At the University of Michigan School of Public Health, more than 200 professors and research scientists teach tomorrow’s public health leaders and perform cutting-edge research that helps advance the field of public health. Many faculty members are leading experts in their fields who consult with governments, communities, and nongovernmental organizations.

Meet Our Faculty


Faculty who have expertise in Chronic Disease

Sara Adar Sara Dubowsky Adar, ScD, MHS
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Associate Chair, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Environmental Health, Global Public Health, Health Equity

Minal Patel Minal R Patel, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Associate Chair, Health Behavior and Health Education

Areas of Expertise
Cancer, Chronic Disease, Health Care, Health Communication, Health Equity

Kelly Bakulski Kelly M. Bakulski, PhD
  • Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
  • Data Management and Statistical Core Leader, Michigan
  • Alzheimer's Disease Research Center

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Environmental Health, Genetics, Mental Health, Precision Health, Reproductive Health

Ana Baylin Ana Baylin, MD, DrPH
  • Associate Professor, Nutritional Sciences
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Associate Professor, Global Public Health

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Global Public Health, Nutrition

Michael Boehnke Michael Boehnke, PhD
  • Richard G. Cornell Distinguished University Professor of Biostatistics

Areas of Expertise
Biostatistics, Chronic Disease, Genetics, Global Public Health, Precision Health

Dave Bridges Dave Bridges, PhD
  • Associate Professor, Nutritional Sciences

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Maternal Health, Nutrition, Precision Health, Reproductive Health

James Buszkiewicz James H Buszkiewicz, PhD, MPH
  • Research Investigator, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Health Equity, Health Policy, Mental Health, Nutrition

Cathleen Connell Cathleen M Connell, PhD, MS
  • Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Mental Health

Melissa Creary Melissa Creary, PhD, MPH
  • Assistant Professor, Health Management and Policy
  • Assistant Professor of Global Public Health

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Global Public Health, Health Equity, Health Policy, Racism

Nancy Fleischer Nancy L Fleischer, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Health Equity, LGBT Health, Racism, Substance Use

Arline Geronimus Arline T Geronimus, ScD
  • Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Health Equity, Maternal Health, Racism, Reproductive Health, Urban Health

Wei Hao Wei Hao, PhD
  • Research Assistant Professor, Biostatistics 

Areas of Expertise
Biostatistics, Cancer, Chronic Disease, Child Health, Environmental Health

Kevin He Kevin He, PhD
  • Research Associate Professor, Biostatistics

Areas of Expertise
Biostatistics, Cancer, Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Genetics, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Equity, Precision Health

Mary Janevic Mary Janevic, PhD, MPH
  • Research Associate Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Health Equity

Jihyoun Jeon Jihyoun Jeon, PhD, MS
  • Associate Research Scientist, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Biostatistics, Cancer, Chronic Disease, Substance Use

Sharon Kardia Sharon L.R. Kardia, PhD
  • Associate Dean for Education
  • Millicent W. Higgins Collegiate Professor of Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease

Carrie Karvonen-Gutierrez Carrie A Karvonen-Gutierrez, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Environmental Health, Reproductive Health, Women’s Health

Lindsay Kobayashi Lindsay C Kobayashi, PhD, MSc
  • John G. Searle Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
  • Faculty Affiliate, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research
  • Assistant Professor of Global Public Health

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Cancer, Chronic Disease, Global Public Health, Health Equity

Aleda (Allie) Leis Aleda (Allie) M. Leis, PhD, MS
  • Research Investigator, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Biostatistics, Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Health Informatics, Precision Health, Women’s Health

Yi Li Yi Li, PhD
  • M. Anthony Schork Collegiate Professor of Biostatistics
  • Professor, Global Public Health

Areas of Expertise
Biostatistics, Cancer, Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Firearm Injury Prevention, Genetics, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Equity, Health Policy, Infectious Disease, Substance Use

Lynda Lisabeth Lynda Lisabeth, PhD, MPH
  • Professor, Epidemiology
  • Research Professor, Neurology

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Health Equity, Women’s Health

Peter Mancuso Peter Mancuso, PhD, MS
  • Associate Professor, Nutritional Sciences
  • Faculty member, Graduate Program in Immunology

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Infectious Disease, Nutrition

Alison Mondul Alison M Mondul, PhD, MSPH
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Cancer, Chronic Disease, Environmental Health, Precision Health

