Center Scholars

Carissa White Dukes is a DrPH student pursuing the custom concentration track with a focus in pharmacoepidemiology and mental health. She is a dedicated pharmacoepidemiologist having worked in industry since graduating from Indiana University Richard Fairbanks School of Public Health with her Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in 2015. She has a passion for improving mental health outcomes through rigorous research and data analysis and is driven by the potential of pharmacoepidemiology to inform and improve psychiatric drug safety and efficacy. In her current role she analyzes large-scale patient data to understand patient populations, identify trends, risks, and opportunities for precision medicine in mental health. She is committed to advancing the understanding of mental health conditions and the factors that influence their prevalence, treatment, and outcomes. Her research efforts have spanned a wide range of topics, from investigating the safety and efficacy of psychotropic medications to examining the impact of social determinants on mental health disparities.  With a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree, she hopes to gain the academic background and practical experience necessary to tackle complex issues at the intersection of pharmaceuticals and epidemiology in mental health. She also plans to use her acquired skills to contribute to the advancement of precision psychiatry for improved outcomes.

Joseph Hwang is a general internal medicine fellow at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed his M.D. at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and internal medicine residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He also received M.Sc. in epidemiology and has studied prescription drugs and health outcomes in chronic diseases. His research interests include pharmacoepidemiology, diabetes, and HIV.

Corey Joseph is a PhD student in the Department of Epidemiology. Over the past three years, he led global evidence generation activities for the approval and reimbursement of pharmaceutical drugs in the ophthalmology, gastroenterology, and oncology therapeutic areas at Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Before Takeda, Corey held roles of increasing responsibility in the real world evidence group at IQVIA, and in the upper aerodigestive oncology group at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He obtained his MPH from the Boston University School of Public Health and his Bachelors of Science in Public and Community Health from the University of Maryland. His research interests are in the intersection of causal inference and machine learning methodologies.

Michael is currently a part-time MPH student and a Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellow, with a focus area in Addiction and Overdose.  He has spent most of his career as a pharmacist for CVS Health in the Detroit area.  Most recently, Michael has transitioned to a pharmacy advisor within their corporate office, working with a product development team in pharmacy operations.  In this role he helps research, develop, and implement new programs and initiatives with an aim to achieve better health outcomes for patients and communities. His research interests include pharmocoepidemiology and health behaviors as they relate to expanding the role of the community pharmacist in identifying and preventing addiction and overdose. 

Dr. Banda Khalifa is an award-winning physician and a doctoral (Ph.D.) student in the department of epidemiology who works as a vaccine regulatory and policy analyst at the Johns Hopkins International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC).  He was an MPH & MBA Johns Hopkins Sommer Scholar and a Center Scholar focused on epidemiology and biostatistics with a certificate in Pharmacoepidemiology from 2018 to 2020. His MBA emphasis was in health systems, finance, and management, and he graduated as a Beta Gamma Sigma (International Business Honor Society) member. Dr. Banda has led and managed teams in government and non-governmental organizations through transformations that resulted in the organization's go-big objective being realized. He joined the Ghana Armed Forces in 2014 and won the Chief of the Defense Staff Award by Ghana's president after commissioning as the overall best graduating cadet. He led the medical team for Ghana's Aviation team on four UN Peacekeeping missions. Dr. Banda worked as a manager for the Covid-19 response program within the Baltimore City Health Department.  Dr. Banda formerly served as the vaccine and health delivery advisor for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. Dr. Banda received the 2022 alum impact award at the University of Ghana School of Medicine and Dentistry's 60th-anniversary celebration. His research interests include vaccination science policy, effectiveness, and outcomes research.

Randall Kuffel is a PhD student in the Department of Epidemiology. Prior to joining BSPH, he worked as a research associate at the San Francisco VA Health Care System in the Department of Psychiatry. His research has focused on the epidemiology of late-life suicide in the US veteran population, with emphases on antipsychotic medications, frailty, and PTSD.

Aster Meche is a PhD student in the Department of Epidemiology. For the past four years, she worked at Pfizer Inc where she supported real-world evidence generation activities for pharmaceutical drugs in development and post approval, specifically in oncology and inflammation and immunology therapeutic areas. Aster obtained her MPH from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and her Bachelors of Science in Public Health Sciences from University of California, Irvine. Her research interests include measures of quality of care, pharmacy access, utilization to medications, and treatment effectiveness.

Lijuan Zeng is a PhD student in Epidemiology. She previously worked at Statistics Collaborative, Inc. for several years as a biostatistician, providing statistical services regarding study designs and analyses of clinical research to pharmaceutical and biotech companies. She also served as an independent reporting statistician for Data and Safety Monitoring Boards for mainly industry-sponsored phases 2 and 3 clinical trials. Lijuan obtained her MHS in Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and her Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Science from Fudan University. Her research interest includes design and conduct of clinical trials, benefit-risk assessments, and pharmacoepidemiology.

