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Before becoming an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at Duke University School of Medicine, Audrey L. Blewer, PhD, MPH, completed the MPH program at Penn, where she developed her expertise in epidemiology and gained experience working within an academic medical center that helped prepare her for her career in research and academia.

Natalia Irvine, MPH, is a Research Project Manager with the Center for Health Innovations in Reproductive and Perinatal Population Research (CHIRP). Her work supports research focused on advancing reproductive and […]

Xinyao Jian is a Ph.D. student in Mathematics and Computational Science at the University of Pennsylvania, advised by Dr. Yong Chen. She is also a member of PennCIL, a Penn […]

Tingyin Wang is a Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania, where she has been studying since fall 2024. Her primary research interest is complex (algebraic) geometry, with broader […]

Lu Li is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in the Applied Math and Computational Science (AMCS) program at the University of Pennsylvania and a member of PennCIL, a Penn research center […]

Yuqing Lei, MS, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a master’s degree in biostatistics. She is currently a member of PennCIL, a Penn research center focused on advancing clinical […]

Siqi Chen is a Ph.D. student in Applied Math & Computational Science at the University of Pennsylvania, advised by Dr. Yong Chen. She received her B.S. in Mathematics and Applied […]

Jasmine H. Kaidbey, PhD, MS, is a nutrition scientist whose research has focused on water and sweetened beverage consumption among children and adults in the US. Her work has investigated […]

Sagnik Bhadury is a Research Associate in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. He completed his postdoctoral training in Computational […]

Brian Lee, PhD, is a new member of the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics whose work focuses on population brain health, including the developmental origins of autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. In this Q&A, Brian shares what inspired his work, the real-world challenges it addresses, and what drew him to DBEI.

A new study co-authored by Ali Hamedani examines visuospatial impairment in older adults and its association with cognitive and functional outcomes.

Researchers from DBEI examine a new approach to aligning large language models with diverse human preferences, with potential applications for AI in medicine and clinical decision-making.

Before becoming a Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Pennsylvania, Peter F. Cronholm, MD, MSCE, CAQHPM, completed the Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology (MSCE) program at Penn, where he developed the skills and training to support his career as a clinical researcher.

Jing Wang is currently working as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania. He obtained his PhD at the University of […]

In this Faculty Spotlight video, Zhi Huang, PhD, discusses his research using artificial intelligence and medical imaging to develop new approaches for healthcare. He shares how his work is helping advance biomedical research and support pathologists in understanding and diagnosing disease.

Tianhua Zhai, PhD, is a biomedical researcher specializing in AI-driven drug discovery, molecular simulation, and generative protein design. His expertise spans large-scale machine learning, biophysics, medicinal chemistry, and biological mechanism […]

Before joining the University of Pennsylvania as an NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Neurology, Bernadette D'Alonzo, BA, MPH, PhD, completed her PhD in Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania, where she received advanced training in epidemiologic methods to support her career as a public health researcher.

Dr. Jinbo Chen, Professor of Biostatistics at DBEI, led a four-session workshop on statistical methods for risk modeling and model evaluation, sharing in-house methodologies developed to ensure health algorithms remain accurate, fair, and sustainable.

I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania, advised by Prof. Mingyao Li. My work sits at the intersection of […]

Dr. Haley L. Thomas is a reproductive epidemiologist who explores the structural, social, and interpersonal factors that impact sexual health, reproductive health, and childbearing trajectories across the life course. She […]

DBEI's Bonnie Ky and Jinbo Chen have received an NHLBI R01 grant to develop better tools for predicting and reducing cardiovascular risk in men with prostate cancer.

A new Penn study introduces the first cardiovascular risk model built specifically for people who use stimulants, offering clinicians a practical tool to identify high-risk patients early.

