Stephen Thomas: internationally recognized for scholarship on the legacy of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study in shaping attitudes of African Americans toward medical care and clinical and public health research; conducted research on HIV/AIDS, youth violence, substance abuse, organ-tissue donation; currently translating NIH research into community-based interventions to prevent and manage chronic diseases; Sandra Crouse Quinn: national expert on health and risk communication and racial differences in response to disasters and bioterrorism; building community trust and community engagement research; James Butler: researches tobacco-related health disparities among residents of public housing; understanding how the social and environmental influences motivation for life-style changes designed to reduce risk of cancer, obesity and Type 2 diabetes;

Craig Fryer: research focused on smoking behavior among minority youth and young adults and understanding the socio-cultural context fueling health disparities;Mary A. Garza: the influence of religion and faith in health behaviors associated with breast, colorectal and prostate cancer screening; domestic violence; use of community-based participatory research to design interventions to eliminate health disparities..The team developed successful national partnerships and collaborations in Pittsburgh, and these will continue at Maryland. These include arrangements with the Mayo Clinic, the University of Wisconsin, University of Colorado, as well as ongoing research with Pittsburgh community-based organizations and research partners at the University of Pittsburgh. The team has also established a highly successful career development pipeline with the Kellogg Health Scholars program headquartered in Washington, DC.

"The University is extremely pleased to have attracted this very talented team," said University of Maryland President C. D. Mote, Jr. "Each member brings extensive experience and professional specialization to the challenge of reducing health disparities. The team will extend and amplify the exceptional programs underway in the School of Public Health."

INITIATIVES UNDERWAY

The University of Maryland School of Public Health currently has extensive research and community outreach programs already active in Maryland, including the CDC-funded University of Maryland Prevention Research Center, the 10 year old City of Seat Pleasant - University of Maryland Partnership, the Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy, the Cultural Competency in Healthcare initiative, and the new Center for Global Health Initiatives, funded by NFL player and Maryland alum, Madieu Williams.

SOURCE University of Maryland