The Abstract: September 13, 2021
September 13, 2021
Whether you’re local or global, student or alumni, the Abstract’s weekly news digest will help you stay in the loop with our amazing Gillings School community.
Buru named Chief of Staff of SC Department of Health and Environmental Control
Karla Buru
Congratulations to Karla Buru, MPH, a health leadership student in the Doctor of Public Health program, who was recently named Chief of Staff of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). In this role, she reports directly to the agency director and assists him in the development and implementation of special projects, strategies, budgeting and agency initiatives on a day-to-day basis.
Buru holds two master’s degrees in public health and social work and since Sept. 2019 has worked in key leadership positions at the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to that, Buru worked at DHEC from 2015-2019 where her last position was as the Director of the Project Management Office. She has also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Romania and later returned as a Fulbright scholar to conduct research. She is a graduate of the South Carolina Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program, a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications, master’s degree in social work, and master’s degree in public health at the University of South Carolina.
Students and faculty represent UNC at International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology meeting
Congratulations to the UNC Gillings School students and faculty who contributed to 16 oral presentations, 11 poster presentations, 4 symposia and 2 skills courses at this year’s virtual meeting of the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology.
Dr. Whitney Robinson
Associate Professor Whitney Robinson, PhD, presented in the Plenary titled “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Pharmacoepidemiology – the Role of Caste in Drug Utilization, Safety and Therapeutic Risk Management,” which was organized by Juan Hincapie-Castillo.
Assistant Professor Mollie Wood, PhD, is a co-author of the ISPE-PDS Roland D Mann Award for the best paper in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety in 2020, titled “In Utero Opioid Exposure and Risk of Infection in Childhood: A Multinational Nordic Cohort Study “
Dr. Jennifer Lund
Associate Professor Jennifer Lund, PhD, was elected to serve on the Board of Directors for ISPE representing Academia (Americas) and was recognized as a Fellow of ISPE (or FISPE).
Franceschini co-authors recent article in Nature
Dr. Nora Franceschini
Professor Nora Franceschini, MD, MPH, has contributed to an article in Nature that identifies new genes linked to a longer reproductive lifespan in women. Scientists have identified nearly 300 gene variations that influence the reproductive lifespan in women. Additionally, in mice, they have successfully manipulated several key genes associated with these variants to extend their reproductive lifespan.
The age at which women go through menopause is critical for fertility and impacts healthy aging in women, but reproductive aging has been difficult for scientists to study and insights into the underlying biology are limited. The findings in the article, “Genetic insights into biological mechanisms governing human ovarian ageing,” substantially increase knowledge of the reproductive aging process and provide ways to improve the prediction of which women might reach menopause earlier than others.