Scarletter
World AIDS Day Issue: December, 2019
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Keeping the Public in 'Public' Health
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The symposium examined policy-based solutions that focus on the biological, social, and structural components of the disease, including New Jersey’s 2018 commitment to ending new cases of HIV by 2025.
Special thank you to our community and industry partners and the
- Deloris Dockrey, MPH, clinic director, Hyacinth
- Perry N. Halkitis, PhD, MS, MPH, dean & professor, Rutgers School of Public Health
- Caleb LoSchiavo, MPH, doctoral student, department of health behavior, society, Rutgers School of Public Health
- Christopher Menschner, MSW, assistant commissioner, HIV, TB, and STD Services, New Jersey Department of Health
- Judith M. Persichilli, MA, BSN, RN, acting commissioner, New Jersey Department of Health
- Henry F. Raymond, DrPH, associate professor, department of biostatistics and epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health
- Vince Silenzio, MD, MPH, professor and global public health concentration director, department of urban-global public health, Rutgers School of Public Health
- Suzanne Willard, PhD, APN-C, FAAN, professor, Rutgers School of Nursing
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Many Face Depression in Last Year of Life
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The study, published in the
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
, is the first nationwide evaluation of depression in the final 12 months before death. Among the 3,274 participants, the researchers found that these groups of people were more likely to experience depression in their final months of life.
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Exposure to Stress & Plastic Additives
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Women exposed simultaneously to stress and plastic additives late in pregnancy are at increased risk for premature birth, according to a
study that
was co-authored by
Emily Barrett, PhD
, associate professor in
the
department of biostatistics and epidemiology.
The research
is the first to analyze a link between stress and phthalates – a group of chemicals in plastics, personal care products and electronics – and premature births. The findings are the latest in the Infant Development and the Environment Study, which tracked 783 women throughout their pregnancies between 2010 and 2012.
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New Jersey: Record Drop in HIV/AIDS Cases
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Perry N. Halkitis, PhD, MS, MPH
, dean and professor in the departments of
urban-global public health
and
biostatistics and epidemiology,
and
Judith M. Persichilli, MA, BSN, RN
, acting commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health,
spoke to
NJ Spotlight
on the strides New Jersey is making to end th
e AIDS epidemic, with the State on track for a record drop in new HIV/AIDS cases this year.
The news comes as an Ending the AIDS Epidemic Plan – first outlined one year ago at the School’s second annual World AIDS Day commemoration - is being finalized to advance Governor Phil Murphy’s goal to end new infections in New Jersey by 2025 as part of a global campaign to reduce stigma and increase access to medical care and support services. The Plan, which advocates hope will be released early next year, highlights the need for stakeholders to work together to address the biological, social and structural aspects of the disease.
“The Plan recognizes that there are social inequities that drive this epidemic,” said Halkitis, who is also the director of the
Center for Health, Identity, Behavior & Prevention Studies
and serves on the State’s Ending the AIDS Epidemic Taskforce. “Meds alone are not enough to combat the disease,” he added.
While it is not yet clear what might be driving down new cases, those involved with AIDS policy note that New Jersey has worked to expand access to testing, treatment, and preventive medications; they also credit increased public awareness and the continued dedication of local AIDS groups.
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Collaborating with the NJDOH
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Henry Raymond, DrPH
,
associate professor in the
department of biostatistics and epidemiology
,
has been closely working with the New Jersey Department of Health Division of HIV, STD and TB on evaluating the state's HIV case reporting system and providing technical assistance in implementation and analysis of data for National HIV Behavioral Surveillance conducted in Newark and Hudson Counties. He is also assisting with preparation of an HIV epidemiological profile of Essex and Hudson counties for the national end the HIV epidemic initiative. Through this work, Raymond has also been able to provide MPH and PhD students in applied practice, capstone, and work experiences.
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Doctoral Student Receives Competitive Funding
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Caleb LoSchiavo, MPH, doctoral student in the
department of health behavior, society, has been awarded a National Institutes of Health TL1 as one of the five pre-doctoral fellows selected to participate in the New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science (NJ ACTS) inaugural class. NJ ACTS is a state-wide consortium committed to advancing clinical and translational science to develop new therapies and treatments and improve health and health care in New Jersey, and the recipient of a five-year Clinical and Translational Sciences award (CTSA) from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), a component of the NIH.
The TL1 supports research training experiences for pre-doctoral trainees interested in pursuing research careers in multi-disciplinary clinical and translational science. As a TL1 fellow, LoSchiavo receives a stipend, tuition, travel funds and individualized mentorship through courses, seminars, workshops, retreats and hands-on experiences from a multidisciplinary translational research team.
The opportunities provided through this fellowship will give LoSchiavo the skills to implement his doctoral dissertation research project, which will focus on human papillomavirus knowledge, beliefs, and healthcare experiences among transgender populations, building on his previous work at the
Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies (CHIBPS).
“I am beyond excited to be a part of the inaugural cohort of NJ ACTS trainees. This program is going to be an amazing addition to my education at the School of Public Health and my research with CHIBPS.”
