Featured Epidemiology Experts

Dr. Akshaya Srikanth Bhagavathula is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology at North Dakota State University, internationally recognized for his pioneering work at the intersection of digital epidemiology, pharmacovigilance, and artificial intelligence. His research harnesses advanced statistical modeling and AI to track and predict health behaviors, medication safety, and disease patterns in real time—bridging traditional epidemiology with next-generation digital health analytics. Dr. Bhagavathula has published more than 250 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals, including Annals of Epidemiology, JAMA Network Open, and Lancet Digital Health. His work has been widely cited and featured in major media outlets such as The New York Times, where he discussed the real-world safety of GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro). Recognized among the Stanford–Elsevier Top 2% of Scientists (2019–2024) and elected as a Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology, Dr. Bhagavathula is known for translating complex data into actionable insights that shape public health policy and clinical practice. His ongoing projects include NIH- and NSF-aligned initiatives on AI-powered overdose forecasting, digital twins for public health, and real-world drug safety surveillance using explainable machine learning. With a decade of experience spanning more than two dozen countries and collaborations with organizations such as WHO, USAID, and UNICEF, Dr. Bhagavathula brings a global, data-driven, and human-centered approach to solving modern health crises.

Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani is a Professor of Public Health at New Mexico State University (NMSU), known for his extensive research and expertise in global health and social epidemiology

Dr. Saravanan Thangarajan is a global climate, health, and equity governance advisor focused on how heat, air pollution, and resource insecurity shape health outcomes in climate vulnerable settings. His work connects policy, financing, and frontline service delivery, with a strong emphasis on maternal health, mental health, and community resilience. Trained in dentistry, health administration, and global health delivery, he brings operational and systems experience across public health programs and digital health infrastructure. He provides clear, quote ready insights on climate adaptation for health systems, equity centered governance, and implementation pathways that move evidence into action.

Epidemiologist and Clinical Research Scientist specializing in preventive and predictive epidemiology, AI, and advanced health data analytics. I apply rigorous epidemiologic methods, statistical modeling, and machine learning to identify risk factors, predict health outcomes, and inform evidence-based clinical and public health decisions. Skilled in R, SAS, Python, and SQL, with experience analyzing large-scale clinical and population health data to support prevention, early intervention, and policy impact.

Dr. Hitanshu Pandit is an applied microeconomist and quantitative researcher specializing in labor, urban, and health economics. He is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Northeastern University and uses big data, administrative records, and causal inference methods to study how policy changes affect workers, firms, and communities. His research covers minimum wage policy, youth employment, Medicaid and behavioral health, congestion pricing, and place-based policy, and he is also studying how AI is reshaping white-collar work and global hiring. His work is designed to produce rigorous, practical insights for policy, business, and public debate.

Emanuele Andreano is an immunologist and biotech innovator redefining how vaccines are discovered for pandemic threats. As Head of Serology and Immunology at the Fondazione Biotecnopolo di Siena and a leader in the European Vaccine Hub, he works at the intersection of AI, immunology, and global health. He pioneered Reverse Vaccinology 3.0, a breakthrough approach that can identify entirely new vaccine targets in days instead of years. In a first-of-its-kind demonstration, his team showed that artificial intelligence can predict unknown viral antigens directly from human antibody sequences—effectively reversing the traditional vaccine discovery process. His work spans monoclonal antibody discovery and next-generation vaccines against emerging pathogens, including mpox and SARS-CoV-2, with direct implications for global pandemic preparedness and biosecurity. Andreano has received international recognition, including the Antonio Feltrinelli Prize from the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, awarded in the presence of the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella, the IUIS Rising Star in Immunology, and a European Research Council (ERC) grant. He also co-directs a vaccinology program at the Institut Pasteur in Paris. “We are entering an era where vaccines can be discovered at unprecedented speed—transforming our ability to fight pandemics and save countless lives.”

I am an MD-PhD physician-scientist with a passion for translating complex clinical and scientific data into clear, accurate content. My training and experience span clinical practice and translational research, with expertise across oncology, immunology, gastroenterology, inflammation & metabolism, and rare diseases. With over 10 years of experience, I have supported key deliverables including more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, manuscripts, slide decks, literature reviews, and scientific narratives. I enjoy working in collaborative, deadline-driven environments and am particularly interested in medical writing, medical information, and publication development, where scientific accuracy and effective storytelling intersect.

*Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician (ABFM) with 14+ years clinical experience (based in Chicago, IL) *Named Castle Connolly Top Doctor (2024, 2025) *Medical Media Commentator seen on/in ABC 7, Fox 32, CBS 2, WGN 9, The Chicago Tribune , Chicago Sun Times, and Everyday Health; including a nationwide 25 interview satellite media tour (TV & radio, November 2025) *Premedical Student Mentor, Urban Bridges Medical Mentoring Program Dr. Rene is a board-certified Family Medicine physician and Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians (FAAFP) with 14+ years of clinical experience. She provides comprehensive primary care for Medicare-eligible patients at Oak Street Health's Avalon Park location in Chicago, specializing in chronic disease management, preventive care, healthcare equity, and access for underserved communities. After overcoming 50 medical school rejections, Dr. Rene graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine and completed residency training at Ascension Saint Joseph Hospital - Chicago. She developed the L.Y.M.I.T.S. Method—a framework for transforming limitations into your greatest strengths. She mentors aspiring physicians through the Urban Bridges Medical Mentoring Program. Dr. Rene has appeared as a medical expert on ABC 7, Fox 32, CBS 2, and WGN 9 Chicago and recently completed a 25-interview national satellite media tour. She is available for expert commentary on resilience in healthcare, medical education equity, resilience and overcoming failure, healthcare access for underserved populations, and diversity in medicine.

Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA, is a nationally recognized federal prison expert. He serves as Managing Director at Elizabeth Franklin-Best P.C. and Zoukis Consulting Group, where his federal criminal defense practice focuses on federal appeals, post-conviction relief, compassionate release, clemency, and Bureau of Prisons policy matters. Mr. Zoukis is the author of six books on federal criminal defense and prison policy, including The Habeas Citebook: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel (Prison Legal News Publishing, 3rd ed. forthcoming 2025), Federal Criminal Defendant’s Handbook (Middle Street Publishing, forthcoming 2025), Directory of Federal Prisons (2020), Federal Prison Handbook (2017), Prison Education Guide (2017), and College for Convicts (2014). His Federal Prison Handbook received numerous awards, including the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards Gold Medal, the Next Generation Indie Book Award, and the Chanticleer Book Awards Instructional & Insightful Nonfiction Award. College for Convicts received the Eric Hoffer Book Award’s Montaigne Medal for the most thought-provoking book of the year. Mr. Zoukis earned his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Davis School of Law, where he served as Articles Editor of the UC Davis Law Review and received both the Witkin Award and Reynoso Award for Academic Excellence. He also holds an MBA and a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Adams State University. Major media outlets regularly seek his expertise. He has been quoted in CNN, Fox News, ABC News, Associated Press, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Bloomberg Law, and Vice News, among others. He has contributed articles to the Huffington Post, New York Daily News, Prison Legal News, and Criminal Legal News. Mr. Zoukis’s Prison Law Blog was named a Top Law Blawg by the American Bar Association, and he was a finalist for the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence Award. He has assisted hundreds of clients with federal prison preparation, in-prison advocacy, and reentry matters, and is considered a leading voice on federal prison policy nationwide. Learn more about Chris at https://federalcriminaldefenseattorney.com/about/christopher-zoukis-federal-prison-consultant/

Michael Prasad is a Certified Emergency Manager® and the Executive Director of the Center for Emergency Management Intelligence Research (www.cemir.org). He is also the volunteer president of the International Association of Emergency Managers-USA for Region 2, and a national-level expert on Mass Care, specifically for issues impacting children in disasters. He has an MA in emergency and disaster management from American Public University and advocates, researches, and writes professionally on emergency management policies and procedures. His published books include: "Emergency Management Threats and Hazards: Water", "Rusty the Emergency Management Cat", and "Leadership Lessons Learned and Applied in Emergency Management and Beyond." Links to articles, videos, podcasts, etc. can be found at www.michaelprasad.com.

Dr. Brian Honeyman, MD, PhD, is a board-certified physician in Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Internal Medicine, with a career spanning clinical leadership, medical education, and translational research. He currently serves as a Clinical Advisor at Marietta Springs, where he helps guide compassionate, evidence-based approaches to patient care and recovery. Dr. Honeyman most recently served as Chief of Palliative Medicine for Care New England Medical Group, advancing holistic and patient-centered models of serious illness care. In addition to his clinical leadership, Dr. Honeyman is a dedicated educator and former Assistant Professor of Medicine at Brown University, where he mentored medical students, residents, and interdisciplinary learners. A graduate of the Boston University School of Medicine MD/PhD program, his doctoral research explored the molecular mechanisms of breast cancer, with publications in PLOS One and Chemistry & Biology.

