C. Anthony, MSc, PhD
Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Dr. Anthony’s studies focus on the hazards of getting involved with alcohol, nicotine, or other drugs (e.g. cannabis, cocaine, heroin, other opioids.) The work is developmental, with a reach from gestation (e.g., effects of prenatal drug exposures) to late life (e.g., the dementia syndromes; late-life depression).
Kipling Bohnert, PhD
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Dr. Bohnert’s research examines the potential causes and consequences of substance use, substance use disorder, and other mental health conditions. His work also seeks to identify and address gaps in care for individuals with substance use and other mental health conditions. This includes testing interventions for prevention and treatment of these conditions.
Honglei Chen, PhD
Dr. Chen’s team studies major neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia with the ultimate goal of disease prevention and healthy aging.
Dr. Chen’s research addresses two critical issues of neurodegenerative diseases: a) to identify their causes and risk factors and b) to characterize populations at high risk of developing these diseases. As neurodegenerative diseases are chronic and progressive without a cure, early disease identification and prevention are critically important. In recent years, Dr. Chen has focused his research on the poor sense of smell and its role in developing neurodegenerative diseases. He has now expanded this line of research to a much broader and exciting area of aging study – to investigate poor olfaction as a novel marker for accelerated aging.
Danielle Gartner, PhD
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Danielle R. Gartner (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) is a population health scientist whose work is informed by frameworks and methods used in epidemiology, health services, sociology, geography, and Indigenous studies. Her research examines health disparities in women’s reproductive health.
Zhehui Luo, PhD, MS
Associate Professor of Biostatistics and Biostatistics
To evaluate a pilot program for opioid use disorder (OUD) in a large behavioral health organization, Dr. Luo will compare the before and after outcomes of the patients in the pilot program and a matched group of comparison patients in usual care. An update of the literature on the treatment of OUD is needed; and tables of descriptive statistics need to be formatted for potential journals.
Claire Margerison, PhD
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Dr. Margerison’s research examines the social and economic factors and how they influence women’s reproductive, pregnancy, and postpartum health, with an emphasis on understanding racial and socioeconomic disparities in women’s health.
Dawn Misra, MHS, PhD
Chair, Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Dr. Misra’s research focuses on a wide range of social and biomedical factors which may explain the increased risks of adverse birth outcomes among Black families. Her studies include measuring the impact of racism. Dr. Misra is seeking to contribute to a fuller understanding of the pathways which lead to optimal perinatal health and close the gap in disparities.
Mathew Reeves, BVSc, PhD
Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Dr. Mat Reeves is an epidemiologist who focuses on stroke (or brain attack). His work involves oversight and analysis of large hospital-based stroke registries designed to improve quality of care and promote recovery after stroke, which includes efforts to improve the quality of pre-hospital care provided by EMS (ambulance) agencies. He also studies how to improve the experience of stroke patients and caregivers during the transition period following hospitalization and writes extensively on the burden of stroke in women.
Kristen Upson, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Dr. Upson’s research focuses on understanding risk factors for gynecologic conditions that can have substantial impact of the quality of women's lives: adenomyosis, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids. She is particularly interested in the role environmental risk factors, such as toxic metals and endocrine disrupting chemicals.