Pitt Public Health Magazine Spring 2025

Magazine for the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health | SPRING 2025

Prevention

in focus

SPRING 2025

PREVENT

Message from the Dean / 3

Inside

Features

PREPARE

PREPARE

PUBLIC

PUBLIC

HEALTH

HEALTH

PREDICT

PREDICT

Briefly / 26

Department news; Faculty and Alumni news

and announcements

Taking a “Pitt” Stop / 29

Class Notes / 30

Passings—Susanne M. Gollin, PhD, Beaufort B.

Longest Jr., PhD, Clareann Bunker, PhD / 31–32

Fechter Profile / 32

16

FOCUS

In Action

Precision public health at work

in our community.

By Clare Collins

4

PROFILE

‘Gene’ Silencer

Professor Quasar Padiath

discovers a genetic mutation in

junk DNA that prevents fatal

neurological disease.

By Allison Hydzik

Prioritizing Prevention

The figure above represents the reciprocal

elements of public health’s mission to

predict, prepare for and, ultimately, prevent

disease. Each point of the triangle informs

and reinforces the whole.

(See Dean’s Message, page 3.)

8IN-DEPTH

On Point

Pitt Public Health researchers

are harnessing the power of big

data and precision public health

approaches to prevent disease

and reduce the high cost of

health care.

By Michele Dula Baum

Cover illustration by Kari Modén

6

SPOTLIGHT

Excellence on Display

Student research work is

highlighted in first-ever Public

Health Practice Showcase.

By Clare Collins

22

SPOTLIGHT

Alumni at Work

Alumna helps new mothers

to thrive.

By Michael Yeomans

24

PROFILE

Small Ideas, Big Impact

Jody Mich-Basso has a keen

eye for sustainability.

By Amber Curtaccio

ILLUSTRATION BY KARI MODÉN; PHOTO, OASIS FARM

PITT PUBLIC HEALTH 1

MESSAGE

From the Dean

Pitt Public Health

Magazine

“You and I may not live

to see the day, and my

name may be forgotten

when it comes, but the

time will arrive when

great outbreaks of cholera

will be things of the past;

and it is the knowledge

of the way in which the

disease is propagated

which will cause them

to disappear.”

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Michele Dula Baum,

Senior Science Communications

Manager

EDITORS

Jeanine Buchanich, PhD, MEd, MPH,

Vice Dean

Associate Professor of Biostatistics

and Health Data Science

Clare Collins, MA, MEd,

Director of Marketing and

Communications

COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

Joseph Barreto,

Communications Specialist

Amber Curtaccio, Content Manager

Jackie Friedman Hathaway, MEd,

Social Media Manager

Caitlin McCullough,

Web Content Manager

Predict, Prepare, Prevent

Medical science has proven time and again

that when the resources are provided, great

progress in the treatment, cure and prevention

of disease can occur.”

— MICHAEL J. FOX

actor and Parkinson’s Disease research advocate

— JOHN SNOW TO HENRY WHITEHEAD

The Cholera Epidemic of London, 1854

John Snow conducted pioneering investigations

on cholera epidemics in England,

and particularly in London in 1854, during

which he identified contaminated water as

the key source of disease transmission.

CONTRIBUTORS

Mike Friend, MS, Communications

Specialist, Department of Health

Policy and Management

Allison Hydzik, Senior Director of

Public Relations, UPMC

Michael Yeomans, Marketing and

Media Relations Manager, University

of Pittsburgh Office of Innovation

and Entrepreneurship

DESIGN

Landesberg Design

PHOTOGRAPHY

Photos courtesy of the School of

Public Health unless otherwise noted.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Sloane Astorino

Cindy Bryce, PhD

Lourdes Cano, JD

Berthony Deslouches, MD, PhD

Julie M. Donohue, PhD

Tamara Dubowitz, ScD, SM, MSc

Thistle Elias, DrPH, MPA

Mike Friend, MS

Catherine Haggerty, PhD, MPH

Mary Hawk, DrPH

Suresh Kuchipudi, PhD, MVSc, MBA

Yan Ma, PhD

Cynthia McCarthy, DHCE, MA

Tina Ndoh, PhD

Quasar Padiath, MBBS, PhD

Elaine Vitone

Helena VonVille, MLS, MPH

Sally Wenzel, MD

Ada Youk, PhD

Dear Pitt Public Health colleagues,

Pennsylvania is among four states formally

designated as a commonwealth, a traditional

English term denoting a unified community intended

“for the common good.” The discipline of public health

is a commonwealth with like purpose—a community

of scientists, practitioners and students committed to achieving

healthier, more resilient populations.

At the School of Public Health, our No. 1 focus is preventing

disease. This objective is supported with rigorous research

and teaching aimed at identifying and preparing for potential

threats to life and health. Transdisciplinary research consistently

confirms that public health prevention and intervention efforts

are associated with reduced emergency room visits, hospital

stays and overall morbidity and mortality.

Expertise in our discipline has accelerated in both advancement

and gravity over the century-and-a-half since the founding

of the United States Public Health Service. Tools like artificial

intelligence and machine learning, along with whole genome

sequencing and sophisticated statistical health data analytics

are opening new windows into the fabric of our relationship with

the world around us. (See cover story, page 8.)

In this issue, you’ll read more about the concept that human,

animal, plant and ecosystem health are inextricably linked.

Indeed, a majority of emerging viruses first appear in animals.

Surveillance and data analyses are crucial to our ability to predict

how, when and where the next global pandemic may originate.

You’ll also see items on Pitt Public Health sustainability

practices to limit waste in labs, offices and in the field, as well

as featured research projects and alumni and student news.

The inside front cover diagram represents the reciprocal

elements of public health’s mission to predict, prepare for and,

ultimately, prevent disease. Each point of the triangle informs

and reinforces the whole. Faculty across the seven departments

of our school contribute to these efforts according to their

expertise in infectious diseases and microbiology, epidemiology,

data science, genetics, policy, community health and environmental

toxins.

Consistent monitoring provides baseline data, from which data

analysis takes point, enabling us to act in real time. We evaluate

our plans to spot readiness gaps and reduce risks. Measures

thus tried and tested are disseminated across the system in a

continuous loop of observation, evaluation and implementation

that results in efficient, effective prevention.

We live this charge every day at Pitt Public Health.

Maureen Lichtveld, MD, MPH, Dean

Jonas Salk Professor in Population Health

Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health

University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health

CORRESPONDENCE

Share your thoughts with Pitt Public

Health at phmag@pitt.edu.

Pitt Public Health is published by the

Office of the Dean, School of Public

Health. It is produced twice a year

for alumni, students, faculty, staff

and friends of Pitt Public Health. The

University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative

action, equal opportunity institution.

© 2025 by University of Pittsburgh

School of Public Health

2

PHOTOGRAPHY: (LEFT) MITCH STRACHAN; (ABOVE) AIMEE OBIDZINSKI


SPOTLIGHT

Quasar Padiath

RESEARCH

Gene ‘Silencer’

A Genetic Mutation in Junk DNA Prevents

Fatal Neurological Disease

By Allison Hydzik

A

team led by University of Pittsburgh School of Public

Health geneticists has shown, for the first time, that a

gene “silencer” that resides in junk DNA is directly sparing

people from a devastating and fatal progressive neurological

disease.

The discovery, published in Nature Communications, explains why

not all people with the genetic mutation develop the disease—called

autosomal dominant leukodystrophy (ADLD)—and has significant

implications for diagnosis and genetic counseling. It also explains why

the mutation affects only one type of cell, despite being expressed in

most cells in the body.

“The function of gene silencers is only now being understood, and,

in this case, it is allowing us to tell some patients who previously would

have been given a fatal prognosis that they will not die of a cruel and

debilitating disease,” said senior author Quasar Padiath, MBBS, PhD,

professor and chair of human genetics. “Our discovery also explains the

mystery of why a gene duplication expressed in most cells of the body

could result in a disease that only affects one type of cell.”

ADLD is a fatal, adult onset, progressive neurological disease that

affects a few thousand patients worldwide. Previously, Padiath identified

that people with ADLD have an extra copy of the gene lamin B1. This

extra copy triggers the loss of myelin—the insulating material around

nerves that allows them to rapidly conduct pulses. Symptoms, which

include muscle weakness, seizures and cognitive decline, typically

present around age 40 to 50.

The “silencer” discovery was made following a happenstance conversation

between Padiath and a geneticist in a neighboring office at Pitt

Public Health.

“My colleague knew I was researching the lamin B1 gene and

mentioned that a collaborator of his had a patient with a duplication of

that gene, so he asked if I would mind talking with them,” said Padiath.

“Imagine—of 30,000 or so possible human genes, his collaborator’s

patient had a mutation in the one gene I was studying. That patient

started this entire study.”

Padiath consulted on the case and found that the patient carried a

mutation that duplicated the lamin B1 gene, but did not exhibit demyelination

or symptoms of the disorder. He then found two other families

with the mutation but not the disorder.

Using sophisticated genetics tools, including CRISPR gene editing,

novel mouse models and artificial intelligence-based computational

approaches, Padiath and his team identified a genetic element in the

“GENETICISTS ARE ONLY NOW STARTING

TO UNCOVER THE IMPORTANCE OF

JUNK DNA AND REVEAL THAT IT CAN

DIRECTLY INFLUENCE THE CODING

REGIONS OF THE GENOME THROUGH

SILENCING AND ENHANCING ACTIONS.”

QUASAR PADIATH

non-coding—or “junk DNA”—region of the genome. They found that

the element physically interacts with the lamin B1 gene and silences

its expression—but only in specific cells in the central nervous system

called oligodendrocytes. Those cells produce myelin.

The silencer regulates the expression of the lamin B1 gene and is

present in all individuals with normal myelination. People with ADLD

have a duplication of the lamin B1 gene without the silencer—which

results in demyelination and disease symptoms. But an unknown

number of people who have the mutation that causes the duplication

of the lamin B1 gene also have a duplication of the silencer—and they

never develop the disease.

“We have no way of knowing exactly how many people are walking

around with this gene duplication, but don’t know it because they also

have the silencer duplication,” Padiath said. “We’d only find out if they

happened to get genetic testing—potentially for reasons completely

unrelated to concerns about ADLD—and the results flagged that they

have the duplication.”

If a patient’s genetic testing is positive for ADLD, genetic counselors

can now do an extra step to see if they also have the silencer duplication

and, potentially, reassure them that they will not develop symptomatic

disease. Beyond that immediate outcome, Padiath says the discovery

could have implications for a variety of demyelinating diseases, such

as multiple sclerosis.