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Studying the Migrant Health Needs in Greece
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Jonas Attilus, MD
, and
Sofia A. Funes, DO
, both graduate students at the Rutgers School of Public Health, traveled to Greece last summer as part of the School’s global education opportunity, where they saw the migrant crisis first-hand.
After their visit, Attilus and Funes were inspired to help the migrants that they met by studying the complex, inadequate, and fragile health systems present in refugee camps in Greece.
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Career & Professional Development Fair
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Join us for our
Winter Career and Professional Opportunities Fair on
Friday, December 13, 2019, from 1;00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m
., to network
with a variety of organizations and employers offering a combination of the following opportunities and resources:
- Job and/or internship opportunities for the Spring and/or Summer 2020 semesters and beyond
- Applied Practice Experience projects and opportunities
- Informational interviews for students who may want to work at the organization/employer in the future
- Discussions with interested students about career paths in public health
- Professional trainings, certifications, and/or volunteer opportunities
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Thinking Strategically for 2020
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The Rutgers School of Public Health is undergoing nothing short of a renaissance, and that's why we're thinking strategically as we step into 2020!
To chart the course for continued growth and national prominence, we engaged faculty, students, alumni, staff, and community partners to embarked on a formal strategic planning process beginning in late 2018. The result is our five-year 2020-2025 “living” Strategic Plan that endeavors to deepen the commitment to our
mission
and expand our capacity to realize our
vision
.
You can download a copy of our 2020-2025 Strategic Plan
here
.
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Vivian Li, PhD
, assistant professor in the
department of biostatistics and epidemiology
,
along with colleagues, employs a novel statistical method,
Annotation-assisted isoform discovery (AIDE),
for discovering full-length sequences of messenger RNA molecules, or mRNA transcripts, with accuracy and high confidence.
AIDE is the first bioinformatics tool that uses a statistical testing principle to examine the assembled RNA transcripts and directly control for false discoveries.
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Emily Barrett, PhD
, associate
professor in
the
department of biostatistics and epidemiology, along with colleagues,
examines the epidemiologic literature on the joint effect of chemical and non-chemical stressors on children’s health in a recent publication.
Although there has been considerable research on the risk of individual exposures to chemical and non-chemical stressors, surprisingly few studies have examined how these exposures may work together to influence health.
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Ollie Ganz, DrPH, MSPH, instructor in the
department of health behavior, society and member of
the
Center for Tobacco Studies,
along with colleagues, analyzes symptoms of psychiatric disorders in individuals and the differences in demographic characteristics and tobacco use behaviors between classes of individuals based on these symptoms.
The study's findings suggest that symptoms of a broad range of psychiatric disorders should be considered when identifying individuals with higher risk for tobacco use in both research and clinical settings.
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This summer, the Rutgers School of Public Health and Harokopio University (Greece) are offering "
Food and Mediterranean Culture
" from in Athens and Kalamata.
Dates:
June 11 to June 27, 2020
Location:
Athens and Kalamata, Greece
Credits:
3
The course will provide
in-depth knowledge and analysis of food production and consumption in the Mediterranean region using a food systems approach. Students will learn about the various components of the Mediterranean Diet pattern, its health, economic, social and environmental considerations and trade-offs, as well as how to measure its adherence.
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The
Center on Gun Violence Research, co-directed by
Bernadette C. Hohl, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in the
department of biostatistics and epidemiology, received $2M to continue its focus on producing and supporting original research on gun violence. The Center works in collaboration with, and is supported by New Jersey’s Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE).
Devin English, PhD, assistant professor in
department of urban-global public health, has received support for the second year of his $745,242 K01 award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to develop and pilot an mHealth intervention that promotes effective coping and reduces the negative impact of intersecting racial and sexual minority discrimination on HIV inequities among young Black men.
Leslie M. Kantor, PhD,
chair and professor, in the
department of urban-global public health
, is the recipient of a $158,517 subgrant from the Greater Newark Healthcare Coalition. The overarching project goal is to reduce maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity ratios among Black women who reside or seek care in Newark, NJ.
Jaya Satagopan, PhD, professor in the
department of biostatistics and epidemiology, is the recipient of a $98,260 National Cancer Institute (NCI) subgrant from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s R25 award for building a statistics education program for preclinical cancer researchers.
Stephanie Shiau, PhD, instructor in the
department of biostatistics and epidemiology, is the recipient of a $94,372 Early Career Investigator Award from Tulane University’s Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS) Coordinating Center to study maternal inflammation and immune activation in pregnancy.
Yaqun Wang, PhD, assistant professor in the
department of biostatistics and epidemiology, is the recipient of a $20,913 grant from the NJ ACTS Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD) Mini-methods Program to develop new statistical analytic tools to help development of precision medicine for cancer patients.
Chongyi Wei, DrPh, associate professor in the
department of biostatistics and epidemiology, is the recipient of a $61,774 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) subgrant from the University of Arkansas to prepare for the implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among high-risk men in China.
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21PHirst Series: Signature Speakers
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21Phirst Seminar Series Signature Speakers.