Dr. Geny Augustine is a physician at Solace who knows firsthand how challenging the U.S. healthcare system can be for patients. Having worked with diverse patient populations throughout her career, she's seen how the system's complex nature can create unnecessary barriers to getting good care—which is exactly what drew her to Solace's mission of putting patients first. Dr. Augustine completed her medical education in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, and previously worked as a Family Medicine physician for Banner Health in Glendale, Arizona. She's passionate about improving patient care, leading quality improvement projects like her work on hypertension management in urban environments, which earned honorable mention for the SLUHN Quality Improvement Award in 2020. Fluent in English with intermediate Spanish skills, she brings both clinical expertise and cultural understanding to her patient relationships. When she's not advocating for patients, Dr. Augustine enjoys fitness, culinary arts, fine arts, travel, and volunteer work—pursuits that reflect her belief in whole-person wellness and giving back to her community.

Carole Lieberman, M.D., M.P.H. is a Board Certified Psychiatrist (Clinical and Forensic), known worldwide as America's Psychiatrist and The Terrorist Therapist®. She's a 3x Emmy Honored Media Psychiatrist, Bestselling/Award-winning author of 4 books: 2 on terrorism and 2 on relationships. Featured on top media outlets-including: FOX, CNN, Newsmax, Today, GMA, Court TV, ABC, NBC, CBS. Trained at NYU-Bellevue (Chief Resident), Anna Freud's London Clinic, UCLA-NIMH fellowship award recipient to receive Masters in Public Health, Testified before Congress several times re: violence, drugs, alcohol in media. www.terroristtherapist.com www.expertwitnessforensicpsychiatrist.com www.drcarole.com

Dr. Jay Johannigman is a Cincinnati-based trauma surgeon with over 35 years of experience in trauma and critical care. A distinguished leader in both military and civilian medicine, he has made lasting contributions to Cincinnati’s medical landscape, most notably as the former Trauma Medical Director and Chief of the Institute of Military Medicine at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. During his tenure, he helped shape one of the region’s most advanced trauma and acute care programs, strengthening Cincinnati's role as a center of excellence in emergency medicine. A Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, Dr. Johannigman has served in eight combat deployments from 2003 to 2021. His military roles have included CCAT (Critical Care Air Transport) flight surgeon, Trauma “Czar,” Deputy Commander, and Director of Clinical Services in combat hospitals. His outstanding service has been recognized with numerous military honors, including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and Army Commendation Medal. Dr. Johannigman also played a key role in the U.S. Air Force C-STARS (Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills) program, helping to train medical teams in readiness and combat casualty care. He has served as Chief Medical Officer at Knight Aerospace, contributing to the design and implementation of airborne medical evacuation systems, and strengthening the ties between military innovation and civilian emergency response. Beyond his contributions on the battlefield and in the operating room, Dr. Johannigman is a passionate educator. He serves as Professor of Surgery at the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland, where he helps train future generations of military and civilian physicians. Dr. Johannigman has held leadership roles nationally as well, including State Trauma Chair and Region Chief for the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. He remains actively involved in key professional organizations, such as the American Association for Trauma and the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Boluwatife OLU Afolabi is a dental surgeon and PhD candidate in Oral Biology at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms driving head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, particularly the role of environmental carcinogens, inflammatory signaling, and transcriptional regulation in disease initiation and progression. His work investigates pathways such as the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR) and S100A8/S100A9-mediated inflammatory responses using cellular and molecular models of oral epithelial transformation. He has extensive experience in cancer biology, oral pathology, toxicology, and translational biomedical research. Dr. Afolabi provides expert insight on oral cancer risk factors, environmental exposures and health, inflammation and disease mechanisms, dental-systemic health connections, and emerging directions in cancer research. He is also interested in public health implications of carcinogen exposure and prevention strategies in oral and head-and-neck disease.

Dr. Calvin Williams is a Harvard University educated, board-certified dermatologist and the owner of Dermatology Group PLLC in Bedford, Texas. He specializes in medical, cosmetic, and surgical dermatology, with particular expertise in acne, eczema, hyperpigmentation, inflammatory skin conditions, and skin of color. Dr. Williams regularly educates patients and the public on evidence-based skincare, aesthetic treatments, and dermatologic health, and he is frequently sought out for expert commentary on dermatology, wellness, and cosmetic trends.

