Research Fellows

DUKE UNIVERSITY

Will Lieber is a senior at Duke University studying Health & Incarceration. Will is deeply interested in improving healthcare delivery for people who are incarcerated. His interest in global health stems from a desire to reimagine the US prison system, which has the highest incarceration rate in the world, through comparative studies of correctional and healthcare models in other countries. Additionally, he is concerned with the impact of global crises on access to healthcare for immigrants and refugees, and he is committed to exploring innovative approaches to preserving critical care for displaced and vulnerable populations.

William Lieber

  • Lieber W, Rahim FO, Lartey H, et al. Capacity Building for Infectious Disease Control in sub-Saharan Africa (Pathogens & Global Health2023).

    Lieber W, Rahim FO, Jain B, et al. Navigating Public Health in the Israel-Palestine Conflict: Charting a Path Forward (Health and Human Rights2023). 

    Rahim FO, Lieber W, Hertz JT, et al. Post-Election Responsibilities for Public Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Nature Medicine 2024). 

DUKE UNIVERSITY

Grace is a current undergraduate student at Duke University interested in investigating the impacts on human health from a community perspective, considering factors such as nutrition, race, and culture. The recent conversations about the regulation of Ozempic and other GLP-1 Agonists have also particularly interested her. She is currently investigating food security within the DurhamCommunity after the recent Medicaid expansion programs and will be conducting rural healthcare fieldwork in Pamlico County this summer.

Grace Wang

FRANKLIN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Humna Anzaar is a high school student, global health researcher, and nonprofit founder dedicated to advancing healthcare equity. As the founder and CEO of Blessings Beyond Borders, Humna directs initiatives supporting hospitalized children in under-resourced countries, primarily Pakistan. Her research efforts have led to publications on culturally-tailored diabetes care and rural obesity policy, as well as recognition as the two-time state champion and third-place international winner of National History Day for her research papers on South Asian geopolitics.

Humna Anzar

DUKE UNIVERSITY

Huda Haque is a student at Duke University studying English, chemistry, and health policy. She is passionate about health literacy and addressing health inequities among underserved communities. As a student researcher, she has worked on public health research projects focused on the social determinants of health surrounding heart disease and cancer. 

Huda Haque

DUKE UNIVERSITY

Victoria Ayodele is a Duke University undergraduate and Laidlaw Scholar dedicated to advancing neurological health and addressing public health disparities through research and community engagement. A global health advocate, Victoria has researched sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on the intersection of nutrition and neurodevelopment, including a project in Bauchi, Nigeria, designing culturally sensitive interventions to combat anemia in young mothers. Passionate about addressing public health, Victoria is interested in taking her research to Accra, Ghana, to explore the impact of lead and zinc contamination on food security and public health.

Victoria Ayodele

  • [Accepted for Publication]: Anand S, Ayodele V, Rahim FO, et al. Expanding healthcare access in rural sub-Saharan Africa (Perspectives in Public Health 2024).

DUKE UNIVERSITY

Sofia DiFulvio is a current undergraduate at Duke University studying Neuroscience. Having earned her Emergency Medical Technician license at 16, Sofia has had a passion for Emergency Medicine ever since. She has gained clinical experience volunteering in Virginia and working part time in North Carolina and will serve as the Director of Duke University EMS her senior year. Additionally, she has conducted Emergency Medicine research on a wide variety of topics at the Duke University Emergency Department, with a focus on chronic and acute pain management. Her research interests are primarily prehospital care and EMS systems management, in addition to pain. 

Sofia DiFulvio

BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

Pooja Lalwani is currently a research assistant at the Precision Vaccines Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. She graduated from Duke University in 2022 with a B.S. in biology, a minor in music, and a certificate in sustainability engagement. She will be attending medical school in 2025.

Pooja Lalwani

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

Urvish Jain, from Pittsburgh, PA, is interested in global health, chronic disease, and advancing healthcare delivery through systems-level approaches. His publications in these areas have been featured in leading biomedical outlets such as JAMA Pediatrics, The American Journal of Surgery, The American Journal of Public Health, and BMJ Oncology. Urvish leads initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of surgical procedures across India with the Aravind, Manipal, and Apollo Hospitals as well as government and non-profit organizations. Urvish graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Economics and Chemistry.

Urvish Jain