Xiang Li, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Division of Biostatistics within the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania. He works under the joint […]

Tingxuan Han is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania, working with Dr. Yong Chen. She obtained her PhD in Statistics […]

Shuang Sun is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania, working with Dr. Wensheng Guo. Her research interests include functional data […]

Xinran Miao is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, where she works with Alex Levis and Nandita Mitra. She received Ph.D. in Statistics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison […]

Daniel Xu, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Biostatistics and Epidemiology in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. He is […]

Yue Wu is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. Her research focuses on statistical machine learning […]

Vijay is an Application Developer in the Wagenaar Lab. He focuses on designing, building, and maintaining robust software for Pennsieve–a cloud-based data management platform built to accelerate collaborative, reproducible biomedical […]

Mariella Brillantes is a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Division of Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania. She received her MPH in Epidemiology and Health Analytics and her BS in […]

Mingling Ge, MS, is a Research Coordinator in the Wagenaar Lab at the Center for Neuroengineering & Therapeutics, where he builds the data infrastructure behind Epilepsy.Science – an NIH-funded initiative […]

Dr. Rasika Venkatesh is an NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow working with Dr. Dokyoon Kim in Informatics Division of DBEI. She completed her PhD in Genomics and Computational Biology at the University […]

Dr. Wolf is a postdoctoral researcher in the Center for Causal Inference working with Drs. Ashkan Ertefaie and Nandita Mitra. His current research focuses on developing statistical methods for just-in-time […]

Jie Hu is a Research Associate at the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on developing statistical and machine learning […]

Qi Long, PhD, has been granted a dual primary appointment in Informatics, in addition to his existing primary appointment in Biostatistics, strengthening cross-divisional collaboration within DBEI.

In this Faculty Spotlight video, Joost Wagenaar, PhD, shares insights into his research on biomedical informatics, large-scale data integration, and the software platforms used to advance collaborative science and accelerate clinical impact.

David Mandell, ScD, is a researcher in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics whose work focuses on improving health care for people with or at risk of psychiatric or developmental disabilities, with a particular focus on autism. In this Q&A, David shares what inspired his work, the real-world challenges it addresses, and what he values most about DBEI's collaborative environment.

Antonio Olivas-Martinez, PhD, MD, is a postdoctoral researcher in Biostatistics and Epidemiology within the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. He […]

Yong Chen, PhD, has been granted a dual primary appointment in Informatics, in addition to his existing primary appointment in Biostatistics, strengthening cross-divisional collaboration within DBEI.

Michael Levy, PhD, co-authored a new study exploring an adaptive approach to vector control inspired by the immune system, showing promise in an ongoing Chagas disease campaign in Peru.

CHIRP researchers found that women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly known as PCOS, face a significantly higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular disease.

Jaesik Kim is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Kim Lab within the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics (DBEI) at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Kim’s research interests center on […]

Dr. Dong-gi Lee is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Informatics Division at DBEI. He leverages artificial intelligence to untangle complex biological and clinical data, effectively bridging advanced computational methodologies with […]

Dr. Jessie Torgersen is an Assistant Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. She is the Director of the Penn Center […]

A new publication from Sean Hennessy examines how climate change influences medication use and highlights opportunities to build more resilient and sustainable healthcare systems.

CHIRP postdoctoral fellow Yajnaseni Chakraborti has received an NIH Pathway to Independence (K99/R00) Award to study how everyday endocrine-disrupting chemicals may affect fertility and early pregnancy.

Sriharsha Mopidevi, MS, is a software engineer and researcher in the AI-4-AI Lab within the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics whose work focuses on developing privacy-preserving AI systems for clinical research. In this Q&A, Sriharsha shares what inspired his work, the real-world challenges it addresses, and what he values most about DBEI's collaborative environment.

Carmen E. Guerra is a co-author of the latest American Cancer Society colorectal cancer screening guideline, which introduces new screening options and updates recommendations for average-risk adults.

Dr. Haitao Chu is an Adjunct Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania. He has over 20 years of leadership experience in the academic institutions and pharmaceutical industry. His […]

Yiwen Lu is an Instructor at the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on developing AI and causal […]

Dr. Ian Barnett is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania where he leads an NIH-funded research program of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers that focuses […]

Dr. LauraEllen Ashcraft has been appointed Associate Editor of Implementation Science Communications, a leading peer-reviewed journal in implementation science, recognizing her expertise and contributions to advancing the field.

