(UCSF/UCSD): Rebecca Baer, MPH, Senior Epidemiologist, Co-Lead, Prenatal Population-Based Investigations

Ms. Baer serves as a Senior Epidemiologist for Prenatal Investigations for the HOPE Consortium. She is a senior epidemiologist and analyst at UCSD and is a researcher with the UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative.

UCSF: April Bell, PhD, MPH, Co-Lead, Population-Based Investigations

Dr. Bell is an Assistant Professor of Family Community Medicine in the UCSF School of Medicine and Co-PI of our California population-based study of pregnancy and newborn outcomes. Dr. Bell's work focuses on decreasing reproductive health inequities among women and youth by addressing the impacts of societal and structural biases on adverse birth outcomes, sexually transmitted infections, HIV acquisition, abortion access, and unintended pregnancy.

UCSD: Tina Chambers, PhD, MPH, Co-Founder

Dr. Chambers is a HOPE Consortium Co-Founder. Dr. Chambers is a Professor of Pediatrics at UCSD and is the Director of Clinical Research for the Department of Pediatrics at UCSD and at Rady Children's Hospital. She co-directs the Center for the Promotion of Maternal Health and Infant Development in the Department of Pediatrics at UCSD and is the President of MotherToBaby California. She is also PI of the San Diego Study of Outcomes in Mother's and Infants (SOMI). 

UCSF, NYU: Laura Jelliffe-Pawlowski, PhD, MS, Primary Founder and Lead

Dr. Jelliffe-Pawlowski is the Primary Founder of the HOPE Consortium and serves as its lead. She is an Emeritus Professor of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and of Global Health Sciences in the UCSF School of Medicine, a Professor in the Rory Meyers College of Nusing at New York University, and a senior faculty member with the UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative. She is a PI for the HOPE, CPPOP, PROMPT, and THRIVE studies.

Stanford University: Safyer McKenzie-Sampson, MSc, Co-Investigator

Dr. McKenzie-Sampson in a Co-investigator with the HOPE Consortium and was previously a graduate student in the HOPE lab and with the California Preterm Birth Initiative. She is a postgraduate researcher at Stanford University. She is an expert in the role of structural racism on pregnancy outcomes and serves a key role in investigating these patterns across HOPE efforts.

UCSF: Scott Oltman, MS, Senior Epidemiologist, Co-Lead, Postnatal Population-Based Investigations

Mr. Oltman is a Senior Epidemiologist for Postnatal Investigations for the HOPE Consoritium. He is a senior epidemiologist and analyst at UCSF in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology and in Global Health Sciences and is a researcher with the UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative.

UCSF: Larry Rand, MD, Co-Founder and Lead, Maternal and Fetal Clinical Investigation

Dr. Rand is a HOPE Consortium Co-Founder and serves as its Primary Lead of Maternal and Fetal Clinical Investigation. He is the Marc and Lynne Benioff Endowed Chair in Maternal Fetal Medicine in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences in the UCSF School of Medicine. He is the Primary Investigator of the UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative. Dr. Rand also serves as Primary Lead of Maternal and Fetal Clinical Investigation for the HOPE COVID-19 study.

UCSF: Elizabeth Rogers, MD, Co-Founder and Lead, Newborn and Pediatric Clinical Investigation

Dr. Rogers is a HOPE Consoritum Founder and serves as its Primary Lead of Newborn and Pediatric Clinical Investigation. She is a  Professor of Clinical Pediatrics in the School of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at UCSF, Associate Vice Chair for Faculty Development, and Director of the Intensive Care Nursery ROOTS Small Baby Program. Dr. Rogers also serves as Primary Lead of Newborn and Pediatric Investigation for the HOPE COVID-19 study and serves as a PI on the PROMPT study as one of three multiple-PIs with Dr. Laura Jelliffe-Pawlowski and Dr. Kelli Ryckman.

Indiana University: Kelli Ryckman, PhD, MS, Co-Founder

Dr. Ryckman is a HOPE Consortium Co-Founder. Dr. Ryckman is a Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Associate Dean for Research in the Indiana University Bloomington School of Public Health. She is the Primary Investigator of the Cancer and Birth Outcomes study, a Primary Investigator on the PROMPT study (multi-PI with Dr. Laura Jelliffe-Pawlowski and Dr. Elizabeth Rogers), and is Co-PI on the CPPOP study.

UCSF: Martina Steurer, MD, Lead, Outcomes and Cardiac Anomalies

Dr. Steurer is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology, Pediatric Critical Care and in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at UCSF. She is an expert in the care of infants and young children with preterm birth and with cardiac anomalies. Dr. Steurer has led multiple studies focused on identifying risk and resiliency factors related to preterm birth, cardiac anomalies, and related outcomes.

UCSF: Louie Swander, Clinical Research Coordinator

Louie is a key member of the HOPE and PROMPT Study teams. Louie coordinates efforts focused on recruiting and following newborns born before 32 weeks at UCSF being followed as part of our multi-site NIH study. The PROMPT study focuses on assessing whether metabolic patterns in newborns are predictive of short- and longer-term outcomes. Louie also assists with coordinating our PROMPT community advisory board and assists with data coding for the HOPE study.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Karen Tabb Dina, PhD, MSW, Lead, Perinatal Mental Health

Dr. Tabb Dina is a Professor in the School of Social Work and with the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is an expert in perinatal mental health and leads a number of efforts across the United States focused on increasing understanding of the links between mental health and pregnancy outcomes and on addressing and reducing the burden of mental health conditions during and after pregnancy -- particularly in minority populations.