“Geneticists are only now starting to uncover the importance of junk

DNA and reveal that it can directly influence the coding regions of the

genome through silencing and enhancing actions,” Padiath said. “This

has the potential to lead to a better understanding of a variety of genetic

diseases and point the way to new therapies.”

4 PITT PUBLIC HEALTH 5

SPOTLIGHT

Student Public Health Practice Showcase

The objective of first place winner Gloria

Akhadelor-Job’s community-engaged research

project investigates the support needs of Black

families in high infant mortality rate neighborhoods.

Her goal is to assess knowledge gaps around

neonatal intensive-care unit (NICU) doula care,

and the need to develop NICU-specific curriculum

to provide culturally responsible care.

“I felt my husband

and I were labeled

as combative for

asking questions.”

“Having a therapist

within the NICU would

have been a lifeline…

someone who gets it.”

EDUCATION

Excellence

on Display

Student Public Health Practice Showcase

ALSO PRESENTING WERE:

Chinmayi Bethanabatla, Epidemiology,

Analysis of Stimulant Prescriptions and Fatal

Overdose Risk Among Persons Receiving

Buprenorphine/Suboxone Treatment for

Opioid Use Disorder

“I felt like they were

looking down on me

because I am Black.”

“Support was there,

but I needed more than

just a food voucher and

occasional reassurance.”

“I was mentally

drained…everything

was all about

my child.”

By Clare Collins

Sixteen graduate students from four departments at the School of Public

Health took part in the first-ever Student Public Health Practice Showcase.

Posters highlighted work that students completed in collaboration

with community partners and awards were presented to students, faculty

and community partners. Presenting the awards were Tina Ndoh, PhD,

associate professor of environmental and occupational health; Lina Dostillo, EdD, Pitt

vice chancellor for engagement and community affairs; Tracey Conti, MD, Andrew

Mathieson Professor and chair, Department of Family Medicine; and Elizabeth

Miller, MD, PhD, Edmund R. McCluskey Professor in Pediatric Medical Education,

both School of Medicine; and Dean Maureen Lichtveld, MD, MPH.

Oasis Farm, a Homewood urban farm and greenhouse project associated with the

Bible Center Church, was named an Emerging Community Partner. Farm Manager

Ash Chan and colleagues accepted on behalf of Oasis.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE STUDENT WINNERS!

FIRST PLACE:

Gloria Akhadelor-Job, MBBS (MPH, EPI ’25)

Community-Engaged Research to Develop a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Doula Program for Black Women in Pittsburgh’s Priority Neighborhoods

Sophia Garvin, Behavioral and Community

Health Sciences, The Pittsburgh Hispanic

Development Corporation Housing Initiative’s

Impact on Social Determinants of Health in

the Latino Population in Pittsburgh

Patsy Holtz, Human Genetics, Providing

Quality Diabetes Prevention Education in

Rural Maryland

Elora Kalix, Epidemiology, Community

Perceptions of Childhood Lead Exposure in

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Damaris Kyem, Epidemiology, Hazelwood Girls

Empowerment Program: A Community-Based

Mentorship Curriculum

Brooke Ludwig, Behavioral and Community

Health Sciences, Vitality at Vintage: Promoting

Health Prioritization Through a Wellness

Challenge

Melina Martin, Behavioral and Community

Health Sciences, Process Evaluation of

Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh

Gloria Akhadelor-Job

(pictured). In Akhadelor-Job’s

research project, main findings

from a listening session on

three topics—NICU experience,

postpartum support and

mental health—revealed

emerging themes of targeted

areas in need of support.

SECOND PLACE:

Alyssa Arreola (MPH, HUGEN ’25) and Claire McLean (MA, Linguistics, A&S ’25)

The Healthy Communities, Services and Lifestyles (HSCL) Project:

Elevating Community Voices to Shape Future Health in the Hill District

THIRD PLACE:

Ian Jacobs (MS, BIOST ’24; PhD, EPI ’28)

Evaluating Surveillance Trends in Environmentally Influenced Cancers in

Southwestern Pennsylvania Counties as Compared to State and National Rates

Cindy Pan, Behavioral and Community Health

Sciences, Implementing a Community-Informed

and Equity-Centered Postpartum Care Model for

Black Birthing People in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania:

Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

Joslyn Rodell, Health Policy and Management,

Hazelwood Girls Empowerment Program:

A Community-Based Mentorship Curriculum

Niyati Savur, Human Genetics, Shamrock

Way Pocket Park: A Bridging the Gaps Project

Hannah Williams, Epidemiology, Mapping the

Action: An Asset-Based Approach to Perinatal

Health and Lead Prevention in Pittsburgh

6 PHOTOGRAPHY: JOSHUA FRANZOS


IN-DEPTH

Precision Public Health

Research consistently confirms that public health initiatives

are associated with reduced emergency room visits, hospital

stays and overall mortality. Prevention-focused programs keyed

to mental health, nutrition and substance abuse also lower

long-term health care expenses.

ON POINT

Prevention in focus


Illustration by Kari Modén



“PRECISION PUBLIC

HEALTH EXAMINES THE

COLLECTIVE INFLUENCES

OF ENVIRONMENT,

LIFESTYLE AND GENETICS

ON DISEASE AND HEALTH.

THE GOAL IS TO PREDICT,

PREPARE AND, ULTIMATELY,

PREVENT DISEASES.”

MAUREEN LICHTVELD

Jeanine Buchanich, PhD, MEd, MPH

Vice Dean and Associate Professor of

Biostatistics and Health Data Science

James Fabisiak, PhD

Associate Professor of Environmental

and Occupational Health

BEAVER COUNTY HEALTH STUDY

With funding from the Heinz Endowments,

Pittsburgh Foundation and a University

of Pittsburgh momentum grant, investigators

recruited 60 Beaver County, Pennsylvania residents

to assess levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS)

substances. PFAS are a large group of manmade

chemicals that are used in a wide range of industries

and can be found in the environment, water

and air, and can persist in the human body for

years. By collecting blood from participants and

indoor dust samples from their homes, researchers

hope to better understand the levels of PFAS and

other chemical exposures in the county.

Personal chemical exposure levels were gathered

using silicone wristbands for a week. Chemicals of

interest in the project, including PFAS, are emitted

from both residential and industrial sources. Data

analysis is ongoing to determine any measurable

differences in chemicals between study participants

based on their place of residence in the

county, which is home to the region’s first ethylene

cracker plant.

Discoveries about how genes influence health and

disease have outpaced virtually every other avenue of

scientific research since the Human Genome Project’s

first sequence publication 20-plus years ago, leading

to personalized treatment approaches for cancers

and cardiovascular disease, and increasingly targeted

drug development.

Genetics, however, make up just 5% to 8% of an

individual’s health risk. Environmental, behavioral and

social factors—the essence of public health research—

pack the biggest punch by far. Now, tools like artificial

intelligence, machine learning, supercomputing

power and big data are transforming the science of

public health research into precision disease prevention and health promotion.

“Precision public health examines the collective influences of environment,

lifestyle and genetics on disease and health,” explains Maureen Lichtveld, MD,

MPH, dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. “The goal is

to predict, prepare and, ultimately, prevent diseases.”

Everyone deserves a healthy, resilient community in which to live and thrive.

Building such places also makes good economic sense, she adds.

National health care expenditures are projected to reach $5.3 trillion in 2025

and are expected to exceed average gross domestic product growth by 2032,

according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Some 90% of

those costs are for people with chronic and mental health conditions, according

to the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH).

“Precision public health costs are perhaps a crumb of what this country spends

each year on health care,” says Lichtveld. “Yet the return on investment is so

much greater.”

| EXCESSIVE COSTS

As American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin observed nearly four

centuries ago, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Even more

concretely, ASPPH notes that every $1 spent on public health programs

returns $14.30 in health benefits.

“Insulin isn’t going to treat the core cause of someone’s diabetes if there are

no grocery stores where they can buy healthy food nearby or they can’t walk

outside for exercise in their neighborhood,” says Lichtveld. “Giving insulin is just

treating a symptom of the disease that, ideally, targeted public health programs

can prevent.”

Research consistently confirms that public health initiatives are associated with

reduced emergency room visits, hospital stays and overall mortality. Communitybased

programs keyed to chronic illnesses, mental health, nutrition and substance

abuse also lower long-term health care expenses.

Focusing programs in areas with the greatest need has been a throughline

across the history of public health, also known as preventative medicine.

Precision public health takes the concept even further.

“An individual’s ZIP code is a better predictor of their future health outcome

than their entire genome. We can think of that as a starting point for precision

public health to target better health outcomes in our communities,” notes Anantha

Shekhar, MD, PhD, senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and John and

Gertrude Petersen Dean, School of Medicine. “Why is this ZIP code worse than

the one that’s one or two miles away?”



| PREVENT

Perhaps the earliest example of precision public health took

place during a cholera outbreak nearly two centuries ago in

London. Caused by bacteria, cholera killed millions in the 19th

century. In 1854, a chain of cases piqued the interest of a local

physician who went door to door to plot cholera infections on a map. He

determined that people who got their water from a single street pump

were more likely to be infected.

Today, physician John Snow is considered one of the founders of epidemiology

and early germ theory. The United States Public Health Service,

established in 1873, and the creation of state, municipal and county health

departments, served to improve people’s health by promoting nutrition

and hygiene, improving waste removal and sewage systems, purifying

drinking water and collecting birth and death records.

With the passage of time, epidemiology grew more sophisticated

and precise as researchers parsed specific disease clusters and detailed

more risk factors to predict illness. Disease surveillance and monitoring

food safety and air and water quality remain core public health agency

functions to this day.

Efforts to mitigate COVID-19 infections would have been far less

effective without worldwide surveillance to determine where to direct

resources for testing and vaccines.

Pennsylvania’s Disease Control and Prevention Act of 1955 mandates the

reporting of 26 communicable diseases or conditions to Commonwealth

health departments within 24 hours of confirmed diagnoses. Among

those are viral, fungal and bacterial infections, as well as conditions

like carbon monoxide, food and lead poisoning. More than 50

others, including human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency

syndrome (HIV/AIDS), COVID-19 and any lab-confirmed

influenza must be reported within five days. A handful of genetic

disorders are reportable if diagnosed in children under 5.

“Powerful 21st-century data analytics tools like machine learning

and artificial intelligence are key components of predicting and

preventing future disease threats,” says Suresh Kuchipudi, PhD, MVSc,

MBA, professor and chair of infectious diseases and microbiology,

Pitt Public Health.

“AN INDIVIDUAL’S ZIP CODE

IS A BETTER PREDICTOR

OF THEIR FUTURE HEALTH

OUTCOME THAN THEIR

ENTIRE GENOME…WHY IS

THIS ZIP CODE WORSE THAN

THE ONE THAT’S ONE OR

TWO MILES AWAY?”

