Affiliates in Action – Advancing personal, public, and planetary health
Mayo Clinic Professor Arjun Athreya, an alumnus of the University of Illinois and a former Technology-Based Health Care Fellow, mentored a study at Mayo Clinic exploring how AI can enhance pharmacogenomic alerts in electronic health records, aiming to reduce clinician alert fatigue and improve patient care.
Tracy Dace and Laura Hebert participated in the 2025 IDEA Conference with a poster on "The Evolution and Impact of IMAGINE Family STEM Nights," a project with WYSE and DREAAM engaging families in STEM and discussing access/representation.
Sharon Donovan, professor and director of the Personalized Nutrition Initiative, is collaborating with the Center for Artificial Intelligence Innovation (CAII) at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), to develop an AI-powered mobile app for personalized nutrition. The goal is to create an app through which a user can take a picture of the food they are consuming while one AI model extracts nutritional facts about the food and another provides personalized dietetic advice based on personalized nutrition guidelines.
Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford along with colleagues Mohamad Alipour, professor of civil and environmental engineering and Prof. Elahe Soltanaghai, computer science have received seed funding for their research project, “Using an innovative drone-mounted microwave radiofrequency system.” Their goal is to sense soil and crop moisture, monitoring plant stress and catching it early — before typical signs of water stress are visible.
Andrew Greenlee, professor and leader of the Urban Housing Lab, expressed concerns that potential federal cuts to housing programs could impair housing provision for those in need, noting an increase in seniors relying on these benefits and a persistent affordable housing gap.
Zeynep Madak-Erdogan, associate dean for the graduate college and professor of human nutrition, will lead a new “Voices of Cancer” project to address cancer disparities in central Illinois via storytelling, research, and community engagement, focusing on increasing representation and identifying care barriers. Prof. Madak Erdogan’s project is funded through the Chancellor’s Research Program. The goal of the Chancellor’s Research Program is to enhance exceptional cross-disciplinary research strengths and expand collaborations to build cultures of research and scholarship that address system bias and social injustice.
Dr. Annette McCoy, professor of equine surgery, coordinated the College of Veterinary Medicine's annual Research Day on April 16. Research Day offers the opportunity to celebrate the college’s diverse research activities, build community, and showcase the work of researchers and trainees from across the college.
Julie Pryde, Director of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) voiced concerns about rising infectious disease cases (e.g., whooping cough, syphilis) in Champaign County and warned that federal funding cuts to prevention programs could shift costs to more expensive treatments, impacting efforts like HIV prevention.
Pryde also recently updated the community on bird flu (HPAI) in Champaign County, reporting some infected wild animals but no poultry, human, or dairy farm cases, and advised public caution.
Wendy Rogers, Shahid and Ann Carlson Khan Professor, gave a Distinguished Seminar at the University of Toronto Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering (MIE) on April 4, titled "Living in Interactive Future Environments: Supporting Successful Aging through Technology," discussing research on support for social engagement, healthcare, and everyday activities in the home and how people are using current and emerging technologies to enable autonomy for older adults.
Congratulations to Dr. William Sander on his recent induction into the National Academies of Practice (NAP) Class of 2025. Sander is recognized for his work in preventive medicine, public health, and interprofessional healthcare.
Dr. Hillary Schwarb presented at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society. Her poster, "Changes in hippocampal structure and spatial memory performance associated with rise and fall in estradiol across the menstrual cycle," reflects research she conducted with University of Illinois Colleagues, including fellow affiliate, Prof. Neal J. Cohen.
Kevin Poh Hiong Tan (Associate Dean & Professor, School of Social Work) and the School Social Work Associate of America (SSWAA) recently published Bridging the Gap: reflections and guidance on the SSWAA National Practice Model 2.0. Dr. Tan led the revision of SSWAA’s National School Social Work Practice Model 2.0, which was adopted by the SSWAA board in 2023, the first time the model had been updated in over a decade. Since its adoption, however, significant policy shifts at the federal level have altered the broader context in which school social workers operate. The recent report addresses the uncertainty school social workers are currently facing about how to uphold their professional values while navigating legal constraints, and it raises important questions about the profession’s role and direction in today’s schools.
Jeffrey Trask, founder of the Champaign County Christian Health Center (CCCHC) commented on Medicaid's uncertain future and potential federal funding cuts, expressing concern for vulnerable populations and noting CCCHC is preparing for increased demand, including expanding with a new Urbana location.
IHSI Affiliates demonstrate leadership and commitment to improving human health. The affiliate program is designed for those who wish to deepen their relationship with IHSI and contribute to its mission of catalyzing interdisciplinary health research that addresses personal, public, and planetary health challenges. Affiliates enjoy increased visibility and opportunities to engage with and benefit from IHSI staff, other affiliates, and networks, both across campus and with external partners, and to help shape health research, innovation, and translation.
The IHSI Affiliate Program is currently open by invitation only. To become an IHSI affiliate, please contact your collaborators at IHSI, or request an invitation by emailing healthinstitute@illinois.edu. Please visit the IHSI Affiliate page for more information.