
The University of Alabama
ABOUT US
The University of Alabama (UA) is excited to be a part of this historic research study and advocate for our community members to be represented. People of all kinds and Food of all types are just two of the love languages of the UA HBCD team. The interdisciplinary team at UA focuses on community and helping to improve outcomes for community members in rural Alabama. Together Dr. Lea Yerby, (Department of Community Medicine and Population Health) and Dr. Sharlene Newman (Director of the Alabama Life Research Institute and UA MRI Facility) lead a crew of individuals with backgrounds in: obstetrics & gynecology, pediatrics, business healthcare management, social work, psychology, public health, human development, and neuroscience to name a portion of the teams areas of expertise. We are a group of diverse individuals who strive for excellence in everything we do from interacting with patients in the clinic to collecting the best research data we can. We are excited to continue building trust within our rural communities and working closely with our participants over the span of the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study.

Some of the UA team outside of the UA MRI Facility: From the left is Shakira Savage (Research Assistant), Sally Sutherland (Study Coordinator), Jamilah Channel (Lead Research Family Navigator), Stephanie Petsilis (Research Assistant), and Dr. Lea G. Yerby (one of UA's Multiple Principal Investigators).
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LOCATIONS
UA MRI Facility (behind the Student Health Center)
850 Peter Bryce Blvd, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, Google Map
INVESTIGATORS

Sharlene D. Newman, PhD
Principal Investigator

Lea Yerby, PhD
Principal Investigator

Lilanta Joy Bradley, PhD
Co-Investigator

Brian Gannon, MD
Co-Investigator

Catherine Lavender, MD
Co-Investigator

John McDonald, MD
Co-Investigator

Yanyu Xiong, PhD
Co-Investigator
RESEARCH TEAM

Jamilah ChannelLead Family Research Navigator

Rishi Deshpande, MS
MRI Technical Director

Emily GannResearch Assistant

Sally SutherlandStudy Coordinator

Stephanie PetsilisResearch Assistant

Shakira SavageResearch Assistant