ANANTHA SHEKHAR

Alexander Sundermann, DrPH, MPH

Assistant Professor of Epidemiology

Lee Harrison, MD

Professor of Medicine, School of Medicine

Professor of Epidemiology, School of Public Health

HEALTH CARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTION PREVENTION

In work funded in part by the National Institute

of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, investigators

developed and evaluated the Enhanced Detection

System for Healthcare-Associated Transmission

(EDS-HAT), a real-time genomic surveillance

program for outbreak detection and mitigation.

Whole genome sequencing was performed

weekly on health care-associated clinical bacterial

isolates to identify otherwise undetected

outbreaks in a study conducted over two years at

UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. Interventions were

immediately implemented based on identified

transmission. A clinical and economic impact

analysis was also conducted.

The team sequenced 3,921 bacterial isolates from

patient health care-associated infections, of which

476 (12.1%) clustered into 172 outbreaks. Of the

outbreak isolates, 292 (61.3%) had an identified

epidemiological link. Among the outbreaks with

interventions, 95.6% showed no further transmission

on the intervened transmission route. The

impact analysis estimated that 62 infections were

averted during the period, with gross cost savings

of $1,011,146, and net savings of $695,706, which

translates to a 3.2-fold return on investment.

pneumonia or encephalitis, swelling of the brain. In some cases, the

disease can be fatal.

Though measles was once a common childhood illness, the number

of cases dwindled after an effective vaccine was developed in the 1960s.

By 2000, the disease was considered eliminated in the United States.

Vaccination rates have declined in recent years, however, leading to an

increased risk of outbreaks.

New diseases—many of which originate in other species—continue

to emerge, bringing with them new threats to human health. HIV and

SARS CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, first arose in

animals (HIV in nonhuman primates and SARS CoV-2 most likely in

bats), circulating through other animals before becoming transmissible

to humans. Global pandemics of HIV and COVID-19 resulted in tens of

millions of deaths and continue to infect people today.

| PREPARE

Outbreaks of avian influenza have been on-and-off the radar

since the mid-1990s. Since the most recent outbreak began in

the United States in 2022, however, the H5N1 strain has crossed

from migratory birds to infect commercial poultry farms, dairy

cows, rats, cats and led to dozens of cases in humans, accounting for at

least one death in January 2025. (Read more on page 19.)

“The H5N1 D1.1 genotype, recently detected in dairy cattle in Nevada,

is distinct from the previously identified B3.13 genotype found in

cattle,” notes Kuchipudi. “This discovery marks the presence of two

distinct genotypes of H5N1 in dairy cattle, underscoring the virus’s

evolving nature and emphasizing the critical need for ongoing disease

surveillance.”

Had John Snow used some of today’s big data crunching supercomputers

and analytic software, he might have located that tainted water

pump within seconds. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept through the

nation, these analytical tools helped authorities send resources directly

to the hardest-hit areas.

For example, data show that most Americans live within five miles

of a pharmacy. When COVID surveillance revealed infection hot spots,

authorities could better target local pharmacies with supplies of COVID

| PREDICT

Public health officials use these surveillance reports to identify

disease clusters, determine at-risk populations, assess burden

of disease, monitor trends and recommend measures to stop

disease transmission.

A recent measles outbreak in Texas affected hundreds of people,

mostly unvaccinated children and teenagers, leading to the death of one

child—the first measles-related death of a child since 2015. Additional

cases have been reported in Alaska, New Jersey, California, New Mexico,

Rhode Island, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. “Measles is one of

the most contagious viruses in the world,” says W. Paul Duprex, PhD,

director of Pitt’s Center for Vaccine Research.

The virus causes a rash, red eyes, fever and a cough, and is transmissible

via airborne particles. Severe cases can result in blindness,

The EDS-Hat approach is not currently standard

practice at any hospital, the team reported in the

journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. However,

study results indicate the potential impact generated

by genomic surveillance may have on patient

safety and health care.

tests, vaccines and antiviral medications.

“We started vaccinating people with some intention and targeting

communities that were underserved because we could see disparities

beginning to develop,” says Georges Benjamin, MD, executive director

of the American Public Health Association (APHA). “But broader testing

was really needed early on,” he adds. “The minute you have a case or

two in a community, you’re playing catch up.”

“We don’t know where the H5N1 virus is going but now it’s very broadly

interspecies,” Benjamin warns. “We’re really chasing a virus that is

mutating and rapidly going throughout various species and people are

being exposed. There’s a real potential that we can have an explosive

epidemic because we’re not tracking it well enough.”

There has also been a recent outbreak of highly virulent chicken

pox at Penn State University, according to news reports, though the

risk of infection is low for people who have received both doses of

the vaccine.



Christina Mair, PhD, MPH

Associate Professor of Behavioral

and Community Health Sciences

FOCUS ON SEXUAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION

Despite increasing awareness over the past

decade, alcohol-involved sexual violence remains

a widespread concern on college campuses, with

1 in 4 female undergraduates reporting sexual

assaults during college, according to a survey

done by the Association of American Universities.

With funding from the National Institute on

Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Mair’s team is

working with students, campus counselors and

Title IX coordinators on 28 college campuses

in Pennsylvania and West Virginia to develop

an accurate model that simulates the dynamic

relationship between alcohol consumption

and sexual violence risk. The effectiveness of

different interventions will be evaluated using this

model to provide decision-support tools to inform

programmatic changes and policy improvements

to reduce alcohol-involved sexual violence.

“YOU NEED A FULLY

COMMITTED HEALTH

SCIENCES GROUP

TO TAKE PRECISION

PUBLIC HEALTH FROM

A THEORETICAL FRAME-

WORK TO ACTUAL

IMPLEMENTATION.”

ANANTHA SHEKHAR

“We’re doing a much better job with some of the new genomic tools

we’ve got but artificial intelligence is going to allow us to do a lot with

big data analysis and a lot more cross talking with social determinants of

health risk factors and exposure and genetic risk factors—to the extent

that we can use those tools effectively,” says Benjamin.

“On a population level and so many ways, it’s really just a new way

to think about doing what we’ve always done, but in a more targeted

way,” he adds.

For example, Samuel Wittman (MS, BIOST ’20) used an open-source

analytics program called SaTScan to track patterns of fatal overdoses

across Pennsylvania from 2012 to 2017, visualizing overdose clusters

spatially and temporally using state Department of Health data.

“Fatal overdoses reached historically high levels in Pennsylvania during

this period,” explains Wittman, who is now a research data analyst in

the Department of Pediatrics, Pitt School of Medicine. Data analysis

identified significant clusters of overdose deaths in the Pittsburgh region,

Philadelphia and smaller yet significant rates of overdose in Pottstown,

York, Allentown and Hazelton.

“SaTScan helped to inform our understanding of where and how fatal

overdoses spread and to identify critical regions for overdose surveillance

and intervention,” says Wittman.

“We’ve always known that we can’t treat every community the same,

but we’ve often used very crude metrics like age, race, income and ZIP

code to make decisions about where to focus our efforts,” Benjamin

continues. “We’ve learned a lot more about how to target therapeutics

for cancer, hypertension and other conditions based on how people

might respond according to their genetic structure or other phenotypical

metrics.”

These same metrics can now be applied at the community level

through precision public health. Successful execution requires multidisciplinary

collaboration—a practice with which the field of public

health has deep expertise.

| TEAM SCIENCE

the symphony, for instance,” says Paul Wallach, MD, vice

chancellor for health sciences education at Pitt. “You may love

violin music, but when you put that violin alongside cello and

“Take

bass, then bring in the brass, woodwinds and percussion, the

music is so much richer.”

The same holds true for health care. “There can be individuals who

are doing their thing, but when we can effectively bring together the

entire health care system for the benefit of our patients and communities,

it’s an incredible win.”

At Pitt, learning to collaborate starts early. “We are blessed at the

University of Pittsburgh to have six tremendous health sciences schools

full of brilliant people,” says Wallach. “Do you think they could learn

something from each other?”

Each school’s curriculum must, therefore, emphasize the importance

of and offer opportunities for interprofessional teamwork. “Every one of

our schools has a perspective that’s a little bit different. Go back to the

beginning of the past century, though, and public health and medicine

coexisted in the same schools,” says Wallach. In 1916, Johns Hopkins

University formed the first independent degree-granting school of public

health in the United States. The University of Pittsburgh’s School of

Public Health, one of the first in Pennsylvania, was established in 1948.

“Independence helped public health to grow as a discipline, but I’m

going to say it was to the detriment of medicine,” adds Wallach. “I think

we practice better medicine and have better outcomes when we think

through a public health lens.”

The Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) is another

critical partner in facilitating team science at Pitt.

Launched in 2006 with funding from the National Institutes of Health,

CTSI works directly with researchers and regulatory agencies to navigate

all necessary regulatory pathways, at any stage of their research.

CTSI-supported programs and resources extend to all six of Pitt’s

schools of the health sciences—and through community engagement

efforts—to the Pittsburgh region.

Since 2014, CTSI has distributed nearly $700,000 to support projects

undertaken by teams made up of public health and other health

sciences investigators.

“In the past few years, our focus has been on implementation and

dissemination of research findings to improve health, as opposed to

early on in CTSI’s history, when we focused on translating science from

the bench to the bedside,” says CTSI Director Steven E. Reis, MD. “Now

we’re moving translational research from bedside to practice to the

community and, eventually, to health policy, which has great impact

on public health.”

The field of implementation science is embedded throughout Pitt

Public Health curricula and practice, particularly in the Departments of

Behavioral and Community Health Sciences (BCHS) and Health Policy

and Management.

“Implementation science is a field of study that is crucial for bridging

the gap between research and practice, ensuring that evidence-based

interventions are effectively used to improve health outcomes for

individuals and populations,” says Mary Hawk, PhD, BCHS professor

and chair. “It plays a vital role in translating research findings into

real-world improvements in health care and other sectors.”

The bottom line for all Pitt’s efforts is helping to build safer,

healthier communities.

“You need a fully committed health sciences group to take precision

public health from a theoretical framework to actual implementation,”

says Shekhar. “It’s going to take a lot of work but we’re at a good

starting point now.” There was a time when precision medicine—the

idea that knowing the genetic makeup of a cancerous tumor might lead

to individualized immunotherapy to fight that tumor, for instance—

was a pipedream.

“We’re doing that every day now,” says Shekhar, cautioning that

despite what we’ve learned about the interplay of genetics, diet and

environment in human health, much room for improvement remains.

