Our Team

The Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center includes over 150 faculty, fellows, and staff. Faculty and fellows represent a group of researchers with diverse interests and expertise, who, together, share a vision for better health for all people. Our work is recognized nationally and internationally and has been featured in scientific publications, at conferences, and in the media. The dedicated staff who support the research and education missions of the center are key to our success in improving health.

Administrative Team

Carol Haas, Division Administrator

Wanda Bilbrey, Administrative Officer for Research

Shannon Byers, Program Manager

Sharana Jones, Budget/Accounting Analyst

John White, SRSR Scientific Research Core Manager

Jan Cao, Research Analyst

Lisa Long, Research Analyst

Dave Adkins, Sr Administration Assistant

 

  • Adgent, Margaret, M.S.P.H., Ph.D. 
    Research Assistant Professor
    Research Interests:  Occupational/environmental epidemiology, reproductive epidemiology, pediatric epidemiology

    Aldrich, Melinda C., Ph.D., M.P.H.
    Assistant Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, pulmonary disease epidemiology, health disparities

    Beeghly-Fadiel, Alicia Ph.D, M.P.H. 
    Assistant Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, pharmacological epidemiology
     

    Blot, William Ph.D. 
    Research Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology
     

    Boice, John Jr., Sc.D. 
    Research Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, occupational & environmental epidemiology

    Cai, Hui M.D., Ph.D. 
    Research Associate Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, cardiovascular disease & diabetes epidemiology, genetic epidemiology

    Cai, Qiuyin M.D., Ph.D. 
    Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, genetic epidemiology

    Cooper, William M.D., M.P.H. 
    Professor 
    Research Interests: Pharmacological epidemiology

    Cox, Nancy J Ph.D. 
    Professor
    Research Interests: Genetic epidemiology

    Dai, Qi M.D., Ph.D.
    Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, pharmacological epidemiology, occupational & environmental epidemiology

    Deppen, Stephen Ph.D., MSES, M.A.
    Assistant Professor
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, occupational/environmental epidemiology, clinical epidemiology, health economics & health services research

    Edwards, Todd L. Ph.D. 
    Associate Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, cardiovascular disease & diabetes epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, pharmacological epidemiology, reproductive epidemiology

    Elasy, Tom A. M.D., M.P.H.
    Professor
    Research Interests:

    Ely, Wesly M.D., M.P.H. 
    Professor 
    Research Interests: Critical care, delirium

    Epplein, Meira Ph.D. 
    Adjunt Associate Professor - Duke University School of Medicine
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, infectious disease & international disease, modifiable risk factors, health disparities, Helicobacter pylori

    Fowke, Jay H. Ph.D., M.P.H. 
    Adjunct Associate Professor - University of Tennessee Health Science Center
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, molecular epidemiology, obesity, diet, urologic disease epidemiology

    Friedman, Debra L. M.D.
    Associate Professor
    Research Interests: 

    Giri, Ayush M.S., Ph.D.
    Assistant Professor
    Research Interests: Cardiovascular/diabetes epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, reproductive epidemiology, women's health

    Griffin, Marie M.D., M.P.H. 
    Professor 
    Research Interests: Cardiovascular disease & diabetes epidemiology, infectious disease & international health, pharmacological epidemiology

    Grijalva, Carlos G. M.D., M.P.H. 
    Associate Professor 
    Research Interests: Cardiovascular disease & diabetes epidemiology, infectious disease & international health, pharmacological epidemiology

    Guo, Xingyi, Ph.D.
    Assistant Professor
    Research Interests:

    Hartert, Tina M.D., M.P.H. 
    Professor 
    Research Interests: Infectious disease epidemiology & international health, asthma, allergic rhinitis,

    Hartmann, Katherine E. M.D., Ph.D. 
    Professor 
    Research Interests: Reproductive epidemiology, healthcare epidemiology

    Heimburger, Douglas M.D., M.Sc 
    Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, infectious disease epidemiology & international health

    Hellwege, Jacklyn, Ph.D.
    Research Assistant Professor
    Research Interests: Cardiovascular/diabetes epidemiology, genetic epidemiology

    Hull, Pamela Ph.D. 
    Assistant Professor
    Research Interests: Psychological & behavioral epidemiology

    Jain, Nitin M.B.B.S.
    Associate Professor 
    Research Interests: 

    Jiang, Ming, M.D., Ph.D. 
    Research Associate Professor
    Research Interests:

    Khankari, Nikhil Ph.D., M.P.H.
    Research Instructor
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, nutritional epidemiology

    Kipp, Aaron M. Ph.D 
    Research Assistant Professor 
    Research Interests: Infectious disease & international health epidemiology, psychological & behavioral epidemiology

    Kuhs, Krystle, Ph.D. 
    Assistant Professor
    Research Interests:

    Lipworth, Loren Sc.D. - Associate Director - Division of Epidemiology
    Research Professor
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, cardiovascular disease & diabetes epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, pharmacological epidemiology

