Lab director

Danielle C. Ompad, PhD

Professor of Epidemiology

Deputy Director, Center for Drug Use and HIV|HCV Research (CDUHR)

Dr. Danielle Ompad holds a BS in Biology from Bowie State University and an MHS and PhD in Infectious Disease Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

Dr. Ompad is an infectious disease epidemiologist whose research is focused on the health and well-being of people living in urban settings, especially communities that are highly marginalized and vulnerable. Many of these communities have high rates of heroin, crack, and/or cocaine use and related harms. Her research is underpinned by a harm reduction perspective, i.e., reducing the negative consequences associated with highly stigmatized drug use and sexual behavior and has been funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. With respect to drug use, her work has spanned the entire natural history of drug use – from initiation to cessation, with particular attention paid to risk for infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, and STIs. Most recently, she has been studying the use of new marijuana products and their packaging as well as drug use among construction workers.

Student members

Simon Sandh, MPH

Simon Sandh has a deep-rooted connection to the health of urban populations and is focused expertise is in sexual health and substance use. Growing up in New York City, Simon’s activism exposed him to the severe health disparities that disproportionately impact marginalized communities, particularly in HIV outcomes. This firsthand experience inspired him to pursue an MPH, concentrating on barriers and facilitators to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). His global perspective was further enriched through Fulbright-funded research in the Philippines, where he explored how social networks and cultural interpretations of sexuality shape sexual health outcomes in transgender women and men who have sex with men. He is a PhD candidate at the NYU School of Global Health in the Department of Epidemiology.

Heng Chu

Heng Chu is a second-year graduate student at NYU’s School of Global Public Health, concentrating in Epidemiology. She is particularly interested in substance use epidemiology and LGBTQ community health. Having once worked in a hospital in Asia, where she saw many people suffering from lung cancer due to smoking, Heng was inspired to explore the factors related to cigarette addiction. Studying in New York City exposed her to marijuana for the first time, and she became aware of its prevalence in the city. She views studying marijuana as an opportunity to deepen her understanding of and connection to the city.

Yinglu Chu

Yinglu Chu is a second-year graduate student in NYU’s MS Epidemiology program with a background in pharmacology. Her academic and personal experiences have equipped her with a deep understanding of drug mechanisms and toxicology, fueling her interest in the impacts of substance use and non-communicable diseases. Her research interests are driven by the increasing need to understand the health impacts of substance use. Yinglu focuses on how environmental exposures and social indicators contribute to certain health outcomes. Committed to addressing health inequities and exploring potential research gaps, she aims to contribute towards public health, and ultimately improve the health outcomes of the general population.

Melanie Krug

Melanie Krug is a second-year graduate student at NYU’s School ofGlobal Public Health, concentrating in Infectious Disease Epidemiology. With a strong foundation in chemistry and Medical Laboratory Science, she has gained extensive experience in organic chemistry, clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology, microbiology, and mycology.Her work at a cancer hospital highlighted the health disparities associated with infectious diseases, shaping her research interests to focus on the human microbiome, infectious disease dynamics, and the effects of substance abuse on health. Melanie aspires to pursue a PhD and engage in research projects that investigate the interactions between the human microbiome and infectious diseases, as well as the factors that influence these dynamics.

Gracie Poston

Gracie Poston has grown up living across some of the biggest cities in the United States, which has fostered her passion for civic engagement and urban health equity. While moving from city to city, Gracie has always found joy in getting involved with her community and working with people in any capacity, which inspired her to pursue internships working in public health research and medical assisting. This led her to pursue an MPH in NYU’s School of Global Public Health, to gain an exciting new perspective on health systems in urban areas and around the world. Having worked with communities with substance use disorders, this topic is something she hopes to explore more throughout her career as an aspiring public health researcher and practitioner.

Shonette Richmond

Shonette Richmond has a background in clinical health science and an interest in infectious diseases and the social determinants of health. As an immigrant from Guyana who joined the United States Army, Shonette’s career exposed her to many cultures, ways of life, and ways communities are impacted by diseases. These firsthand experiences have led her to pursue an MPH, to determine her focus for her future career. She has several years’ experience working in Health Care as a Clinical Laboratory Technician. Within the field, she has worked in transfusion services, blood donation, chemistry, and hematology. Her goal is to learn more about the different aspects of epidemiology and how she may better serve her community.

Ana Paula Ulloa

Ana is pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology; Ana is interested in urban health and harm reduction strategies related to drug use. With a background in Anthropology, she focuses on the effects of environment and genetics on health outcomes. Ana has a passion for addressing health disparities and is committed to exploring innovative solutions to improve health outcomes in marginalized urban communities. Ana aims to help bridge gaps in care for vulnerable populations through research-driven, harm reduction-focused approaches.