“When you take it to the levels of family units and neighborhoods, it’s

an even greater challenge. “Still, this effort is critical. Pitt Health

Sciences is committed and excited to be partnering with the School of

Public Health as primary convener for precision public health.”


FOCUS


As researchers become armed with better tools and technology,

they drive progress in addressing complex and urgent public health

issues. Whether it’s tracking the spread of bird flu or studying how

the brain uses energy, precision public health is transforming our

approach to solving intransigent problems.

IN ACTION

Precision Public Health in the Community

By Clare Collins

“WE HAVE A LEGACY OF INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY

IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA RESULTING IN

METALS AND ‘FOREVER CHEMICALS’ THAT PERSIST

IN PEOPLE, SOIL AND WATERWAYS.”

ALISON SANDERS

Alison Sanders and Farm Manager Ash Chan

at Oasis Farm in Homewood, Pa.

| SOWING SEEDS OF COLLABORATION

For the past two years, Oasis Farm, a Black-owned and led urban bio-market

garden in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood, has collaborated with Pitt’s Rust

to Resilience (R2R) Environmental Chemical Research Center as both a research

partner and community engagement site.

R2R, a collaborative effort involving clinicians, engineers, toxicologists and epidemiologists

studying the health impacts of metals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

(PFAS), is led by Alison Sanders, PhD, associate professor of environmental and

occupational health and associate dean of research at Pitt’s School of Public Health.

“We have a legacy of industrial activity in Southwestern Pennsylvania resulting in

metals and ‘forever chemicals’ that persist in people, soil and waterways,” explains

Sanders. “By working with organizations like Oasis, we’ve been able to create transdisciplinary

teams of scientists and community partners to remediate affected areas and

work toward meaningful policy changes and disease prevention.”

Oasis serves as a model for sustainable urban farming, with much of its produce—

Afro-Caribbean crops like okra and Lagos spinach—focused on meeting the cultural

needs of the surrounding neighborhood. Oasis Farm Manager Ash Chan teaches and

16

PHOTOGRAPHY: JOSHUA FRANZOS



applies techniques to equip youth and adults to grow their own produce

and use it when they cook.

Similarly, R2R-associated faculty members mentor and train aspiring

environmental health professionals, including undergraduate and

graduate students, as well as postdoctoral researchers.

David Sanchez, PhD, associate professor at Pitt’s Swanson School of

Engineering and R2R project lead, provides faculty leadership for the

University’s aquaponics and hydroponics student clubs, with the latter

system housed at Oasis. This system cultivates fish and plants in a

symbiotic environment where they mutually benefit from each other’s

presence—the fish provide natural fertilizer for the plants, that, in turn,

clean and purify water for the fish.

“It’s really important for us to foster an interdisciplinary mindset in

environmental health research,” says Sanders. “What I appreciate most

about R2R is that we all wear different hats and look at things from

different perspectives. It makes finding the best solutions possible—and

much more engaging.”

R2R was funded by University of Pittsburgh momentum funds.

Co-investigators include over 30 Pitt researchers from across Public

Health, Engineering, Medicine, Arts and Sciences and Computing and

Information.

Community partners include Healthy Start, Oasis Farm and Women

for a Healthy Environment.

| FORWARD MOTION

Watching her vibrant mother grow older has made the challenges

that come with aging feel particularly personal for researcher

and epidemiologist Caterina Rosano, MD, MPH.

Rosano, a professor of epidemiology at Pitt’s School of Public

Health, studies the neurobiological factors behind aging and why some

older adults seem more resilient to its effects.

“When I started this work 25 years ago and my mother was in her

60s, she was super active,” says Rosano. “Back then, I wanted to get

everybody independent and able to walk. Now, I see there are objective

physical limitations that come with age, which has changed my view

of resilience and independence.”

These days, Rosano focuses her research on finding ways to empower

individuals to pursue the goals that matter most to them. “When my

mother is motivated and has an audience, she looks 10 years younger

and even moves differently, putting on her cute shoes,” Rosano says with

a smile. She adds that, as Italians, they take great pleasure in talking

about their mothers—and, of course, shoes.

This playful insight into motivation and movement is closely aligned

with her work as a population neuroscientist, where she explores how

individual experiences and brain function intersect. Rosano examines

the diversity of people’s experiences through the lens of neuroscience,

which explores how the brain’s structure and function relate to health.

One of her primary areas of interest is understanding the differences

between individuals who maintain a brisk gait as they age and those

who walk more slowly, as well as the characteristics and factors that

influence these variations.

“I’M FASCINATED BY THE PROMISE OF DOPAMINE IN

PROMOTING MOOD, MOTIVATION AND MOBILITY.”

CATERINA ROSANO

Rosano’s research suggests that individuals with a quicker gait tend

to have higher levels of dopamine—a neurotransmitter that plays a key

role in regulating movement, motivation and other functions. According

to Rosano, dopamine is a crucial neurobiological factor in resilience,

and essential for sustaining brain energy. Enhancing its levels may

help restore mobility, motivation and the capacity for decision-making.

“I’m fascinated by the promise of dopamine in promoting mood,

motivation and mobility, and how some people have figured out a way

to be efficient in the way they’re using their energy,” says Rosano.

The explosion of research tools and methods, particularly over

the past decade, has allowed researchers to characterize individuals

by physical and biochemical traits with unprecedented precision. By

studying brain energetics—how the brain obtains, uses and regulates

energy—and connecting this to the body, researchers like Rosano can

gain a deeper understanding of the brain’s impact on muscle health and

vice versa.

“The brain and body are in constant communication,” says Rosano.

“It’s not just that the brain makes a muscle move; the brain constantly

releases hormones that benefit the muscles, and the muscles release

hormones that are equally beneficial for the brain.”

Working with colleagues at both the University of Pittsburgh and

the University of Michigan, Rosano is currently conducting studies in

three populations. The first focuses on post-menopausal women in

the Pittsburgh area with a history of preeclampsia or other pregnancy

complications that may accelerate brain aging. The second involves

adults aged 45 and older in Tobago, focusing on the crosstalk between

muscle and brain health. The third examines adults aged 65 and older,

investigating their ability to maintain fast movement despite age-related

challenges in Pittsburgh and Ann Arbor, Mich.

Their goal, along with that of the next generation of scholars Rosano

is training in this multidisciplinary field, is to uncover the complexities

of brain resilience and develop individualized prevention and treatment

strategies.

“If I could convince everyone, including my mother, that they have

access to this type of resilience—and that they can harness it at any

point in their lives—that would be incredibly important,” she says.

| CATS, CARRIERS AND CONSEQUENCES

Recent news headlines—“House Cats with Bird Flu Could Pose

a Risk to Human Health” and “Could Cats Become a Carrier of

Bird Flu?”—originate from a study published in Emerging

Microbes & Infections, raising concerns among pet owners and

public health officials.

In the study, senior author Suresh Kuchipudi, PhD, MVSc, MBA, professor

and chair of the School of Public Health’s Department of Infectious

Diseases and Microbiology, investigated a case of 10 cats that died in

a rural South Dakota residence in the spring of 2024.

The cats, confirmed to be infected with avian influenza H5N1 virus,

had exhibited respiratory and neurological symptoms before their deaths.

After analyzing the H5N1 viral strains from two of the cats, Kuchipudi

identified a close genetic relationship to a strain previously detected in

18 ILLUSTRATION BY KARI MODÉN



local dairy cattle. Because bird feathers were found near the deceased

cats, the researchers surmised the cats had most likely been infected

after consuming virus-laden wild birds.

Kuchipudi and his co-authors found that cats have receptors that

make them vulnerable to bird and human flu viruses, meaning they

could serve as a mixing vessel for these viruses. Their study also showed

early signs that the H5N1 virus may adapt in cats—raising concerns

about potential risks to human health.

“Emerging infectious diseases like avian influenza H5N1 virus tend to

be zoonotic, meaning they have an animal-human connection,” explains

Kuchipudi. “They often circulate in wild birds, spill over to domestic

poultry and other domestic and wild animals, including dairy cows, and

even pets—particularly those that live outdoors.”

Understanding how the virus behaves, its potential for cross-

species transmission, and the necessary precautions to reduce the threat

is critical, he emphasizes.

The current strain of H5N1 virus has been detected in nearly 100 bird

species and more than 20 mammalian species, including foxes, skunks,

sea lions, minks, dolphins, raccoons, dogs and seals, and has also caused

several isolated human infections.

“It is only a matter of time before this virus starts circulating among

people,” notes Kuchipudi. “It hasn’t happened yet, but we know how

quickly that can change with viruses,” he adds, referring to COVID-19.

Emerging zoonotic infectious diseases pose a significant global threat,

jeopardizing public health, animal health, food security and economic

stability. The ongoing H5N1 outbreak has already had severe consequences:

millions of poultry have been culled, egg prices have reached

record highs, concerns are growing over viral shedding in raw milk,

and human infections are on the rise.

“This evolving crisis highlights the urgent need for a coordinated

strategy—one that leverages resources, integrates cross-disciplinary

solutions and strengthens early detection systems to prevent future

outbreaks,” says Kuchipudi. To address these challenges, he is launching

the One Health Research, Veterinary, Biomedical Innovation and

Translation (ORBIT) Center, a transdisciplinary initiative at the

University of Pittsburgh dedicated to tackling zoonotic diseases before

they escalate.

“ORBIT’s mission is driven by our determination to stay ahead of

emerging threats like H5N1 by predicting, preventing and preparing

for outbreaks through strengthened collective action,” says Kuchipudi.

“IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS

VIRUS STARTS CIRCULATING AMONG PEOPLE.”

SURESH KUCHIPUDI

| PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENGINEERING

TEAM UP ON FIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS

Pitt’s School of Public Health, Swanson School of

Engineering, and Clinical and Translational Science

Institute have joined up to award $450,000 to five

transdisciplinary pilot investigations focused on

precision public health, a field that uses data science to

develop targeted interventions by person, place and time.

This year’s projects bring together the following principal

investigators from public health and engineering:

Lisa Parker, Department of Human Genetics;

Takashi Kozai, Department of Bioengineering

Research on neural prostheses, devices that

can substitute for impaired motor, sensory or

cognitive functions, such as Cochlear implants,

require participant-provided data, but also present

challenges related to privacy and consent. By

integrating patient input on data collection with

advanced analytic methodologies, Parker and

Kozai aim to transform neural prosthetic research.

Their approach seeks to empower participants to

contribute to data collection design, analytic tools

and training resources, ultimately bridging the gap

between technical development and participant

engagement.

