SIU School of Medicine Launches Department of Population Science and Policy New department considers social determinants to improve overall health in central, southern Illinois SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, Sept. 18, 2018 – The Department of Population Science and Policy – Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s first new department in nearly three decades, aims to be a champion for rural Illinoisans. To improve the health and wellness in the 66 counties of central and southern Illinois, the department will identify community-based interventions and study how factors such as poverty, access

Roselind (Rosey) Brown, BS Peace Corps Fellow Department of Population Science and Policy Contact: 217-545-6987 rbrown35@siumed.edu Primary Responsibilities My primary responsibility for the Department of Population Science and Policy is to assist in research and community engagement aimed at improving health outcomes in central and southern Illinois. About I am graduate student at Western Illinois University pursuing a master’s in health science with a focus in health education. I currently serve as a WIU Peace Corps Coverdell Fellow focusing on community economic development. Prior to

Nicole Summers-Gabr, PhD, MS Assistant Professor Department of Population Science and Policy Contact 217-545-9502 nsummers-gabr42@siumed.edu Primary Responsibilities My primary responsibilities include community-oriented research in rural areas across Central and Southern Illinois, with a particular focus on family health and well-being, as well as developing interventions, manuscript/ grant writing, and mentoring students. About As a Midwest native, my education began in my home state of Michigan. In 2012, I graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Brent Van Ham, MS, RN, CRC, CADC Research Project Coordinator Department of Population Science and Policy Contact: 618-453-1587 bvanham49@siumed.edu Primary Responsibilities: My primary responsibility for the Department of Population Science and Policy is to assist in research aimed at improving health outcomes in central and southern Illinois. About: I grew up in Kankakee, Illinois, and moved to Carbondale following my enlistment in the US Navy. I hold an associate’s degree in nursing from John A. Logan College (1997), a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southern Illinois University (2014)

Monica Abd El Nour, MD – National University of Ireland, Galway School of Medicine, Galway, Ireland Afreen Abraham, MD – Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, India Yuri Fedorovich, MD – SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, IL Sarah Furqan, MD – Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi City, Sindh, Pakistan Mohammad Jaber, MD – University of Illinois College of Medicine, Urbana, IL Vani Krishna, MD – Vinayaka Mission’s Kirupananda Variyar Medical College, Salem, India Douglas Meyer, DO – University of Pikeville, Kentucky College of Medicine, Pikeville, KY Usha Ravi, MD – Taishan Medical University

Purpose/program overview The goal of the SIU System Collaborative Grant program is to promote new biomedical research collaborations and foster receipt of extramural funding for research projects between faculty at the various SIU campuses, including the School of Medicine, Edwardsville, and Carbondale. Thus, projects considered for funding should represent pilot studies for obtaining preliminary data for larger collaborative projects to be submitted for external funding. Definition of research Research is broadly defined as all creative, critical, scholarly, and/or empirical activity that

Min Jee Lee, PhD, MPH Assistant Professor Department of Population Science and Policy Contact 217-545-2428 mlee88@siumed.edu Primary Responsibilities My primary responsibilities include pursuing individual and collaborative research in health and healthcare disparities; as well as providing education and mentoring to students. About I am a health services researcher with expertise in health and healthcare disparities. I joined the Department of Population Science and Policy at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in 2018. I received my PhD in Health Services Policy and Management

SIU School of Medicine is proud to announce the launch of its Department of Population Science and Policy, a new academic department focused on better understanding and advancing the health of communities in central and southern Illinois. Dr. Sameer Vohra, MD, JD, FAAP, has been named founding chair of the Department of Population Science and Policy. The Department of Population Science and Policy is the first of its kind: a department uniquely focused on understanding the health of populations and integrating policy solutions to those populations. The department consists of three divisions

Over 100 million Americans have hypertension, and more than half of those who are on antihypertensive medications still don’t have their blood pressure under control. Doctors at Southern Illinois University Medicine are conducting a groundbreaking clinical trial to test the effectiveness of a new device to lower blood pressure. The CALM-2 study is enrolling participants now. The CALM-2 clinical study is designed to evaluate an investigational device as a possible solution for patients whose blood pressure is not controlled with prescribed medications. People participating in this study will be