Jinqi Zhan is a Ph.D. student in the Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis Track at the Department of Epidemiology. She completed her MPH (Chronic Disease Epidemiology) at Yale University and worked in a biotech company for several years before starting her doctoral training. She gained experience in clinical trial regulatory submissions, Institutional Review Board applications, data monitoring, and patient recruitment in the US and Asia through executing an international oncology trial. For her future research, she hopes to explore adaptive design clinical trials, precision medicine, and regulatory science in cancer drug development. 

Elizabeth Szymanski is an MHS candidate in the Epidemiology Department, specializing in Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis. She completed a BA in Neuroscience at Oberlin College, Ohio, with a focus on psychopharmacology, addiction science, and cognitive science. Prior to her time at Johns Hopkins, she worked as a Scientific Content Specialist for a life science and healthcare marketing agency. She conducted biostatistics research in genomic neurobiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and served as a research associate for the Cognitive Development Laboratory at the University of California, San Diego. She is interested in pharmacoepidemiology, real-world evidence, and patient advocacy.

Xinyi Sun earned her Bachelor Degree of Medicine with a major in Public Health from Sun Yat-sen University, China. Throughout her undergraduate study, she gained valuable knowledge and skills in epidemiological research and data analysis. Her bachelor’s degree thesis focused on studying the effects of switching ART regimens on renal function among people living with HIV. She is currently pursuing her MHS degree in Epidemiology, where her focus lies in causal inference methodology. Her specific interest extends to the application of these methods in pharmacoepidemiology.

Qilin Deng is an MHS student at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, focusing on epidemiology with a keen interest in pharmacoepidemiology and the impact of lifestyle on diseases. Before joining Hopkins, Qilin earned a Bachelor of Medicine, specializing in Preventive Medicine. Her future research interests include delving into more real-world evidence, conducting benefit-risk assessments, and engaging in pharmacoepidemiology.

Dr. Honest Anaba is a certified Addiction Medicine Physician and full-time MPH student. He is the first practising physician within West Africa to achieve certification from the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM). He translates evidence-based treatment programs into patient care for diverse populations in his region. Beyond his clinical practice, he actively participates in educational, advocacy, and community engagement efforts to enhance addiction treatment and prevention.

Dr Anaba brings particular expertise in behavioural addictions and is a certified co-occurring Gambling specialist. His contributions span beyond the West African landscape. He leads research projects and subcommittee initiatives for ISAM's New Professionals Exploration, Training & Education. He is part of the ISAM Global Expert Network developing telemedicine protocols for Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (TMOUD). He is a peer reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry and serves on the Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee at the American College of Academic Addiction Medicine.

Hsiu-Yi earned her Bachelor degree of Science with a major in Nursing from National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan and is currently pursuing an MPH degree at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Prior to her time at Hopkins, she worked as a registered nurse in a hospice ward and gained internship experience in drug development using AI technology. 

Dr. Sun received her DrPH and MHS from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, an MSc from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, and an MBA from the University of Hong Kong. With over a decade of experience in the medical industry, including roles in pharmaceutical marketing and strategic development for medical devices, she has gained extensive practical knowledge in drug safety and efficacy, particularly in ophthalmological, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases. Shifting her career focus from China to the U.S. and global markets, she is now specializing in pharmacoepidemiology.

Her research interests stem from her industry experience, where she witnessed the complexities of ensuring drug safety and efficacy across diverse markets. Dr. Sun aims to investigate the utilization, effectiveness, and safety of medications and medical devices, with a strong emphasis on real-world evidence to mitigate risks associated with pharmaceutical treatments. Her research interests include examining the use of medicines to treat heart, lung, and blood diseases in the United States. She is committed to applying her expertise to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Ellen Peprah is a dual MPH/MBA student at Johns Hopkins University on the Health, Technology and Innovation pathway. After working in rural and urban Ghana as a medical doctor and experiencing the limited treatment options available for patients, she pivoted into public health to address systemic healthcare challenges. 

Prior to graduate school, she worked as a researcher at the NIHR Global Health Research Center for Non-Communicable Diseases and served as CYHN coordinator at the Commonwealth Secretariat. Her professional interests include clinical development, regulatory affairs, and patient safety, aligning with her goal of a career in pharmaceutical medicine.

Dr. Joseph Kannarkat is an internal medicine resident. He has previously published articles on drug regulatory and health policy in venues like The New England Journal of Medicine, The Journal of the American Medical Association, and The Brookings Institution. His research interests include studying the regulation, use, and reimbursement of therapeutics and the role of regulatory agencies (i.e., FDA and CMS) in these processes. Prior to his medical training, he worked with England’s National Health Service in Cambridgeshire to study health system restructuring and explored innovative approaches to healthcare provision in Kenya. He received an MPhil in Public Policy as a Kanders Churchill Scholar at the University of Cambridge and a Master of Global Affairs at Tsinghua University as a Schwarzman Scholar. Joseph completed his undergraduate education in economics and neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh.