Rebecca Deek, Department of Biostatistics

and Health Data Science; Bistra Iordanova,

Department of Bioengineering

Routine and cost-efficient ways to screen people

at high risk of developing neurological diseases,

such as dementia, are challenging because much

remains unknown about how and when brain

changes occur that heighten individual risk. In

current clinical studies, the link between specific

gene expressions and how brain cells may

be affected over time is uncertain. Deek and

Iordanova propose to combine brain imaging

with omics datasets—a collection of data that

describes the molecular makeup of an organism—

through techniques that break data down into

simpler components. This will help the researchers

note highly correlated features across modalities

and data, and, in turn, determine the predictive

capability of their approach.

Praveen Kumar, Department of Health Policy

and Management; Bo Zeng, Department of

Industrial Engineering

The administration of blood transfusions by

paramedics to patients with life threatening

injuries while enroute to the hospital—prehospital

transfusion—has been introduced in emergency

medical service systems (EMS) in several U.S.

cities. Evidence indicates that prehospital transfusion

helps to improve survival, especially when

transport is delayed by heavy traffic or entrapment

after a car accident, for example. Through a multidisciplinary

collaboration, Kumar and Zeng will

use a large EMS dataset to determine how to

expand access to this lifesaving treatment and

identify a cost-effective approach that can be

sustained to save more lives.

Andrea Rosso, Department of Epidemiology;

Mark Redfern, Department of Bioengineering

Assessing the walking patterns of older adults

in their everyday environment has been used

increasingly to identify potential fall risks related

to dementia or Parkinson’s disease. Known as

free-living gait evaluation, this approach has

been limited by available technology. Rosso and

Redfern will develop and test wearable products

that will combine mobile technologies and global

positioning systems to measure both gait and

location simultaneously. Their hope is to improve

the ability to predict individuals who could be

most at risk for falls.

Ying Ding, Department of Biostatistics and

Health Data Science; Wei Gao, Department

of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Respiratory diseases such as asthma and

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are

widespread. Despite advancements in medical

treatments and interventions, severe outcomes

remain frequent, leading to emergency department

visits or hospitalizations. Ding and Gao will use

a smartphone-based system—Smartphone

Ultrasonic Respiratory Evaluation—to measure

chest wall mobility, which is strongly correlated

with lung function, breathing patterns and the

severity of symptoms. This system can potentially

improve early diagnosis and provide a cost-effective,

portable respiratory evaluation tool for detecting,

diagnosing and managing chronic respiratory

diseases.

20 PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY


SPOTLIGHT

Jennifer Barkin

ALUMNI

Index for

Well-Being

Pitt Alumna Helps New Mothers Thrive

Using Evaluation Tool Bearing Her Name

“THE PROJECT WAS

APPEALING TO ME

BECAUSE IT COMBINED

MENTAL AND REPRO-

DUCTIVE HEALTH AND

ENGAGED SOME OF MY

METHODS BACKGROUND

IN BIOSTATISTICS AND

EPIDEMIOLOGY.”

JENNIFER BARKIN

By Michael Yeomans

In a medically underserved 10-county rural region of

south-central Georgia, Jennifer Barkin (MS, BIOST ’02,

PhD, EPI ’09), is principal investigator overseeing

$8 million in federal and foundation grants to provide

services targeted to improve maternal and infant health

and well-being.

To gain insight into the areas that postpartum mothers

are handling well, where they are experiencing challenges,

and to assess the effectiveness of the interventions, she

employs a tool she developed and copyrighted during her

doctoral studies at Pitt.

The Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning (BIMF) is a

20-item self-report measure that captures how mothers are

performing in terms of infant-child interaction, adjustment,

infant care, self-care and psychological well-being.

Now professor and vice chair of community medicine

and obstetrics and gynecology at the Mercer University

School of Medicine in Macon, Ga., Barkin created the index

while working as an analyst at Pitt’s Epidemiology Data

Center (EDC).

Her dissertation advisor, Stephen Wisniewski, PhD, codirector

of the EDC, introduced her to Katherine Wisner, MD,

a renowned reproductive psychiatrist who had completed

a postdoctoral fellowship at the then-Pitt Graduate School

of Public Health. Together, they laid the groundwork for

the index.

“The project was appealing to me because it combined

mental and reproductive health and engaged some of my

methods background in biostatistics and epidemiology,”

Barkin said. “I have always had empathy for mothers and

the BIMF has connected me to populations of mothers in

need all over the world. It is a labor of love.”

Barkin’s mentors urged her to contact the University’s

Innovation Institute (part of the Office of Innovation and

Entrepreneurship) to explore copyright protection.

“It’s one of those events you reflect on as divine intervention,”

she said.

“I have collaborated with the Innovation Institute

since 2009, when I filed for a copyright, and they have

provided tremendous support as the BIMF gained traction in

maternal-child health circles,” Barkin said.

The BIMF has been licensed 13 times. The first new

drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

specifically designed for post-partum depression licensed

the index as part of its clinical trials. It is also used by

clinicians, researchers and community-based organizations.

“With each BIMF query, I am reminded how fortunate

I was to train at the University of Pittsburgh,” Barkin

said. “Simply stated, the BIMF would not have been this

successful without the strong support and expertise of the

Innovation Institute.”

The BIMF has been translated into 22 languages, and

Barkin has worked with several international organizations

to both implement and interpret the measure. It also has

been modified and is available for mothers with children

in a hospital’s neonatal intensive-care unit, parents with

older children, and caregivers with school-aged children.

The BIMF is part of the assessment battery that perinatal

women complete periodically as they complete the South

Georgia Healthy Start program, which supports service

delivery to pregnant and postpartum women, their partners,

and infants (up to 18 months).

“The goal is to track maternal functional trajectories

over time, and as more nuanced services are added to the

program,” she said.

22 PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY


PROFILE

Jody Mich-Basso

STAFF

Small Ideas, Big Impact

Jody Mich-Basso’s Keen Eye for Sustainability

By Amber Curtaccio

For over 30 years, Jody Mich-Basso, MT has been

immersed in laboratory work, evolving from

clinical roles to research, and now finding her

niche in managing the intricate ecosystem of

multiple University labs.

“I’ve been at this for many years but have to say, of all my

jobs, that this has been one of the best,” said Mich-Basso,

lab manager for the Department of Infectious Diseases and

Microbiology (IDM).

Working closely with Brian Smith, department administrator,

Suresh Kuchipudi, PhD, MVSc, MBA, IDM chair and

professor, and other faculty members, Mich-Basso navigates

setting up new spaces for incoming faculty

or overseeing service contracts for shared

equipment. “I also train staff and maintain

commonly used equipment,” she explains.

As part of the Confocal Committee, she

leads scheduling and maintenance of the

confocal microscope, which can create

detailed images of the structure of cells

and tissues and is often used in biomedical

research.

Whether it’s guiding individual lab

managers, handling equipment cleanups

or coordinating lab inspections, she keeps

everything running smoothly and ensures

the flow and success of multiple labs.

Recently, Mich-Basso teamed up with

Kim Renziehausen, director of facilities

operations, to tackle the crucial task of space management

and maintenance for the labs. “It’s a constant process of

organizing, reassessing and adjusting,” she says.

Behind the organized chaos of Mich-Basso’s professional

life, where she keeps labs running like clockwork, there’s

a family-centered, nature-loving side to her that grounds

her when the day’s work is done.

Originally from Colorado, the proud mother of two

shares that her love for the outdoors started early, shaped

by frequent camping trips to the outskirts of Rocky

Mountain National Park, which was a hub of outdoor family

adventures. Even now, whenever she visits Colorado, those

familiar landscapes bring a sense of peace.

“We’re always out hiking, kayaking—anything to do

with the outdoors,” she says, adding that nature has been a

constant source of rejuvenation, whether it’s in the Rockies

or closer to home.

When Mich-Basso started her role at Pitt Public Health,

she brought a keen eye for sustainability, inspired by her

love of nature and childhood experiences thrifting with

her father.

“I HAD THIS IDEA

TO CREATE AN

‘UP FOR GRABS’

TABLE,” THE IDEA

WAS TO GIVE

LAB SUPPLIES

A SECOND LIFE

INSTEAD OF

SENDING THEM

TO WASTE.”

JODY MICH-BASSO

In one of her prior roles, she noticed a simple system

that sparked her interest: a cart where people could leave

unwanted items or take what they needed for free. This

system allowed lab supplies like pipettes to be repurposed

rather than discarded.

When she transitioned to her new

role, Mich-Basso saw an opportunity

to implement a similar system at Pitt

Public Health. “I had this idea to create

an ‘up for grabs’ table,” she recalls. The

idea was to give lab supplies a second life

instead of sending them to waste. This

soon expanded to office supplies, including

file folders, staples and paper goods.

Her vision includes donating unused

supplies to public schools, where teachers

often purchase materials at their

own expense.

She initiated a system where Styrofoam

boxes—which are commonly discarded—

could be collected and recycled. Working

with Renziehausen, Mich-Basso contacted local businesses

like Appliance Warehouse and helped to establish procedures

for large quantities of Styrofoam to be picked up by

the University’s logistics team and taken to businesses that

recycle them.

Over the years, Mich-Basso’s job may have evolved, but

her dedication to lab excellence remains unwavering. With

her expert organization, deep knowledge and a calm yet

proactive approach, she’s not just managing labs—she’s

shaping the environment where groundbreaking research

happens. She is contributing to a culture of sustainability

that will benefit future generations of researchers

and students.

ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY

The University of Pittsburgh’s approach to

sustainability reflects its commitment to a

greener future. By integrating sustainability

into education, health care and operations,

Pitt is reducing its carbon footprint and preparing

new leaders to help create a healthier,

more sustainable planet.

The Pitt Sustainability Plan is a comprehensive

framework that identifies 15 specific

impact areas. The University has also

introduced an interdisciplinary Undergraduate

Certificate in Sustainability to help students

understand the challenges and opportunities

in sustainability, preparing them to innovate

and lead change in their respective fields.

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged

to work together to develop solutions that

address local and global challenges. The

University believes that collective action is

essential for creating a lasting impact on

sustainability.

HERE AT PITT PUBLIC HEALTH

Pitt Logistics is diverting Expanded Polystyrene

(EPS or Styrofoam) from the School

of Public Health. This effort will help Pitt

labs reduce landfill waste and single stream

recycling contamination. By participating,

labs can reduce their environmental impact

and help the University achieve its goal of

25% landfill waste reduction by 2030. All

EPS/Styrofoam will be recycled by Appliance

Warehouse on Pittsburgh’s South Side.

The Green Labs program is helping to

reduce the plastic waste generated by the

scientific community. Pitt has a significant

opportunity to reduce its carbon footprint

through pilot initiatives like Polycarbin, which

offers pipette tip recycling.

