Faculty
We promote collaborative team science.
Our faculty includes health professionals and public health scientists from multiple scientific disciplines who conduct groundbreaking research and lead award-winning educational programs.
Center Leadership
Lisa A. Cooper, MD, MPH, MACP
Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Health Equity and James F. Fries Professor of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Lisa A. Cooper, MD, MPH's research interests include: Depression and Mental Illness, Hypertension, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Patient-Physician Communication
BIO
Lisa A. Cooper, MD, MPH, MACP, is the James F. Fries Professor of Medicine and the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Equity in Health and Health Care at the Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health. She founded and directs the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity and the Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute.
A physician trained in internal medicine and public health researcher, Dr. Cooper’s work highlights the transformative role of doctor-patient relationships in reducing racial and ethnic health disparities. Regarded as one of the top clinicians and scientists in health equity, Dr. Cooper has designed innovative approaches to improve physicians’ communication skills, patients' self-management skills, and the ability of healthcare organizations to address the needs of populations experiencing health disparities. She has authored more than 300 highly cited and influential, peer-reviewed publications, including the book Why Are Health Disparities Everyone's Problem, and several book chapters—one of which was featured in the Institute of Medicine's 2003 Report, Unequal Treatment.
In 2021, President Biden appointed Dr. Cooper to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, where she advises policymakers on crucial scientific and technological developments. She has been honored with numerous prestigious awards, including a MacArthur Genius Fellowship in 2007, the Helen Rodríguez-Trías Social Justice Award from the American Public Health Association in 2017, the 2023 Eisenberg Award for career achievement in research from the Society for General Internal Medicine, and the 2023 William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research. She served on the Board of The Carter Center from 2020 to 2023. As a respected member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, Dr. Cooper is recognized globally for her research on health disparities in racially and economically marginalized communities.
Deidra Crews, MD, ScM
Professor, Department of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Deidra Crews, MD, ScM's research interests include: Chronic Kidney Disease or Transplantation, Hypertension, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Nutrition, Social Needs
Bio
Deidra Crews, MD, ScM is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, with appointments in the Schools of Public Health and Nursing, the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, the Center on Aging and Health, and the Center for Health Equity, where she is Deputy Director.
Through her work, she has highlighted the root causes of kidney disease among socially marginalized populations and developed interventions to address these issues. Her research has informed clinical guidelines and public policies.
Dr. Crews is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, and the National Academy of Medicine. She has received the W. Lester Henry Award from the American College of Physicians (ACP) and is a Master of the ACP.
The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) has honored her with its Distinguished Leader Award, and she currently serves as ASN President.
Chidinma Ibe, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Chidinma Ibe, PhD's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), Community Health Workers (CHWs), Community-Based Research and Practice
Jessica Yeh, PhD
Professor, Department of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Jessica Yeh, PhD's research interests include: Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Cancer
Yvonne Commodore-Mensah, PhD, RN
Associate Professor
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Yvonne Commodore-Mensah, PhD, RN's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Hypertension, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
Center Faculty
Rexford Ahima, MD, PhD
Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Diabetes
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Rexford Ahima, MD, PhD's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Diabetes, and Obesity
Denis Antoine, MD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Denis Antoine, MD's research interests include: Depression or Other Mental Illness, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Maternal Health
Lawrence Appel, MD
C. David Molina, MD, MPH Professor of Medicine
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Lawrence Appel, MD's research interests include: Prevention and Control of Elevated Blood Pressure and its Cardiovascular-Renal Consequences, Lifestyle Modification
Mary Catherine Beach, MD, MPH
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Mary Catherine Beach, MD, MPH's research interests include: Patient-Clinician Interactions and Communiation, Respect as Manifest through Language in Healthcare
Wendy Bennett, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Wendy Bennett, MD, MPH's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Depression or Other Mental Illness, Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Maternal and Child Health
Jagriti ‘Jackie’ Bhattarai, PhD, MS
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Jagriti ‘Jackie’ Bhattarai, PhD, MS' research interests include: Depression or Other Mental Illness, Cognition, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Multiple Sclerosis
Lee Bone, RN, MPH
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Kelly Bower, PhD, MSN/MPH, RN
Associate Professor
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Kelly Bower, PhD, MSN/MPH, RN's research interests include: Obesity, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Maternal Health