Sung Kyun Park Sung Kyun Park, ScD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Associate Professor, Environmental Health Sciences
  • Affiliated Faculty, Kresge Hearing Research Institute, University of Michigan, Medical School

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Environmental Health, Women’s Health

John Piette John Piette, PhD, MPH
  • Professor, Health Behavior Health Education
  • Professor, Global Public Health
  • Director, UM Center for Managing Chronic Disease
  • VA Senior Career Scientist

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Communication, Health Informatics, Mental Health, Precision Health

Michael Rubyan Michael A. Rubyan, PhD, MPH
  • Clinical Assistant Professor, Health Management and Policy

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Health Communication, Health Equity, Health Informatics, Health Policy, Urban Health

Edward Ruiz-Narvaez Edward A Ruiz-Narvaez, ScD, MS
  • Associate Professor, Nutritional Sciences

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Genetics, Nutrition

Young Ah Seo Young Ah Seo, PhD
  • Assistant Professor, Nutritional Sciences

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Child Health, Environmental Health, Genetics, Nutrition, Precision Health

Jennifer Smith Jennifer A Smith, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor of Epidemiology
  • Research Associate Professor, Survey Research

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Genetics, Precision Health

Peter Song Peter X. K. Song, PhD
  • Professor, Biostatistics

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Biostatistics, Chronic Disease, Child Health, COVID-19, Environmental Health, Infectious Disease, Nutrition

Xin Wang Xin Wang, PhD, MPH
  • Research Investigator, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Environmental Health, Mental Health, Nutrition, Precision Health, Reproductive Health, Women’s Health

John Ayanian John Z. Ayanian, MD, MPP
  • Alice Hamilton Distinguished University Professor of Medicine and Healthcare Policy

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Cancer, Chronic Disease, Health Care, Health Equity, Health Policy

Mark Bicket Mark C. Bicket, MD, PhD
  • Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology
  • Assistant Professor, Health Management and Policy

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Health Care, Health Policy, Substance Use, Women’s Health

Michele Heisler Michele Heisler, MD, MPA
  • Professor, Internal Medicine
  • Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Research Scientist, Center for Clinical Management Research
  • Staff Physician

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Equity, Urban Health

William Herman William H. Herman, MD, MPH
  • Professor, Internal Medicine
  • Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Research Scientist, Center for Clinical Management Research

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Policy

Gretchen Piatt Gretchen A Piatt, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Learning Health Sciences
  • Associate Professor, Health Behavior and Health Education
  • Co-Director, Michigan Center for Diabetes Translational Research

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Health Care, Health Equity

Sarah Reeves Sarah L Reeves, PhD, MPH
  • Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
  • Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
  • Director, Child Health Evaluation and Research Fellowship

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Child Health, Health Care, Health Informatics, Health Policy

Amy Rothberg Amy E Rothberg, MD, DABOM
  • Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes
  • Adjunct Professor, Nutritional Sciences

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Health Care, Maternal Health, Nutrition, Reproductive Health

Lawrence Bielak Lawrence F Bielak, DDS, MPH
  • Associate Research Scientist Emeritus, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Genetics, Women’s Health

Millicent Higgins Millicent W. Higgins, MB, BS, MD, DPH, FAACP (hc)
  • Professor Emeritus, Epidemiology
  • Professor Emeritus, Internal Medicine

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease

Hal Morgenstern Hal Morgenstern, BArch, MRP, PhD
  • Professor Emeritus, Epidemiology
  • Professor Emeritus, Environmental Health Sciences
  • Professor Emeritus, Urology, Medical School

Areas of Expertise
Cancer, Chronic Disease, Environmental Health, Health Equity, Racism

Vasantha Padmanabhan Vasantha Padmanabhan, MS, PhD
  • Professor emerita (In service), Pediatrics
  • Professor emerita (In service), Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Professor emerita (In service), Molecular and Integrative physiology

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, Child Health, Environmental Health, Maternal Health, Reproductive Health, Women’s Health

Victoria Convertino Victoria L. Convertino, JD
  • Lecturer, Public Health Law

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Environmental Health, Health Equity, Health Policy, Infectious Disease, Maternal Health, Public Health Practice, Reproductive Health, Substance Use, Women’s Health

Terrisca Des Jardins Terrisca Des Jardins, MHSA
  • Executive Director, Center for Health and Research Transformation
  • Lecturer, Health Management and Policy

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Health Care, Health Equity, Health Informatics, Health Policy, Public Health Practice