The health care industry accounts for 8.5%

of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. To combat

this, Pitt launched an Office of Sustainability

in Health Sciences.

For more detailed insights into Pitt’s sustainability

initiatives, visit the Sustainability website:

sustainable.pitt.edu



Briefly

Behavioral and Community

Health Sciences

DEPARTMENT NEWS

Two new faculty members have recently joined

the department. They are Professor Phillip W.

Schnarrs, PhD, MA, and Associate Professor

Vincent Z. Kuuire, PhD, MA.

Schnarrs is a health scholar with an emphasis in

HIV prevention, behavioral and mental health, and

the role of early-life adversity and stress in shaping

these experiences. His work spans population health

studies, intervention trials and community-engaged

research. He is also focused on developing and

testing interventions to address mental health and

substance misuse. A native of South Park, Schnarrs

earned a PhD in health behavior at the Indiana

University School of Public Health, Bloomington, in

2012, which included a predoctoral fellowship with

the Harvard University-affiliated Fenway Institute.

Kuuire has also been appointed director of the

school’s Center for Global Health. He is a health

geographer who focuses on well-being, health care

access and health outcomes. His goal is to generate

insights to inform policy and contribute to the

advancement of health worldwide.

Kuuire is adept at employing both qualitative

and quantitative methodologies in data collection

and analysis. His qualitative work often involves

community-based approaches, focus groups, photovoice

and in-depth interviews. He has also designed

and implemented numerous surveys for primary data

collection and used quantitative secondary datasets

in his research.

He received a doctorate in geography from Western

University in Ontario, Canada.

The goal is to enhance cancer

research by selecting models

that are most congruent with

human tumor profiles, thus

improving personalized

treatment and drug discovery.

Biostatistics and Health Data Science

Professor George Tseng, ScD, along with

Adrian Lee PhD, professor of pharmacology

and chemical biology, School of Medicine,

has received a five-year, $3 million R01 award

for a groundbreaking project titled “Single-Cell

Congruence Evaluation and Selection of Cancer

Models toward Precision Medicine.”

Tseng’s team, including co-investigators Jiebiao

Wang, PhD, assistant professor; Gong Tang, PhD,

professor; and Wei Chen, PhD, professor of pediatrics,

School of Medicine, will work on developing more

representative cancer models by using omics and

single-cell technologies. The goal is to enhance

cancer research by selecting models that are most

congruent with human tumor profiles, thus improving

personalized treatment and drug discovery.

Student Molin Yue is first author of a recent

manuscript published in the Journal of the American

Medical Association. “Transcriptomic Profiles in

Nasal Epithelium and Asthma Endotypes in Youth”

analyzes asthma endotypes in school-aged children,

identifies three distinct endotypes—T2-high, T17-high,

and T2-low/T17-low—across diverse ethnic groups.

These findings, coauthored with Kristina Gaietto, MD,

MPH, and under the guidance of Wei Chen, PhD, and

Juan Celedón, MD, DrPH, all School of Medicine, offer

new insights into asthma mechanisms and can aid

in the development of tailored therapies for different

asthma subtypes. Chen and Celedon have secondary

appointments in Pitt Public Health’s Department of

Human Genetics. Chen and Celedon have additional

appointments in the Department of Biostatistics and

Health Data Science and Epidemiology, respectively.

Human Genetics

Associate Professor Michael J. Deem, PhD,

will be in residence for a month this coming

summer at the University of Notre Dame’s

Center for Ethics and the Common Good, joining an

international cohort of 18 scholars who will develop

signature courses for their respective institutions as

part of the Center’s Signature Course Fellows program.

Fellows are selected through a competitive application

process and hail from such institutions as Brown

University, University College London, University of

California, Los Angeles, Saint Mary’s College and the

University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The Fellows program “funds and supports

faculty who have a vision for translating research

on human flourishing into large-scale, public-facing,

pedagogically innovative courses that have the

potential to become a cornerstone in their university’s

curriculum.” As a fellow, Deem will develop, market

and offer a new course, “Public Health, the Common

Good and Human Flourishing.” The course will enhance

the rapidly growing bioethics and public health ethics

initiatives within Pitt’s School of Public Health.

Health Policy and Management

For many Pitt students, life on campus means

spending time in the shadow of its iconic architectural

centerpiece, but for her last semester,

Cindy Hsieh traded in the Cathedral of Learning for

the Eiffel Tower.

By analyzing single

microglia cells and

their relationships with

nearby cells in a mouse

model of AD, the team

studies how low-grade

infections affect molecular

changes in these

immune cells.

Environmental and

Occupational Health

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating,

progressive disease caused by a combination

of genetic, aging and environmental influences.

Radosveta Koldamova, MD, PhD, Iliya Lefterov,

MD, PhD, and Nicholas Fitz, PhD, and their team

conduct translational research with human samples

and models to investigate how lifestyle choices and

environmental factors interact with genetics to affect

AD pathology. They use behavioral testing, imaging

and broad analyses of genes, their products and lipids

to understand these risk factors.

Brain immune cells called microglia are important

in AD pathology. By analyzing single microglia cells

and their relationships with nearby cells in a mouse

A fourth-year JD/MPH student, Hsieh, who is

studying at University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

and will earn a fourth graduate degree there, says she

was convinced to take the leap when the pros drastically

outweighed any potential downside.

“I knew if I could study in Paris and earn another

degree, I would grow in ways that wouldn’t be possible

if I stayed in the U.S.” she said, adding the program’s

focus on international law felt like a good complement

to her skill set.

As a lawyer-in-training, Hsieh is being challenged

to learn about a legal and governmental landscape

much different from the United States. She says that

France’s reliance on codified laws, as opposed to

judicial precedent in the U.S., results in a more compartmentalized

legal system that separates public and

private law, with corollary differences in social rights

and public services.

After graduation, Hsieh will join the Life Sciences

Health Industry Group as an associate at national law

firm Reed Smith’s Philadelphia office.

model of AD, they study how low-grade infections

affect molecular changes in these immune cells,

providing important insights into how inflammation

throughout the body can increase brain inflammation

and associated AD pathology.

They also evaluate APOE4 gene mutations, which

are the greatest genetic risk factors for late onset AD.

Their work explores dynamic changes in molecular

responses in brain cells and how lipids associated

with APOE4 could contribute to AD development

and progression. Another key area is identifying AD

markers, including small vesicles released from cells,

which carry proteins, RNA and mitochondria. These

vesicles are measurable in blood/plasma and saliva

and could aid early diagnosis.

Certain protective factors,

whether genetic or lifestylerelated,

help maintain healthier

arteries in these families.

Epidemiology

Researchers from multiple institutions, led by

first author Deidra R. Fricke (MS ’23, PhD ’27)

studied the genetic and lifestyle factors that

influence peripheral artery disease (PAD), a condition

that restricts blood flow to the legs. Their findings,

published in the journal Aging, suggest that people

from families with exceptional longevity have a lower

risk of PAD, possibly due to inherited genetic traits

or healthier lifestyle habits.

The researchers analyzed over 3,000 participants,

including 1,090 long-lived individuals, their 1,554

children, and 362 spouses. Among the oldest participants

(average age 89), about 18% had PAD. However,

among their children (average age 60), only 1% had

PAD—far lower than the expected 12% found in other

studies. This finding suggests that certain protective

factors, whether genetic or lifestyle-related, help maintain

healthier arteries in these families.

Peripheral artery disease is a common but often

undiagnosed condition that affects millions worldwide.

It increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and

mobility issues.

Bachelor of Science in Public Health

Early in April, members of Pitt’s Bioethics Bowl

Club were among 20 university teams competing

in the National Bioethics Bowl in Salt Lake City.

The team included second-year student Tiffany Lee,

first-year students Arushi Bansal and Lydia Roberts,

and assistant coaches Gabriela Dugas (BSPH ’24)

and Mirabel Fizzano (BSPH ’24). Matt Tang and Harsh

Hiwase, both of whom are enrolled in the BSPH’s

Bioethics Certificate Program, are also on the team.

Each year, competitors are given a set of complex

cases with relevant questions like the use of prisoners

as firefighters, abuse in nursing homes and the

obligations of tech health care companies to protect

patients. Teams develop a pro- or con- stance to each

question but must also acknowledge opposing views.

Cindy McCarthy, DHCE, MA, associate professor

of human genetics and Bioethics Certificate Program

director, coaches Pitt’s team.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health

has been selected to host the 2026 Bioethics Bowl.

In other news, BSPH has launched a new service

tracking system, GivePulse. Students can find

opportunities, track and generate reports of their

community service.

Congratulations to BSPH junior Ilana Kersh, who

successfully defended her Bachelor of Philosophy

thesis. She is the first BSPH honors student to complete

and defend a BPhil.

Infectious Diseases and Microbiology

While it is known that Zika virus (ZIKV) can

be sexually transmitted for more than

eight years, sexual transmission had not

previously been considered to be epidemiologically

relevant. Evidence continues to accumulate otherwise,

however.

Associate Professor Ernesto T.A. Marques, MD, PhD,

coauthored a study published in Emerging Infectious

Diseases showing that sex partners living in the

same household have a 1.54 fold greater risk of ZIKV

infection than other household members. In case of

future outbreaks, the authors advise that adequate

infection prevention measures will need to be promoted,

especially among people who may become pregnant.

Spread primarily by Aedes mosquitos, Zika virus

is similar to dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis

and West Nile viruses. Since the 1950s, it has

been known to occur within a narrow equatorial belt

from Africa to Asia. The virus reached the Americas

in 2013–14 and infected more than 100 million people

during a 2015–17 pandemic. Zika can be transmitted

to an infant during pregnancy, resulting in microcephaly,

severe brain malformations and other birth

defects. Zika infections also may cause Guillain-Barré

syndrome in adults.


BRIEFLY

NOTEWORTHY

Dean Emeritus Bernard D. Goldstein, MD, has been inducted into

the University of Pittsburgh’s Brackenridge Circle for donors who

have made planned gifts of $1 million or more.

Dara Méndez, PhD, MPH, associate professor of epidemiology,

and Amy Hartman, PhD, associate professor of infectious diseases

and microbiology, were 2024 Ascending Star Award recipients.

Given by the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor, Health Sciences,

the awards recognize highly productive and creative midcareer faculty

in Pitt’s six schools of the health sciences. In addition, Méndez has

been included among new members appointed to the Allegheny County

Board of Health.

Marc Wagner, a longtime volunteer with the Pitt Men’s Study and

research technician at the University of Pittsburgh, was honored

as a Public Health Established Community Partner awardee at the

Student Public Health Practice Showcase.

