Public Health Discovery Seminar Series

Interested in public health? Join Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine faculty to learn more about ongoing research and hot topics in a wide variety of public health disciplines in our ongoing virtual seminar series.

All seminars will be uploaded and added to a YouTube Playlist.

Seminar Schedule

Why are eggs so expensive? An update on Avian Influenza 
Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM 
Dr. Sarah Michaels, Assistant Professor, Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease 
Animal and human infections of avian influenza have been have been detected across the country. Although the risk of disease remains low, the impacts have been noticeable in the rising price of eggs. The presentation will address commonly asked questions about seasonal and avian influenza and how to best keep ourselves and our animals safe. 
Register here! 

Dengue Prevention and Control in Peruvian Rainforest city of Iquitos, Peru using Implementation Science 
Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM 
Dr. Valeria A. Paz-Soldan, Associate Professor, Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease 
There is scientific consensus that there are effective tools and strategies to control dengue, but program failures are linked to improper implementation. Our project directly addresses past implementation failures by using implementation science , dengue epidemiology and entomology expertise, infrastructure and relationships developed in Iquitos and Lima, to address three programmatic gaps identified in Iquitos, Peru to develop, implement and evaluate “Proyecto Tariki” – an integrated denguerisk reduction program. Tariki will: (1) mobilize community members to take control measures in their own homes, (1) enhance surveillance of disease vectors and febrile case outbreaks, (2) promote bi-directional data exchange between community residents, health care providers and authorities, and other stakeholders, and (3) support government programs through community engagement and training and implementation on pragmatic evaluation protocols. The project, funded the NIH, is in its first year, and we will share the exciting process of getting this work started. 
Register here! 

Impact of Adolescent Motherhood, Poverty, and Childrearing on Developmental Outcomes in Early Childhood  
Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM 
Dr. Arachu Castro, Professor, Department of International Health and Sustainable Development 
This is the first cross-national study to analyze the differential impact of socioeconomic and childrearing factors on early childhood development according to the adolescent status of the mother. We provide evidence that both poverty and childrearing practices interact in the association between adolescent motherhood and early childhood development delay. The findings underscore the potential benefits of policies that improve educational and employment opportunities for adolescents and help delay the age of motherhood. 
Register here! 

A spatial and digital pathology analysis on pancreatic cancer – insights into the remodeling of tumor immune microenvironment induced by neoadjuvant therapy
Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM
Dr. Yao-Zhong Liu, Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics and Data Science
Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) is the standard of care for borderline-resectable and locally advanced pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to investigate how NAT remodels the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and whether this remodeling translates into survival benefits. Through a new methodological framework that takes advantage of AI-assisted digital pathology and spatial point pattern analysis, our study has successfully captured the subtle effects of NAT-induced TIME remodeling and assessed its impact on prognosis of PDAC patients.
Register here!

Every drop counts! Emerging challenges in water and health  
Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM 
Dr. Tiong Aw, Associate Professor, Department of Environment Health Sciences
Water is one of the most critical of the earth's life support systems. However, continued water quality degradation as demonstrated by increased eutrophication and fecal contamination associated with microbial hazards and antibiotic resistance is a global phenomenon. The water environment is a very diverse and unique ecosystem and includes support of diverse microorganisms, plants, and animals. Thus, an ecological perspective is valuable for the study of circumstances that influence water, health, and well-being of all life. 
Register here! 

Making the Business Case for Public Health: Aligning the Mission with Resources 
Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM  
Dr. Richard Priore, Associate Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management 
Public funding across all government levels faces unparalleled scrutiny and potentially deep cuts under the new administration, threatening our public health core infrastructure and critical initiatives for preventing chronic and communicable diseases, advancing health equity, and expanding mental health services. More than ever, public health leaders must align their mission and strategic goals with the resources needed to achieve them. However, effectively applying financial management skills is a common barrier to garnering the necessary means to improve public health, especially in austere environments, where leaders often struggle to measure and translate the impact of essential programs and services into a defensible bottom-line justification. Accordingly, building leadership capacity in this critical competency is imperative to support efficient and effective resource allocation and make a compelling business case for future investment in public health. 
Register here! 

Addressing Racial and Geographical Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease: the Church-based Health Intervention to Eliminate Inequities in Cardiovascular Health (CHERISH) Trial 
Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM 
Dr. Farah Allouch, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology 
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, with persistent racial and geographical disparities contributing to inequitable health outcomes. African American communities, particularly in the rural South, experience disproportionately high rates of CVD due to systemic barriers to care, social determinants of health, and limited access to preventive interventions. The Church-based Health Intervention to Eliminate Inequities in Cardiovascular Health (CHERISH) Trial leverages faith-based settings to implement a community health worker-led intervention aimed at improving hypertension management and cardiovascular health. By integrating culturally tailored education, social support, and access to evidence-based care, CHERISH seeks to reduce disparities and promote sustainable, community-driven health improvements. This presentation will highlight the study design, implementation strategies, and preliminary findings, demonstrating the potential of faith-based interventions to address racial and geographical inequities in CVD outcomes. 
Register here! 

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