Sean Hennessy, PharmD, PhD, co-authored a new publication examining limitations in current cardiovascular disease risk prediction methods and the need for more precise approaches to improve accuracy and equity across diverse populations.

In this Faculty Spotlight video, Russell Taki Shinohara, PhD, shares insights into his research on multiple sclerosis, medical imaging, and the statistical methods used to better understand disease progression and advance precision medicine.

Jedrek Wosik, MD, MMCi, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine (Informatics) in the Division of Informatics in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania. He […]

Aristeidis (Aris) Sotiras, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Radiology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, with secondary appointments in the Departments of Electrical and […]

Vishnu Potluri, MD, MPH is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Epidemiology, at the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, and a Senior Scholar at the Center […]

Andrea L. Jones, MD, MSCE, is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Epidemiology in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania. She […]

Despite nationwide declines in blood lead levels, a new study by Aimin Chen, MD, PhD, finds that racial and socioeconomic disparities in childhood lead exposure persist, underscoring the need for continued prevention efforts.

Dr. Hanieh Razzaghi is an informatics researcher focused on advancing the quality as well as reproducibility and replicability of clinical data for research within learning health systems and multi-institutional research […]

Dr. Dominique Duncan is an Associate Professor of Neurology, Bioengineering, Informatics, and Neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on biomedical data infrastructure and multimodal data integration for […]

Dr. Zhe Chen is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (DBEI) at the University of Pennsylvania. Before joining the faculty, she was a Postdoctoral […]

DBEI is proud to congratulate Yong Chen, PhD, on being elected a 2026 Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics in recognition of his outstanding contributions to biostatistics and statistical science.

Drs. Qi Long and Robert Gross have received a $6 million NIH/NIMH R01 grant to develop multimodal AI tools that enhance HIV prevention, care, and clinical decision-making.

Qi Long, PhD, has been elected to the 2026 Class of AIMBE Fellows, one of the highest professional honors in medical and biological engineering.

Before joining Penn Medicine and CHOP as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Attending Neonatologist, Sarah Coggins, BA, MD, MSCE, completed her MSCE at the University of Pennsylvania, where she received advanced training in clinical epidemiology and biostatistics to support her career as a neonatal clinician-investigator.

Jeffrey Morris, PhD, was featured in a New York Times article discussing the FDA's decision to block publication of large COVID-19 vaccine safety studies and the importance of transparent scientific research.

Join Michael Harhay for a free online webinar, A Practical Introduction to Bayesian Methods for Clinical Research, hosted by NIHR RSS. This introductory session will explore how Bayesian methods can be applied in clinical research and is open to all participants.

Mingyao Li, PhD, has received the prestigious IMS Medallion Award and been selected as an IMS Medallion Lecturer for the 2028 Joint Statistical Meetings in Philadelphia.

In this Faculty Spotlight video, LauraEllen Ashcraft, PhD, shares insights into her research on implementation science, maternal health, and efforts to improve access to evidence-based care.

Dr. Beth Pineles finds federal data may miss many severe maternal morbidity cases, raising concerns about the accuracy of national statistics.

AWS recently highlighted work led by Joost Wagenaar on scalable cloud-native infrastructure for biomedical research, featuring the Pennsieve platform as a model for secure scientific data management and collaboration at scale.

In a new STAT First Opinion, Charles E. Leonard argues that access to air conditioning should be treated as essential preventive care as extreme heat increasingly threatens people living with chronic diseases.

DBEI is pleased to welcome Andrew J. King, PhD, as Assistant Professor of Informatics.

In this Faculty Spotlight video, Ricardo Castillo, PhD, shares insights into his research on rabies epidemiology, transmission dynamics, and efforts to improve vaccination coverage in endemic regions.