    Long, Jirong Ph.D. 
    Associate Professor 
    Research Interests: Genetic epidemiology

    Murff, Harvey J. M.D., M.P.H.
    Associate Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, pharmacological epidemiology, nutritional epidemiology

    McPheeters, Melissa Ph.D., M.P.H.
    Research Professor
    Research Interests: Infectious disease epidemiology/International health,  reproductive epidemiology

    Ping,Jie Ph.D.
    Staff Scientist
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, bioinformatics, biomedical informatics

    Ray, Wayne A. Ph.D. 
    Professor
    Research Interests:

    Rebeiro, Peter M.H.S., Ph.D.
    Assistant Professor
    Research Interests: Infectious disease epidemiology/International health, Causal inference

    Robinson-Cohen, Cassianne, Ph.D.
    Assistant Professor
    Research Interests: Cardiovascular epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, kidney disease epidemiology
     

    Sanderson, Maureen Ph.D., M.P.H.
    Professor
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, psychological & behavioral epidemiology, health disparities

    Schlundt, David Ph.D.
    Associate Professor
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, cardiovascular disease & diabetes epidemiology, psychological & behavioral epidemiology

    Schneider, Barbara G. Ph.D. 
    Research Professor
    Research Interests: Genetic epidemiology, infectious disease epidemiology & international health

    Shrubsole, Martha J. Ph.D. 
    Research Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, microbiome, one-carbon metabolism, nutrition, gene-environment

    Shu, Xiao Ou M.D., Ph.D. 
    Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, cardiovascular disease & diabetes epidemiology, occupational & environmental epidemiology, nutrition epidemiology

    Smalley, Walter E. Jr. M.D., M.P.H. 
    Professor 
    Research Interests:

    Su, Timothy,  Ph.D., M.D. 
    Research Assistant Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, pathology

    Sudenga, Staci L. Ph.D., M.P.H. 
    Assistant Professor
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, infectious disease epidemiology/international health

    Trevathan, Ed M.D.
    Professor
    Research Interests:

    Ukoli, Flora M.B.B.S., M.P.H. 
    Professor
    Research Interests:  Chronic disease epidemiology

    Velez Edwards, Digna R. Ph.D, M.S. 
    Associate Professor 
    Research Interests: Genetic epidemiology, reproductive epidemiology, women’s health research, racial disparities

    Warren-Anderson, Shaneda Ph.D. - UW-Madison School of Medicine
    Adjunct Assistant Professor
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, molecular and genetic epidemiology, health behaviors

    Wen, Wanqing M.D., M.P.H. 
    Research Associate Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology and epidemiological methodology

    Yang, Gong M.D., M.P.H. 
    Research Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, molecular epidemiology

    Yu, Danxia, Ph.D. 
    Assistant Professor
    Research Interests: Cardiovascular disease and diabetes epidemiology, nutritional epidemiology, biomarkers, metabolomics, diet-microbiota interactions

    Zheng, Wei M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.  - Director - Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center
    Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers, genetic factors, diet & nutrition, risk prediction

    Zhu, Xiangzhu M.D., M.P.H.
    Research Assistant Professor 
    Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, occupational/environmental epidemiology

  • Tenure-track or Tenured Faculty Positions

    The Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) invites candidates to apply for tenured or tenure-track faculty positions. More than 50 epidemiologists at Vanderbilt conduct clinical and population-based studies, including three large cohort studies in the U.S. and abroad with survey data and biological samples from approximately 225,000 study participants. Areas of ongoing research include diet and nutrition, health behaviors, environmental exposures, reproductive epidemiology, genetic and other biomarkers for disease risk and progression, and racial disparities in health outcomes. The Center is particularly interested in expanding its research and training programs in epidemiology of cancer and other chronic diseases.

    Successful candidates will have a doctorate in epidemiology or a related field with additional training or experience in epidemiologic research, and a demonstrated ability to develop and sustain an independent research program. Vanderbilt fosters a rich environment of cross-disciplinary collaboration, providing exciting opportunities to work on cohort consortium projects and collaborate on ongoing research projects in epidemiology.

    Vanderbilt University School of Medicine is ranked #14 on the recent US News and World Report list of top medical schools for research in the US and is in the Top 10 for NIH-funded research. VUMC is home to the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, an NCI-designated Cancer Center. VUMC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

    Nashville, the state capital, is the largest metropolitan area in Tennessee, with temperate climate, low cost of living, affordable residential areas, vibrant cultural activities and abundant recreational opportunities.

    To apply, email a cover letter, briefly describing research experience and interests, and curriculum vitae to lisa.long@vumc.org.

    Address the cover letter to: Dr. Wei Zheng,  c/o Lisa Long, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Ave., 8th floor, Nashville TN 37203-1738.

  • For more information on employment opportunities, please see the official listing on the Work at Vanderbilt website.