Gbolahan Olatunji, is a trained physician with over three years of practice and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health. He is an MPH Candidate at the Bloomberg School and a Dean and MPH scholar pursuing the Epidemiology and Biostatistics track. He is an accomplished author with over 90 peer-reviewed publications in international journals; he jointly leads an international research network known as the Emerging Researchers Network which serves to drive more quality research output in Africa. His research has been focused on Cardiovascular health and infectious diseases. Some of his published works include articles on Inclisiran siRNA technology in managing dyslipidemia, the role of semaglutide in heart failure, and Oxford's R21/Matrix-M vaccine, among others. His policy-related articles have also been featured in the Lancet journal. He is particularly interested in learning more about clinical trials in pharmacoepidemiology of novel therapies in cardiometabolic disorders and infectious diseases, as he strives to save lives “millions at a time” and “millions in a lifetime”.

Minji Kim is an MHS candidate in Epidemiology, specializing in General Epidemiology and Methodology. Before joining Johns Hopkins, she earned a Pharm.D with honors from Chung-Ang University in South Korea. She mainly worked on the new portfolio launching in the Korean market and alliance management for co-development or commercial partnership deals as part of the business development team at Pfizer Korea. During her time at Celltrion, she contributed to in-licensing portfolio assessments and go-to-market strategies for the Asian healthcare market as a member of the business strategy team. She also worked as a weekend shift clinical pharmacist at the Korean National Cancer Center and led the Philippines Maternal Healthcare Initiative at the Korean NGO 'FreeMed,' addressing the high prevalence of adolescent pregnancy and HIV in Quezon City, Metro Manila. Her research interests include pharmacoepidemiology, drug utilization, and drug access.

Elohor Oborevwori is an aspiring public health professional currently pursuing a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from Kharkiv National Medical University in Ukraine and has extensive experience in public health outreach, disease surveillance, and healthcare management. With a proven track record of leadership in public health initiatives in Nigeria, including coordinating disease prevention programs, conducting outbreak investigations, and advocating for gender-based violence prevention who is passionate about improving health outcomes in underserved communities.

Damilola Bolanle is an MPH/MBA dual degree candidate at Johns Hopkins University, specializing in Health, Technology, and Innovation. She is a Pharmacist with over four years of experience in clinical research, health care, and regulatory affairs in sub-Saharan Africa; she has worked on global clinical trials with Pfizer and Vertex in hematology and nephrology therapeutic areas.

Damilola is dedicated to improving drug safety and effectiveness in underrepresented populations, particularly children. Her research emphasizes addressing the needs of vulnerable groups in underserved regions, utilizing her expertise in regulatory compliance and clinical trial management. Passionate about advancing global health, she aims to integrate pharmacoepidemiology research into health policy,  connect pharmaceutical innovation with patient access, and enhance the availability and effectiveness of therapies for those in greatest need.

Amaka is an MPH student concentrating on epidemiologic and biostatistical methods in public health and clinical research. Prior to joining JHSPH, she obtained her MBBS from the University of Lagos, College of Medicine. She also worked as a clinical associate at PEPFAR/CDC-implementing partner for Nigeria’s HIV program, APIN, where she supported the linkage of people living with HIV to antiretroviral drugs. Her research interests include leveraging real-world evidence in evidence-based medicine, and cardiovascular epidemiology.

Dr. Enoch Opoku Afriyie is a distinguished Attending/Specialist Emergency Medicine Physician from Ghana and a current student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He completed his medical training at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and later specialized in Emergency Medicine, becoming the youngest Emergency Medicine Physician in Ghana in 2019. Dr. Afriyie furthered his training by pursuing a fellowship in critical care management, during which he played a significant role in mentoring and training residents in the field of emergency medicine. His dedication to improving healthcare systems extends beyond clinical practice; he also holds a Master of Public Health (Health Services Planning and Management) from KNUST, where his research centered on road traffic injuries and their impact on public health in Ghana. He serves as a study physician on the Austere Environment Consortium for Enhanced Sepsis Outcomes (ACESO) study in Ghana, funded by the U.S. Government and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine. Currently, Dr. Afriyie is a Dean’s Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Graduate Research Assistant. 

Senam Immana Aku Ametsitsi is a physician from Ghana. She obtained her medical degree at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, where she spearheaded a United Nations Students Association initiative, impacting 200 children battling cancer. Through fundraising events and her collaborative partnerships, she orchestrated free therapy, screening, and awareness campaigns for these children. Senam also successfully secured funds and managed a two-phase cervical cancer awareness project that benefited over 500 women. Before pursuing an MPH/MBA at Johns Hopkins, she managed an under-resourced mother-baby unit, leveraging her professional network to secure timely care for severely ill neonates in tertiary institutions.

Senam is committed to health equity and aims to harness expertise in policy development, business strategy, and management to foster greater healthcare accessibility. She seeks to permeate the pharmaceutical space to create and deliver medications that cater to the unique needs of diverse and marginalized populations.