Hi, I'm Dr. Jeffrey Mark, M.D., a gastroenterologist and functional medicine expert with over 30 years helping people just like you get back to feeling their best. I've dedicated my life to fixing gut health issues, balancing hormones, and tackling heart and energy problems from the root cause—not just masking symptoms with endless meds. My own story started young: At age 10, a bad infection from travel nearly took my life due to a wrong antibiotic, sparking my passion to help others avoid that pain. Later, in my 40s, I battled fatigue, weight gain, high blood pressure, and brain fog from heavy metals and mold toxicity. Using functional and regenerative medicine, I healed myself and now share those tools with you. I earned my B.S. in Neurophysiology from Northwestern University, my M.D. from the University of Illinois College of Medicine, did my internal medicine residency at Northwestern, and specialized in gastroenterology at Chicago Medical School. I'm also certified in medical acupuncture from UCLA and 5X board-certified in functional medicine, anti-aging and regenerative medicine, gastroenterology, obesity medicine, and internal medicine. This lets me blend the best of traditional care with cutting-edge therapies like peptides, PRP, exosomes, and personalized plans. At The Real Gut Doctor, my focus is you: We create custom diets, supplements, and lifestyle tweaks to restore your vitality, mental sharpness, and joy. Whether it's beating IBS, colitis, or low energy, I've guided countless patients to ditch meds, heal after surgery, and live fuller lives. No extreme diets or guesswork—just real results. If you're tired of feeling off and ready for change, let's chat. Visit therealgutdoctor.com or book a discovery call—I'm here to empower you every step of the way!

Dr. Catherine Shaffer is a scientist and researcher whose work focuses on violence risk assessment and management, dating and intimate partner violence, and adolescent offenders. With experience spanning both research and applied contexts, she brings an evidence-based perspective to understanding risk, offending behavior, and prevention. She has authored (or co-authored) over 130 articles, book chapters, reports, assessment tools, and presentations related to crime and violence. In 2021, she was awarded the Christopher Webster Early Career Award by the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services for significant early-career contributions to the forensic mental health field.

Edward is a 13 year rare Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivor and author of the book 'Cancer, Musical Theatre, & Other Chronic Illnesses'. In his 13 year survivorship journey, Edward has been featured in INSIDER, ABC, Fox5, Pix11, DailyMail, Everyday Health, and has spoken on nearly 100 podcasts on survivorship. He has spoken to crows with Blood Cancer United, and Tufts University with more on the horizon. Edward's hot take? Surviving cancer is harder than having cancer in the first place and there aren't enough resources or conversations about this commonly felt, but not commonly discussed facet of cancer. Hence, why in 2026 in partnership and benefitting Blood Cancer United, Edward is launching The Remission Film Festival. This first-of-its-kind festival features creators who have been impacted by cancer and who can speak to the experience of having, or living through it. Please reach out with any cancer or film related inquiries.

Martin Gaynor is the Emeritus University Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University and former Director of the Bureau of Economics at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Professor Gaynor's research focuses on competition and incentives in health care, and on antitrust policy. He is one of the founders of the Health Care Cost Institute, an independent non-partisan nonprofit dedicated to advancing knowledge about U.S. health care spending, and served as the first Chair of its governing board. He is also an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and of the National Academy of Social Insurance, a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and an International Research Fellow at the University of Bristol. Prior to coming to Carnegie Mellon Dr. Gaynor held faculty appointments at Johns Hopkins and a number of other universities. He has been an invited visitor at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Northwestern University, and the Toulouse School of Economics. His research focuses on competition and antitrust policy, particularly in health care markets. He has written extensively on this topic, testified before Congress, and advised the governments of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and South Africa on competition issues in health care. Gaynor is on the Pennsylvania Governor’s Health Advisory Board and co-chaired the state’s workgroup on shoppable care. He has won a number of awards for his research, including the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy Best Paper Award, the Victor R. Fuchs Research Award, the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation Health Care Research Award, the Kenneth J. Arrow Award, the Jerry S. Cohen Award for Antitrust Scholarship (finalist), and a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Award in Health Policy Research. Dr. Gaynor received his B.A. from the University of California, San Diego in 1977 and his Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1983. HONORS AND AWARDS Kenneth J. Arrow Award for Best Published Paper in Health Economics, 2017. Member (elected), National Academy of Medicine, 2016. Best Paper Award, American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2016. Member (elected), National Academy of Social Insurance, 2015. Finalist, Jerry S. Cohen Award for Antitrust Scholarship, 2014. Victor R. Fuchs Research Award, 2007. National Institute for Health Care Management Research Award, 2005. Top 1000 Economists in the World, 1990-2000. https://ideas.repec.org/coupe.html Top 5% of Authors, Research Papers in Economics (RePEc). https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.person.all.html Top 100 Health Economics Authors, 1969-2010. (Wagstaff, A. and A.J. Culyer, Journal of Health Economics, 2012, 31, 2, 406–439.) Top 50 Health Economics Authors, 1991-2000. (Chang, C. and R. Rubin, Health Economics, 2003, 12:5 403–414.) Kenneth J. Arrow Award for Best Published Paper in Health Economics, 1996. Investigator Award in Health Policy Research, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 1995-1997. First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) Award, National Institute of Mental Health, 1990-1993. Dissertation Grant, National Center for Health Services Research, 1981.