Kathryn Lancaster, PhD, MPH: Dr. Lancaster is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology in the College of Public Health at the Ohio State University and the primary investigator of IGNITe. Dr. Lancaster’s work bridges epidemiology and health behavior through the full course of survey, qualitative, and mixed methods research. Dr. Lancaster seeks to understand the engagement in prevention and treatment of substance use and infectious diseases among vulnerable populations. Dr. Lancaster’s research also includes the design, implementation, and evaluation of behavioral and multilevel interventions to reduce substance use and engage those living with HIV into the continuum of care.
Christopher Browning, PhD, MA: Dr. Browning is a Professor of Sociology and faculty affiliate of the Institution of Population Research at the Ohio State University. He is a leading expert in utilizing multilevel statistical models to examine the mechanisms to linking contextual exposures with behavioral health and well-being.
Carlos Malvestutto, MD, MPH: Dr. Malvestutto is an infectious disease physician and Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the Ohio State University. He is also the Fellowship Program Director for the Division of Infectious Disease. He is an expert in the prevention, management, and treatment of complex Hepatitis C cases and has worked as an investigator in multiple Hepatitis C treatment clinical trials.
John F P Bridges, PhD: Dr. Bridges is a Professor in the Departments of Biomedical Informatics and Surgery at the Ohio State University. He is an international expert in advancing and applying methods to promote a greater understanding of the stated-preferences of patients and other stakeholders in medicine and public health initiatives. At the Ohio State University, Dr. Bridges is core faculty within the Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics and Systems Thinking in Health Systems Research and Implementation Science (CATALYST).
April Young, PhD, MPH: Dr. Young is an Associate Professor in Epidemiology and faculty affiliate in the Center for Drug and Alcohol Research at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Young has over a decade worth of innovative and rigorous research on the injection drug use epidemic in rural Central Appalachia by leveraging community-academic partnerships. Dr. Young has published extensively on rural injection drug use, HCV, and methodology for recruitment and data collection among rural people who use drugs.
Angela Hetrick, MPH: Prior to beginning the MPH/PhD-Epidemiology program at the Ohio State University, Angela served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Aboabo, Ghana from 2014-2016. Her experiences with HIV and malaria education laid the groundwork for pursuing a career in epidemiology. Her research interests lie in the intersection of spatial analyses, substance use, and infectious diseases in both domestic and international settings.
Abigail Rinderle: Abigail is a fourth-year student at the Ohio State University studying Public Health with a concentration in Sociology and a minor in Geography. Abigail is interested in sexual health and substance use, particularly the ways in which gender norms impact sexually transmitted infections and bloodborne diseases. These interests led her to become an HIV/STI Counselor and the Director of Sex Week at OSU.
Zoe van Vlaanderen: Zoe van Vlaanderen is a fourth-year student at the University of Vermont studying Public Health with minors in Statistics and Economics. Zoe is interested in health behavior and social determinants of health, particularly in the context of substance use. Zoe’s other research interests include health policy and economics and the interaction between food systems and health.