Before joining the Perelman School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Stephen Bagley, MD, MSCE, completed his MSCE at the University of Pennsylvania, where he trained in clinical epidemiology through the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

Lin-Chieh Meng, BSPharm, MS, is a researcher in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics whose work centers on using causal inference methods to analyze real-world data and generate evidence for clinical decision-making and health policy. In this Q&A, Lin reflects on what inspired a research journey rooted in clinical practice and what is most valued about the collaborative DBEI community.

A study co-authored by Aimin Chen links early PFAS exposure to lower bone density in adolescents, raising concerns about effects on skeletal development.

Congratulations to Michael Harhay on being selected for the 2026–27 Penn Fellows cohort, recognizing his leadership and contributions as a mid-career faculty member.

Kyle Stanley, PhD, is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics whose work centers on developing novel statistical methods to analyze wearable device data using functional data analysis, distributional modeling, and machine learning. In this Q&A, he reflects on what inspired his research journey and what he values most about the collaborative DBEI community.

Dr. Sharon Xie helped lead a study linking air pollution to worsened Alzheimer’s disease, published in JAMA Neurology and named a top 20 Penn breakthrough of 2025.

In a recent The Hill article, Sean Hennessy highlights the critical role of NHANES in shaping public health—and warns that the program now faces serious risk.

Congratulations to Mingyao Li on receiving the 2026 Michael P. Nusbaum Graduate Student Mentoring Award, recognizing her outstanding dedication to mentoring and supporting graduate students.

In this Faculty Spotlight video, Jordana Cohen, MD, MSCE, shares insights into her research on hypertension and efforts to improve blood pressure detection and care.

A new JAMA study by Dr. Jordana Cohen looks at how smartwatch alerts could impact the detection and understanding of high blood pressure.

Huilin Tang, PhD, is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics whose work centers on advancing precision medicine for diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases through pharmacoepidemiology and data science. In this Q&A, he reflects on what inspired his research journey and what he values most about the collaborative DBEI community.

Anne Marie McCarthy, PhD, is featured on a new podcast discussing racial differences in background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) on breast MRI and how these findings may inform breast cancer risk assessment and screening.

Congratulations to Dr. Peter Merkel, who has been named a finalist for the Clinical Research Forum’s 2026 Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Awards for his New England Journal of Medicine publication on treating giant cell arteritis.

Kevin B. Johnson, MD, MS, co-authored a National Academy of Medicine report guiding the ethical use of AI in health and medicine.

Congratulations to Dr. Yong Chen on his RECOVER-EHR study being named a 2026 Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement.

A DBEI-led study found rising psychotropic medication use among U.S. youth, along with growing safety concerns such as polypharmacy and potential drug–drug interactions.

A study co-authored by PhD student Julia DiTosto analyzed data from more than 2.7 million individuals and found that uterine fibroids may be associated with a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Before joining the Perelman School of Medicine as an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Cameron Baston, MD, MSCE, completed his MSCE at the University of Pennsylvania.

Zixuan (Eleanor) Zhang, PhD, is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics whose work focuses on statistical and computational methods in statistical genetics. In this Q&A, she shares what inspired her research and what she values about the DBEI community.

Jeffrey S. Morris, PhD, analyzes the U.S. vaccine safety monitoring system and suggests improvements in a new APPC white paper.

Save the Date – March 17, 2026. Join Penn CFAR and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health for a workshop highlighting opportunities for collaborative HIV research and high-impact partnerships supporting Ending the HIV Epidemic in Philadelphia.

In a recent interview, Dr. Sean Hennessy highlights how scientific evidence and advocacy can drive FDA label changes that expand access to safe, effective medications.

Dr. LauraEllen Ashcraft has been named Co-Director of AMETHIST@Penn, where she will help lead efforts to support the NIH IMPROVE initiative and advance equitable maternal health research through implementation science.

Kyle Busse, PhD, MPH, is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics whose work focuses on how lifestyle factors influence reproductive and perinatal health. In this Q&A, he discusses the experiences that shaped his research interests and what he values about being part of the DBEI community.

A new paper led by DBEI faculty member Mingyao Li, PhD, introduces smart spatial omics (S2-omics), an automated workflow that improves the rigor and reproducibility of spatial omics experiments.