Newswise — Ayana April-Sanders PhD, MPH, will be joining the Rutgers School of Public Health as an instructor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology. 

April-Sanders’ research focuses on understanding the impact of social determinants of health, health inequities, and early life stress on cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease outcomes across the life course in minority and immigrant populations.   

As a researcher with a particular interest in developing interventions among adolescents and young adults, April-Sanders’ work seeks to identify risk and protective modifiable factors that influence trajectories of cardiovascular and cardiometabolic disease among underrepresented minoritized groups.

“We are honored to welcome Dr. April-Sanders join our school,” says Perry N. Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health. “Dr. April-Sanders’ work examines how social inequalities shape health across the life course, particularly with regard to cardiovascular disease that burdens marginalized populations at high rates. This work aligns with the research, community engagement, and educational pillars of our school, which strive toward shifting the dialogue from health disparities to health equity.”

“Dr. April-Sanders is doing critical work in identifying modifiable socially-determined risk factors for cardiovascular disease that lead to health disparities,” says Jason Roy, chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology. “I am excited for her to join our department and have a real impact on improving health and health equity, as well as in educating and mentoring future public health scholars and practitioners, in New Jersey and beyond.”

“I am excited to join the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at Rutgers School of Public Health,” says April-Sanders. “I am confident my program of research, focusing on cardiovascular epidemiology and health inequities, will grow and advance through the excellent resources, talent, and environment provided by the Rutgers School of Public Health and Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences. I look forward to the rich collaborations I will develop with my colleagues within the school. As a New Jersey native, I am thrilled to return to Rutgers to continue building relationships with the university community and throughout New Jersey.”

April-Sanders earned her bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and her Master of Public Health and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. She has also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology and Population Health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. 

You can follow April-Sanders on Twitter @AApril_Sanders.

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