The speakers are part of the 21PHirst Seminar Series, which supports the School’s core areas of education, research, and community engagement and is guided by the principles of social justice and health equity. Each Signature Speaker, nominated by the School’s departmental chairs, embodies and represents these ideals through their work. The individuals are leaders in their fields, thinking creatively and collaboratively to address the complex health and social issues of the 21
st
century.
In addition to providing a lecture, Signature Speakers will engage with 21PHirst Century Scholars – recipients of a highly competitive tuition scholarship – to discuss their experience, networks, and development opportunities.
The 21PHirst Seminar Series has additional lectureship opportunities, including Notable and Branching Out Seminars, which will be offered throughout the semester for visiting researchers.
Seminars are open to all.
Additional logistical and RSVP information will be available soon.
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Till Bärnighausen, MD, ScD, MSc
, is a is a population health researcher who focuses on establishing the causal
impacts of large-scale global health interventions – such as HIV treatment, HIV prevention, and childhood vaccination – on health, economic and social outcomes. He also identifies and tests innovations to improve the delivery of global health interventions through public-sector health systems, and develops new methods for applied population-based health research.
Bärnighausen
has been the principal investigator on grants from a range large science funders, such as the US National Institutes of Health (including five R01 grants), the European Union, the European Commission, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), Elton John AIDS Foundation, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative. He has also received research funding from Harvard, Rush Foundation, William F. Milton Fund, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service, International Development Research Centre Canada, USAID, WHO, UNAIDS and World Bank.
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Katherine Eban
, an investigative journalist, is a Fortune magazine contributor and Andrew Carnegie fellow. Her articles on pharmaceutical counterfeiting, gun trafficking, and coercive interrogations by the CIA, have won international attention and numerous awards. Her first book,
Dangerous Doses: A True Story of Cops, Counterfeiters and the Contamination of America’s Drug Supply
, was named one of the Best Books of 2005 by Kirkus Reviews and was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick.
Her second book
Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom
is a New York Times bestseller and a New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2019. Based on a decade of reporting, the book reveals endemic fraud and dire conditions in the overseas manufacturing plants where the majority of our low-cost generic medicine is made.
Eban's talk is scheduled for
February 10, 2020.
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Hillary Godwin, PhD
, is dean of the University of Washington School of Public Health and professor in the department of environmental and occupational health sciences. She has 15 years of experience as an academic leader with expertise in interdisciplinary collaborative research on nanotoxicology and the chemistry of lead poisoning and its impact on public health. Godwin is trained in chemistry and biophysics, and has supervised research programs in mechanistic toxicology and environmental health for more than 20 years. Godwin previously served as associate dean for academic programs as well as chair of environmental health sciences for the Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles. She also served as chair of the chemistry department at Northwestern University, where she was the first woman hired into a tenure-track position.
Godwin’s talk is scheduled for April 28, 2020
.
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Ali Rowhani – Rahbar, PhD, MD, MPH,
is the Bartley Dobb Endowed Associate Professor for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Washington. He is the co-director of the Firearm Injury & Policy Research Program, leader of the Violence Prevention Section, and director of the Research Core at Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center. Rowhani-Rahbar’s epidemiologic studies have spanned across multiple forms of violence including gun violence, youth violence, bullying, child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, and suicide. He investigates violent victimization and perpetration with an integrated public health and public safety approach. His research on inter-personal violence is focused on the nexus of trauma and crime to inform policies, programs, and practices that prevent violence from occurring in the first place, promote healing following violence, and reduce recidivism. His research on self-directed violence is focused on means safety. Rowhani-Rahbar has contributed to multiple local, state, and national committees’ efforts on violence prevention and injury control. He has served on the firearms subcommittee of the Washington State Safer Homes Task Force for Suicide Prevention, firearm violence research technical advisory group of the American College of Emergency Physicians, research council of the American Foundation for Firearm Injury Reduction in Medicine, board of directors of the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research, organizing panel of the National Academy of Medicine Workshop on Health Systems Interventions to Prevent Firearm Injuries and Deaths, and editorial board of Injury Prevention.
Rowhani-Rahbar’s talk is scheduled for May 12, 2020.
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From Dean Perry N. Halkitis and the Rutgers School of Public Health Family
Here is to a wonderful 2020 filled with
health for all people and populations!
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Career & Study Boot Camp (Newark)
Thursday, December 12 from 4:00pm-7:00pm
Chair Massages & De-Stress Activities (Newark)
Thursday, December 12 from 4:00pm-6:00pm
Career & Study Boot Camp (Piscataway)
Friday, December 13 from 10:00am-12:00pm
Chair Massages & De-Stress Activities (Piscataway)
Friday, December 13 from 12:00pm-2:00pm
Career & Professional Development Opportunities Fair (Piscataway)
Friday, December 13 from 1:00pm-4:00pm
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Rutgers School of Public Health
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Rutgers School of Public Health
683 Hoes Lane West
Piscataway, NJ 08854
732-235-9700
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Rutgers School of Public Health
One Riverfront Plaza Suite 1020
Newark, NJ 07102
973-972-7212
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