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. 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.

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.

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.

Dr. Michael Christopher is a board-certified dermatologist and expert dermoscopist recognized for his work in early melanoma detection. Through consistent, evidence-based use of dermoscopy, he identifies between 150 and 215 melanomas annually, far exceeding national and state averages and highlighting a critical gap in standard skin cancer screening practices. Dr. Christopher is a leading advocate for improved melanoma detection standards and patient education, calling attention to the limitations of visual-only skin exams. He regularly speaks on prevention, early detection, and systemic failures in dermatology training across health, wellness, and longevity-focused media.

Dr. Manthan Tripathi is a medical professional, healthcare writer, and digital health educator based in India, with a clinical foundation from Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University, Lucknow. He combines frontline medical training with over 3,000 published articles across patient education, preventive medicine, medical technology, and AI in healthcare, making him one of India's most prolific evidence-based health communicators. His work has appeared on platforms including Medicircle, HospitalSuggest, HealthVoice, DocVo, Dr. Malpani and IVF Matters, and is recognized for translating complex clinical concepts into accurate, reader-friendly content that helps patients make genuinely informed decisions. His healthcare and education content has generated over 55 million cumulative views across digital platforms. Dr. Tripathi brings a perspective that is rare among health sources: deep India-specific clinical knowledge, including India's disease burden, government health schemes, Indian drug brand names, and regional dietary patterns; context that generic Western health content consistently misses. He is the founder of drmanthan.com, an evidence-based health information and clinical tools platform built specifically for Indian patients, families, and medical students. He has also worked as a Subject Matter Expert with Physics Wallah and Chegg India, contributing academic content for competitive medical examinations including NEET. His areas of expertise include internal medicine, thyroid and metabolic disorders, diabetes, preventive health, and India-specific patient education. Journalists covering Indian healthcare, global health disparities, patient literacy, medical misinformation, or AI in medicine will find in Dr. Tripathi a source who speaks with both clinical accuracy and genuine public communication experience.

With 8+ years of clinical experience, I am focused on preventive and community medicine, public health and epidemiology research, public health education, and health equity. I am committed to closing the gap between diagnosis and understanding through health literacy, epidemiology, and evidence-based public health education. I have helped organize community health education initiatives addressing postpartum health, nutritional deficiencies, sexual health awareness, and preventive care for marginalized populations. My long-term focus is to advance evidence-based public health initiatives that reduce preventable disease, improve health literacy, and strengthen outcomes for vulnerable communities.

*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.

Andrea Martin, DNP, CRNP, WHNP, MSCP is a doctoral-prepared Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner specializing exclusively in menopause, perimenopause, and women’s sexual health. She is the founder of Glow Health, a telehealth practice serving women in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland, and serves as Medical Director at Intimate Rose, where she developed the company’s inaugural menopause and perimenopause treatment protocol. With over a decade of clinical experience in women’s health, Andrea has treated complex sexual health conditions, managed menopausal hormone therapy, and cared for patients with pelvic pain disorders at institutions including Thomas Jefferson University and Rachel Rubin MD. She is a peer-reviewed author and co-authored the first article on the clitoris ever published in the Clinical Journal for Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health. She has been quoted in the New York Times, Cosmopolitan, and Everyday Health, and has presented at national conferences including the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health.

Joe Letorney — Certified Water Treatment Specialist & Founder, WaterCheckup.com Joe Letorney is a Water Quality Association (WQA) Certified Water Treatment Specialist with over 30 years of hands-on experience across every aspect of the water treatment industry. He grew up working in his family's water treatment business starting at age 10, and later became Vice President of Marketing at Durastill Export Inc. — an international water filtration company — while simultaneously founding and running his own company, The Water Pro Inc., based in Rockland, Massachusetts. Over his career Joe has designed, installed, and serviced water treatment systems, conducted water testing and analysis, lectured at industry events including WQA convention educational seminars, and authored articles published in leading water trade journals including Water Conditioning & Purification (WCP Online) and Water Technology magazine. He has sold water systems to customers in over 100 countries worldwide. Today Joe is the founder of WaterCheckup.com — a free public resource that pulls live EPA drinking water data including UCMR5 PFAS monitoring results to show Americans exactly what's in their tap water by ZIP code, and recommends top-rated NSF-certified filters matched to the specific contaminants detected in their water supply. Credentials: WQA Certified Water Treatment Specialist VI · B.S. Marketing, University of Massachusetts · 30+ years water treatment industry · Published author, Water Conditioning & Purification & Water Technology magazine

Dr. Fred Cohen is the medical director of Headache Intervention, and an assistant professor of medicine and neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He earned his medical degree from Stony Brook University, completed an internal medicine residency at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and a headache medicine fellowship at the Jefferson Headache Center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. One of the few headache specialists in the country trained in both internal medicine and headache medicine, Dr. Cohen has over 40 publications in journals including The Lancet, Headache, Cephalalgia, and Neurotherapeutics. He serves on the editorial board of Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, the boards of directors of the National Headache Foundation and the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy, and as a committee member for both the American Headache Society and the International Headache Society.

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.