Janice Bowie, PhD, MPH
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Janice Bowie, PhD, MPH's research interests include: Health Equity, Health Disparities, Cancer Control, Spirituality, Women’s Health, Community Engagement, Urban Health
Jeanne Charleston, PhD
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Jeanne Charleston, PhD's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease, Dietary and Physical Activity in Minority Population, Recruitment and Retention of Minority Populations, Racial Disparity
Thomas Cudjoe, MD, MPH
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Thomas Cudjoe, MD, MPH's research interests include: Leveraging Large Datasets to Advance Inquiries Related to Social Isolation and Loneliness, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Subsidized Housing, Human Centered Design, Home-Based Medicine, Aging/Older Adults, Artificial Intelligence
Gail Daumit, MD, MHS
Samsung Professor, Department of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Gail Daumit, MD, MHS's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Serious Mental Illness Including Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder, Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
Cheryl Dennison-Himmelfarb, PhD, RN, ANP, FAAN, FAHA, FPCNA
Sarah E. Allison Professor of Nursing
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Cheryl Dennison-Himmelfarb, PhD, RN, ANP, FAAN, FAHA, FPCNA's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Hypertension, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Community Engagement
Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia, MBBS, MPH
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia, MBBS, MPH's research interests include: HIV, Hepatitis C, Substance Use, Mental Health
Sherita Hill Golden, MD, MHS
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Sherita Hill Golden, MD, MHS's research interests include: Diabetes, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Health System Equity Operations
Yea-Jen Hsu, PhD
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Yea-Jen Hsu, PhD's research interests include: Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Methodology, Program Evaluation
Risha Irvin, MD, MPH
Health Equity Program Director, Johns Hopkins Health System
Associate Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Risha Irvin, MD, MPH's research interests include: Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Health Disparities in Infectious Diseases
Theodore "Jack" Iwashyna, MD, PhD
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Theodore "Jack" Iwashyna, MD, PhD's research interests include: Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
John Jackson, ScD
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
John Jackson, ScD's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Depression or Other Mental Illness, Hypertension, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Analytic Research Methods
Noelene Kimiko Jeffers, PhD, MSN, BS, RN APRN, CNM, IBCLC
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Noelene Kimiko Jeffers PhD, MSN's research interests include: Health Disparities and Equity, Maternal Health, Social Determinants of Health, Women’s Health
Jill Marsteller, PhD, MPP
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Jill Marsteller, PhD, MPP's research interests include: Implementation, Organizations, Evaluation, Learning Health Systems
Seth Martin, MD, MHS
Professor, Department of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Seth Martin, MD, MHS's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
Lena Molly Mathews, MD, MHS
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Lena Molly Mathews, MD, MHS's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Implementation Science
Edgar Pete Miller, MD, PhD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Edgar Pete Miller, MD, PhD's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and Hypertension
Chiadi Ndumele, MD, MHS
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Chiadi Ndumele, MD, MHS's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Diabetes, Obesity, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
Oluwabunmi "Bunmi" Ogungbe, PhD, MPH, RN
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Bunmi" Ogungbe, PhD, MPH, RN's research interests include: Big Data, Cardiovascular, Community Health, Disparities, Equity, Health Technology, Public Health, Quantitative Research Methods/Statistics
Serena Michelle Ogunwole, MD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Serena Michelle Ogunwole, MD's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Diabetes, Obesity, Maternal Health, Nutrition
Eliana Perrin, MD, MPH
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Eliana Perrin, MD, MPH's research interests include: Obesity, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Child Health
Tanjala Purnell, PhD, MPH
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Tanjala Purnell, PhD, MPH's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Chronic Kidney Disease or Transplantation, Hypertension, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
Somnath Saha, MD, MPH
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Somnath Saha, MD, MPH's research interests include: Racial Equity, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Primary Care, Clinician-Patient Relationships, Medical Record Language
Erica Shelton, MD, MPH, MHS, FACEP
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Erica Shelton, MD, MPH, MHS, FACEP's research interests include: Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
Nakiya Showell, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Nakiya Showell, MD's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Obesity, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Maternal Health, Child Health
Nae-Yuh Wang, MS, PhD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Areas of Expertise and Research Interest
Nae-Yuh Wang, MS, PhD's research interests include: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Depression or Other Mental Illness, Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), Maternal and Child Health, Hearing Loss, Intervention to Balance Disorders, Prevention of Postoperative Delirium