Evan Cole, PhD, research associate professor of health policy and

management, received the Emerging Faculty Partner award at the

Student Public Health Practice Showcase. Cole is director of the

Medicaid Research Center in Pitt’s Health Policy Institute. His research

interests focus on generating evidence with and for policymakers

to improve access and quality of health care for low-income and

disabled populations.

Patricia Documét, MD, DrPH, associate professor of behavioral

and community health sciences before her retirement this past June,

was honored as an Established Faculty Partner at the Student Public

Health Practice Showcase. Documét’s research interests focused on

Latino health and the relevance of social relationships.

Jaia Gallegos (MPH, EPI ’25) is the 2024 recipient of the Bernard D.

Goldstein Student Award in Environmental Health Disparities and

Public Health Practice.

Environmental and Occupational Health Department Chair

Sally Wenzel, MD, and department faculty members Professor

Valerian Kagan, PhD, DSc, Research Assistant Professor

Vladimir Tyurin, PhD, and Research Professor Yulia Tyurina, PhD,

were named among 2024’s most highly cited researchers by Clarivate,

which compiles an annual list of researchers whose work has made

a significant impact across a broad range of disciplines.

The School of Public Health Staff Committee sponsored

a donation drive for Street Medicine at Pitt, which raised $1,230. The

donation drive collected gift cards to be distributed by Street Medicine

volunteers during visits with Pittsburgh’s unhoused population.

At the inaugural Health Sciences Research Administrator Awards,

three staff members were honored for their dedication and excellence.

Jean Zak, director of pre-award grants administration in environmental

and occupational health, received the Outstanding Career Achievement

Award. Ali Pittman, grants and contracts manager in health policy

and management, received the Standout Performer Award, and

Alissa Eugeni, grants and contracts manager in the dean’s office,

earned the Rising Star Award. These awards were established to celebrate

staff members whose exceptional performance and commitment

deserve special recognition.

Amy Hartman, PhD, associate professor of infectious diseases

and microbiology, was selected to present her paper “A Highly Potent

Human Neutralizing Antibody Prevents Vertical Transmission of

Rift Valley Fever Virus in a Rat Model” at the inaugural Lightning Talk

Presentation of Top-Tier Health Sciences Papers of 2023. Hosted

by the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for the Health Sciences

in March 2025, the series of lightning talks featured papers that are

among the most significant contributions published by Pitt Health

Sciences researchers in 2023.

The American Statistical Association Statistical Computing and

Statistical Graphics Sections has awarded Xinlei Chen (PhD, BIOST

’25) the 2025 ASA Student Paper Award for her paper, “Federated

Learning of Robust Individualized Decision Rules with Application

to Heterogeneous Multi-Hospital Sepsis Population.”

Afshin Bahramy (PhD, HUGEN ’27) was awarded a predoctoral

fellowship by the American Heart Association for his groundbreaking

research on hippocampal sclerosis. This grant supports innovative

graduate research in heart and brain health.

Linda Deluco, department administrator for epidemiology, retired

on January 31 after 42 years of University of Pittsburgh employment.

Debra Dennison, HIV health educator, will be retiring from the

Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology after 25 years

of working at the University of Pittsburgh.

Taking a “Pitt” Stop

Actor Noah Wyle visits the ’Burgh

By Clare Collins

When public health researcher

Beth Hoffman’s sister, Emily,

was fatally injured by a car

two years ago, Hoffman

recalled a discussion about

organ donation they shared years earlier while

watching a powerful episode of the long-

running TV show, “ER.” That conversation made

it less difficult for her and her parents to honor

Emily’s wishes.

In February, at Pitt’s School of Public Health,

Hoffman—an assistant professor of behavioral and

community health sciences—moderated a panel

discussion featuring actor Noah Wyle. Wyle, best

known for his role in “ER,” is currently starring in

and serving as executive producer and writer for

“The Pitt,” a new medical drama. For Hoffman,

it was a meaningful moment that brought her

journey full circle.

“My sister got me hooked on ‘ER’ all those

years ago,” Hoffman said while holding Emily’s

memorial card, which Wyle autographed.

“The Pitt” airs on Max and is set in Pittsburgh,

“…telling a story in 48 to 60 minutes that is really,

really powerful,” explained Wyle. “It’s not a documentary,

it is a drama show, but you want it to feel

as authentic as possible. It’s those more prosaic

moments, the quieter moments, the ones where

it’s like, ‘who took my lunch out of the fridge?’

or ‘I gotta pee’ that make it real,” he added, eliciting

laughter from the audience, which included

medical professionals, community leaders and

public health faculty and students.

“For a lot of us, it’s hard to watch because

it’s so real, but you make us appreciate what we

do and I just want to thank you for that,” said

Sylvia Owusu-Ansah, MD, associate professor

of pediatrics and emergency medicine at UPMC

“FOR A LOT OF

US, IT’S HARD

TO WATCH

BECAUSE IT’S

SO REAL, BUT

YOU MAKE US

APPRECIATE

WHAT WE DO.”

SYLVIA OWUSU-ANSAH

28 PHOTOGRAPHY: WARRICK PAGE/MAX


BRIEFLY

CLASS NOTES

PASSINGS

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and advisor to

acknowledges the trauma many medical profes-

the show. “It’s finally a show that we feel validated

sionals feel but “shove inside and keep going,”

by, and I so appreciate the opportunity to advise

on it.”

“The Pitt” is similarly realistic in its portrayal

of Pittsburgh. Hospital staff eat Primanti’s sandwiches

and name check Mr. Rogers and Roberto

Clemente.

Panelist Sheila Roth, PhD, professor emeritus at

Carlow University and another advisor on the show,

recalled receiving an email one night from the

Norman Lear Center, a nonpartisan research and

public policy organization at the USC Annenberg

School for Communication and Journalism. “The

email said they wanted to talk to me about a new

TV show that was coming to Pittsburgh because

they saw my resume online. I thought, ‘This is

just junk. I’m going to delete it.’”

Her spouse, Ronald Roth, MD, professor emeritus

of emergency medicine at the University of

Pittsburgh, said, ‘Wait a minute, let’s look at it.’

“So, I googled the center and the woman’s name

who wrote me the email. And I thought, ‘Oh my

God, she’s a real person.’ I met with the writers a

couple times, and it was just an amazing experience,”

she said.

During the event, clips from the show were

shared that addressed contemporary issues like a

child poisoned by his father’s cannabis gum mies

and a conversation about organ donation after

a teenager’s death.

According to Hoffman, who teaches an undergraduate

class on entertainment media and health

at the School of Public Health, medical TV shows

are known to influence people’s perceptions

about health, disease and providers. An audience

member and medical professional spoke of finding

“The Pitt” particularly authentic in the way it

Noah Wyle during a panel discussion at Pitt Public Health.

she said.

For Wyle, working on “The Pitt” has been transformative

for his career. “We film 300 feet from

the soundstage where I lived for 15 years [on “ER”].

I saw a lot of ghosts and heard voices that aren’t

there anymore as I came aboard with this new

cast. This time, I was more focused and worked

smarter. I had an instrument I used to play, and

then I played it. There was some rust that kicked

off. There was a new tone to it all, as well.”

Other panelists and special guests included

Chelsie Sobecki, donor family support coordinator

at the Center for Organ Recovery and Education,

and two original members of Freedom House

ambulance service—widely acknowledged as the

first paramedic program in the U.S.—Chief John

Moon, the program’s emergency medical technician

and former assistant chief of Pittsburgh Bureau of

EMS, and Darnella Wilson, former Freedom House

dispatcher and registered nurse.

Attendees were encouraged to attend a follow-up

event at the School of Public Health on February 25

called Rescue to Reel: From Freedom House to

Hollywood’s “The Pitt.”

To cap off the visit, Chief Moon personally signed

a copy of “American Sirens: The Incredible Story

of the Black Men Who Became America’s First

Paramedics”—for Wyle. The book tells the story

of Freedom House, which operated in Pittsburgh’s

Hill District from 1967-75.

And, naturally, Owusu-Ansah presented Wyle

with his very own Terrible Towel along with more

T-shirts than he could possibly wear in a week.

“I went crazy in the Strip District negotiating,”

laughed Owusu-Ansah. “I told them, this is for

a Hollywood star.”

2000s

Mario Browne (MPH, BCHS ’05),

associate dean for equity, engagement

and justice, Pitt School of Pharmacy, is

a 2025 recipient of the University Provost’s

Award for Diversity in the Curriculum. The

award recognizes Browne’s contributions

to “Enhancing Cultural Humility through a

Longitudinal Experiential Learning Exchange,”

a collaboration between Pitt and the

Howard University College of Pharmacy

designed to cultivate cultural humility,

social justice, health equity and career

readiness among pharmacy students.

Sunita Dodani (PhD, EPI ’06) celebrated

the release of her new book, a biography

titled “Healing Through Adversity: A Doctor’s

Triumph Over Polio.”

In November 2024, Laura C. Duncan

(MHA, HPM ’08) was named vice president

of ambulatory operations at Children’s

Nebraska, Omaha.

Jeff Little (MPH, HPM ‘09) started a new

position as vice president of operations, Saint

Luke’s South Hospital in Kansas City, MS.

2010s

Veronica Sansing-Foster (PhD, EPI ’10,

MS ’03) recently started a new role as

senior regulatory affairs specialist at the

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive

and Kidney Diseases.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb has appointed

Jennifer Johns (MPH, HPM ’10) to a

four-year term on that city’s Lead Advisory

Council.

Brian Santo (MPH, HPM ’11) joined

the legal team at Machinify as assistant

general counsel. Machinify is a software

development firm in Palo Alto, Calif.

Allison L. Kuipers (PhD, EPI/HUGEN ’11)

has joined Michigan State University as a

tenured associate professor in the Departments

of Medicine and Epidemiology and

Biostatistics.

Jason Sanders (MD ’14; PhD, EPI ’12)

has assumed the role of medical director

at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a global biotechnology

company headquartered in Boston.

Adam Santanasto (PhD, EPI ’13, MPH ’10)

has been named associate medical director

at Bluprint Oncology, headquartered in

Roswell, Ga.

Bre Edison (MPH, IDM ’18) is pursuing

her PhD at Georgia State University’s

School of Public Health in the Department

of Health Promotion and Behavior. She

primarily works with violence prevention

in adolescent populations. Her research

interests are in sexual health communication

and education specifically in racial/ethnic

and sexual and gender minorities for

adolescents and young adults.

In October 2024, Ana Progovac

(PhD, HPM ’15) began a new position as

assistant professor of population health,

Institute for Excellence in Health Equity,

New York University Grossman School of

Medicine.

2020s

Madeline Schwarz (PhD, IDM ’23) was

promoted to senior scientist at Galapagos,

a biotechnology research firm with locations

in Europe and the United States.

