Dr. Bakulski’s research focuses on the genetics of mental and cognitive health. She also has experience with heavy metals exposure assessment, particularly biomarkers of cumulative lead exposure. Dr. Bakulski’s current research integrates and applies multiple genome-wide measures to understand disease risk. In addition, she studies the interactions between multiple pollutant exposures and genetics in aging populations on the risk of cognitive decline.
Dr. Antonucci’s research examines the cross sectional, longitudinal and cohort effects of social relations to assess whether they contemporaneously or longitudinally predict health and well-being. She seeks to examine, clarify, and explain some of the recent complexities identified concerning social relations as well as their ability to help cope with or increase vulnerability to stress and other risk factors
Dr. Ajrouch’s research focuses on aging, health, immigration and family in the United Statues and the Middle East; social networks over the life course; and Arab American identity and well-being. Currently, she is working with a multidisciplinary team of researchers to study Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias among Arab Americans and directs the Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease.
Dr. Ware conducts high throughput statistical analysis of genomic data to study disparities by in psychiatric outcomes by race and sex. She also explores gene-environment interactions as determinants of chronic disease.
Dr. Panapasa studies family support and intergenerational exchanges among aged Pacific Islanders living in the US and Pacific region. Her work examines changes in elderly living arrangements and headship status in response to demographic and socioeconomic change.
Dr. Kardia’s research focuses on the genetic epidemiology of common chronic diseases and their risk factors. She is particularly interested in gene-environment and gene-gene interactions and in developing novel analytical strategies to understand the complex relationship between genetic variation, environmental variation, and risk of common chronic diseases. Her research utilizes genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic measures on large epidemiological cohorts. She is a Health and Retirement Study co-investigator.
Dr. Faul’s scholarly interests are at the intersection of epidemiology, biodemography, and aging. She is currently collaborating on a grant to identify gene-by-environment interactions and their influence on later life cognitive decline and is co-leading a study to characterize disparities in Alzheimer’s disease risk through analysis of polygenic risk and other epidemiologic factors. She is a co-investigator on the Health and Retirement Study and Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol and has led the development of a workshop to train social scientists on the use of genomic data.
Dr. Abramowitz’s research examines the effects of health policies on individuals’ major life decisions and wellbeing. She has studied health insurance and medical out-of-pocket expenditures as well as marriage and fertility. She currently co-directs the Michigan Federal Statistical Research Data Centers.
Dr. Levy’s research interests include the causes and consequences of lacking health insurance, evaluation of public health insurance programs, and material hardship among older Americans. She is a Co-Investigator on the Health and Retirement Study, a long-running longitudinal study of health and economic dynamics at older ages.