Send your news for Class Notes to

phmag@pitt.edu.

Susanne M. Gollin, PhD

September 22, 1953–April 6, 2025

A respected cytogeneticist and teacher, Susanne

Gollin was professor emerita of human genetics and

one of the first faculty members to join what is now

the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. She died following

a lengthy battle with metastatic breast cancer, a

disease she spent her career helping to understand

and conquer.

She discovered and patented the observation that

loss of specific genes (ATM) with parallel overexpression

of other genes (including ATR and CHEK1)

correlated with cancer development and treatment

resistance. Importantly, these discoveries showed

that identifying the presence of these defects could be

used prognostically and as a guide to alternative therapeutics.

These observations also revealed that ATR

and CHEK1/2 inhibitors, combined with other agents,

were key to treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.

“Pitt’s School of Public Health lost a giant,” said

Dean Maureen Lichtveld, MD, MPH. “Dr. Susanne Gollin’s

contribution and leadership in advancing the science

of human genetics will always be an inspiration for all of

us and for future generations of public health scholars.”

Gollin mentored students, postdoctoral fellows,

colleagues and friends. She was especially supportive

of those just getting started in their careers. She was

a founding fellow of the American College of Medical

Genetics & Genomics, the International Academy of

Oral Oncology and the Indian Association of Molecular

Pathologists. She was a long-term member of the

Allegheny County Board of Health and the Pennsylvania

Cancer Control, Prevention and Research Board.

Among her many charitable activities, Gollin was

a board member of the Women’s Law Project and

Jewish Healthcare Foundation and served as a Judge

of Elections for her precinct.

“Susanne was a long-standing and cherished

faculty member in our department and was a mentor

and friend to countless students and colleagues,”

said Quasar Padiath, MBBS, PhD, professor and chair,

Department of Human Genetics. “Many of the courses

she originated are still taught in some form today.”

Gollin earned her MS (1975) and PhD (1980) in

biological sciences at Northwestern University and

completed postdoctoral work at the University of

Rochester and Baylor College of Medicine.

Beaufort B. Longest Jr., PhD

October 22, 1942–January 17, 2025

Professor Emeritus Beaufort B. Longest Jr. was

a University of Pittsburgh faculty member from

1980 until 2016 when he retired from the School

of Public Health’s Department of Health Policy

and Management (HPM).

Longest joined the University of Pittsburgh

from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of

Management. He was the M. Allen Pond Professor

and founding director of the University’s Health Policy

Institute, which continues to shape health policy and

practice today.

Longest’s scholarship on issues of health policy

and management generated substantial grant support

for the Health Policy Institute and the School of Public

Health. He was a prodigious author of health care

policy and management textbooks, chapters and articles.

His widely used textbook, “Health Policy making

in the United States,” now in its seventh edition, continues

to serve as the backbone of HPM’s core course

for MPH students.

Longest was a fellow of the American College of

Healthcare Executives and held member ships in the

Academy of Management, AcademyHealth, American

Public Health Associ ation, and the Association for

Public Policy Analysis and Management. He held the

unusual distinction of having been elected to membership

in the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society in

Business as well as in the Delta Omega Honor Society

in Public Health. His work will have a lasting impact

on the department and field.

— MIKE FRIEND

— CLARE COLLINS

30 PHOTOGRAPHY: RAYNI SHIRING, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH


BRIEFLY

Passings

GIVING

George Fechter

In contrast, the 40% obesity rate in the U.S. is 10 times greater than

that in Japan. Obesity is a known risk factor for cardiovascular illness,

dementia, liver disease, certain cancers and diabetes. Yet diabetes

care in U.S.—irrespective of access—differs from that in other places,

Fechter notes.

In England, for example, patients deemed prediabetic receive intensive

Clareann Bunker, PhD

December 6, 1939–November 20, 2024

A trailblazer in advancing global epidemiologic

research, Clareann Bunker was a faculty member

in the School of Public Health’s Department of

Epidemiology for more than three decades.

Bunker received a bachelor’s degree in zoology

from Wellesley College in 1961. After working in the

genetics field for nearly 20 years, she returned to

higher education, earning an MPH and PhD in epidemiology

at Johns Hopkins University (1980) and the

University of Pittsburgh (1984). A year later, she was

appointed to a faculty position at the School of Public

Health, where she taught until her retirement in 2016.

Her initial research focused on understanding

the risk factors related to cardiac disease in Nigeria.

Later, she received a grant from the National Institutes

of Health’s Fogarty International Center to empower

Indian researchers with computational modeling tools.

She also initiated a large birth cohort study outside

of Hyderabad, India with department colleague and

faculty member Cathy Haggerty.

In 1997, Bunker became engaged in research to

screen and treat prostate cancer in Tobagonian men,

which resulted in reduced mortality rates from the disease.

Dubbed the Tobago Health Studies, the research

program expanded over the years to include women,

and added new research areas that now include One

Health, family and genetic studies, obesity, hypertension,

diabetes and dementia. Her legacy in the program

continues through follow-up grants awarded to Department

of Epidemiology faculty members Joe Zmuda,

Iva Miljkovic, Caterina Rosano and Allison Kuipers.

A committed and engaged instructor, Bunker

chaired 15 doctoral committees and was primary

advisor for 14 master’s level students and trained

mentees in Nigeria, Cameroon, Trinidad, Tobago

and India. She was inducted into the Delta Omega

Honorary Society in Public Health, Omicron Chapter,

and received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the

school in 2010. The Caribbean Public Health Agency

awarded her a special commendation for research

excellence in 2019.

An avid hiker, she explored the many countries

she worked in on foot, finding a unique connection

to the people and places she studied.

— CLARE COLLINS

“I often joke that I’m like

the academic scientists,

only I study the connection

between the heart, the

head and the wallet.”

GEORGE FECHTER

Idea Man


Some may look at George A. Fechter’s long

and varied career and consider him a dabbler, but they’d be wrong.

In all of his guises—investor, businessman, corporate board member,

nonprofit executive, inventor, philanthropist and volunteer—

Fechter has kept his focus on one overarching goal: elevating humanity.

“I have a keen interest in the advancement and distribution of

knowledge,” says Fechter, founder of Fechter Holdings LLC, a private

equity firm with investments in engineering, contracting services, and

health care information, disaster management and education technology.

A Pittsburgh native, he currently sits on the Eye & Ear Foundation

of Pittsburgh board (12-plus years as chair) and is a life member of

the Manchester Bidwell Corp. board of directors. He will officially join

the board of visitors (BOV) at the School of Public Health in July 2025.

“I don’t believe business has any panacea for the world’s problems,

but we have an obligation to support causes, and public health is at the

top of the list,” he says, adding a promise to bring “my brain as well

as my wallet” to his BOV service.

The board, which includes representatives with expertise in public

health, corporate governance, civic leaders, health care, alumni and

community members, advises Pitt Public Health leadership on educational

objectives, programs, and strategic planning and institutional

advancement efforts. Appointees are chosen by the University’s chancellor

in consultation with the senior vice chancellor for the health sciences

and Pitt Public Health dean.

“George is an incredible person,” says Karen Wolk Feinstein, PhD,

MSW, president and CEO of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, a friend

for more than 25 years, describing Fechter as someone who is wildly

curious and driven by a passion to make the world better.

“He’s one of the best-informed people you’ll ever meet,” adds

Feinstein. “Nothing gets in George’s way when he gets an idea.”

Public good

With COVID-19 upending normal life everywhere five years ago,

Fechter’s ideas began to coalesce around the importance of strong public

health leadership and support for robust programs and infrastructure.

“I often joke that I’m like the academic scientists, only I study the

connection between the heart, the head and the wallet,” says Fechter.

“I plan annual gifts and to be proactive in advancing public health and

the health sciences.”

Moderna and Pfizer relied on decades of academic research funded by

the National Institutes of Health when they explored using messenger

RNA as a platform to develop COVID-19 vaccines—an effort initially

funded at $10 billion by the United States government in March 2020.

Later government-funded public health initiatives provided at-home

diagnostic tests for COVID-19 as well as vaccinations free of charge to

consumers.

“The U.S. spends far more per capita on health care than any industrialized

nation yet ranks below other countries in terms of life expectancy

and infant mortality,” says Fechter. “At the same time, many people

either can’t afford to access care or go into crippling medical debt.”

Visiting Israel, South Africa, Scandinavia and Europe as part of

a delegation observing health care delivery gave Fechter insights into

which models might best be applied to care in the U.S. “In Israel, the

emphasis is on primary rather than specialty care,” he says. “In Japan,

the emphasis is on frequent 10-minute visits with a physician and

universal health care is a cultural norm.”

nutrition instruction, an exercise regimen, and—importantly—support

to stick with the program. In contrast, Americans are more likely to

lose a foot or develop retinopathy.

Fechter’s lifelong interest in improving systems first led him from

business to health care in Pittsburgh in the mid-1980s when the late

Thomas Detre, MD, then Pitt’s senior vice chancellor for the health

sciences, put him to work helping to establish what is now the UPMC

Hillman Cancer Center.

By the mid-1990s, he was serving the University as a contract CEO

building the McGowan Center for Artificial Organ Development, now

the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

“He really brought an entrepreneurial mindset to the center,” remembers

William R. Wagner, PhD, a biomaterials expert who joined the Pitt

faculty in 1991 and served as director of the McGowan Institute from

2012-2023. “We’d interviewed a couple of people and George really stood

out. He did exactly what we hoped he’d do, and more.”

Fechter knew about regulatory and manufacturing issues, venture

capital investment and other fundamental business practices that at the

time eluded academics who were “doing good science,” but stumbled

when translating that science into patient care, Wagner explains, adding

that Fechter became a valued personal and professional mentor over the

years. He particularly remembers early visits to Harrisburg with Fechter

to advocate for research support with legislators.

“He really taught me how to think about your stakeholders, consider

all perspectives in terms of what we’re doing, why it’s important,

why you should care and why it has value,” he says. “Seeing him in

action was really a master course on how to speak about what we

are doing.”

Make a Difference

For more than 75 years, the University

of Pittsburgh School of Public Health has

cham pioned vital initiatives to inform and

empower local communities and diverse

populations around the world.

Learn how you can make an impact

today. Visit publichealth.pitt.edu or use

the QR code below.



130 De Soto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261

publichealth.pitt.edu

Another

Look

Pitt Public Health broke ground

on its new building in 1954,

transforming the corner of

North Bouquet Street and Fifth

Avenue. Today, we’re still laying

the foundation for change in

public health. Can you name the

buildings that are still part of

that journey?

Pitt Public Health Magazine Spring 2025

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