Nishita Bakshi 

Marie Brown 

Anna Chau

Carrie Des Roches

Jennifer Fong

Caroline Toney-Noland

Sophia Wiggins 

UCSF: Ribka Amsalu Tessera, MD, MSc, MAS, Co-Investigator 

Dr. Amsalu is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is an alumni postdoctoral scholar with the UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative whose research focuses on application of methods of epidemiology and clinical research to improve obstetric outcomes, and maternal and newborn health globally.

UCSF: Patience Afulani, PhD, MD, MPH, Co-Investigator 

Dr. Afulani is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences at UCSF whose research focuses on social and health systems factors that underlie inequities in reproductive, maternal, and neonatal health globally. 

UCSD: Gretchen Bandoli, PhD, MPH

Dr. Bandoli is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Family Medicine, and Public Health at UCSD whose research focuses on pregnancy and early childhood determinants of health with a special focus on the impacts of complex exposures across gestation, including substances (alcohol, marijuana) and medications.

California State University, Northridge (CSUN): Kacie Blackman, PhD

Dr. Blackman is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is an Associate Professor in the Health Equity and Research (HERE) Center and the Department of Health Sciences at California State University, Northridge whose research focuses on developing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating culturally relevant sustainable research programs that promote health equity and health literacy.

Lundquist Institute, Harbor-UCLA: Bridgette Blebu, PhD, MPH

Dr. Blebu is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is a Faculty Investigator at the Lundquist Institute at Hardbor-UCLA. Her research focuses on understanding drivers of preterm birth in black women with an emphasis on the role that enhanced prenatal care and psychosocial support during pregnancy has on pregnancy outcomes. 

UCSF: Kimberly Coleman-Phox, MPH

Kimberly is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is an Academic Coordinator in the UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences and serves in the Director group of the UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative. She is also a Portfolio Manager with the California Collaborative for Health Research (CPR3) where she supports awardee focus on community engagement.

Medical University of South Carolina: John Costello, MD, MPH

Dr. Costello is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. He is a Professor of Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina with expertise in congenital heart defects and the care of critically ill children with heart disease. He works closely with HOPE collaborators to better understand patterns and predictors of congenital heart defects and other related anomalies as well as links between anomalies and maternal factors like anxiety. 

University of Iowa: John Dagle, MD, PhD

Dr. Dagle is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. He is a Professor of Pediatrics, Neonatology, and Epidemiology at the University of Iowa with expertise in the optimization of nutrition in infants born preterm and in understanding the role of feeding in newborn development and health. He works closely with HOPE collaborators on the PROMPT study and related efforts efforts focused on better understanding the role of newborn metabolism in outcomes amoung babies with preterm birth. 

UCSF: Joe Derisi, PhD

Dr. Derisi is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. He is a Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics in the UCSF School of Medicine and is President of the Chan Zuckerberg BioHub San Francisco. He is a worldwide leader in uncovering drivers of infection and disease - including of COVID-19. Dr. Derisi works with HOPE collaborators on studies examining the role of infection and immune-system function in preterm birth. 

UCSF: Grant Dorsey, MD, MPH, PhD

Dr. Dorsey is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. He is a Professor of Medicine in the UCSF School of Medicine. He is a worldwide leader in the study of malaria and works extensively in Uganda with the Infectious Disease Research Collaboration (IDRC). Dr. Dorsey works with HOPE collaborators on investigations in Uganda focused on assessing whether metabolic models predicting maturity, morbidity, and mortality in the US translate into developing settings. These investigations are nested within long-standing cooperative sites within Uganda led by local IDRC collaborators.

Providence St Joseph Health: Alexa Dowdell, MS

Alexa is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is a is Senior Bioinformatics Scientist in the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute at Providence St. Joseph Health. Her work focuses on investigating multi-omic drivers of disease. Alexa works with HOPE collaborators on studies examining multi-omic drivers of preterm birth.

UCSF: Jennifer Felder, PhD

Dr. Felder is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences within the UCSF School of Medicine whose work focuses on promoting mental health during and after pregnancy. She is an expert in evaluating treatments to promote sleep and prevent depression during pregnancy which aligns closely with the work she does with the HOPE Consortium.

UCSF: Elena Flowers, PhD, RN

Dr. Flowers is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is a Professor of Physiologic Nursing at UCSF whose research program focuses on precision medicine and type 2 diabetes in high risk racial groups. Dr. Flowers contributes this expertise to the collaborative specifically as it relates to how biomarkers are associated with type 2 diabetes and related conditions during pregnancy.

San Francisco Department of Public Health: Jonathan Fuchs, MD, MPH

Dr. Fuchs is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. He is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF and is also the Director of the Center for Learning and Innovation at the San Francisco Department of Public Health. He also serves as a director with the UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative. Dr. Fuchs contributes his extensive experience in clinical medicine with the collaborative as well as his expertise in collective impact and community engagement.

UCSF: Dawn Gano, MD, MAS

Dr. Gano is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is an Associatel Professor of Neurology at UCSF and serves as the Clinical Director of the Fetal Neurology Center of Excellence and Associate Director of Neonatal Neurocritical Care Services. Her research focuses on improving understanding of the causes and consequences of injury to the developing brain in utero. Dr. Gano contributes this expertise to the collaborative where she is a partner on multiple studies.

UCSF: Johanna Halkias, MD

Dr. Halkias is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF whose research focuses on improving understanding of molecular and cellular signals that dirve human immune development. Dr. Halkias contributes this expertise to the HOPE Consortium where she partners on efforts aimed at better understanding immune and related signals in pregnant study participants and their infants.

UCSF: Samhita Jain, MBBS/MD

Dr. Jain is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is an instructor and researcher of neonatology in the Department of  Pediatrics at UCSF whose research focuses on improving understanding of the molecular underpinnings of neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Jain works with the consortium on a number of projects focused on neonates with preterm birth and associated developmental outcomes.

Infectious Disease Research Collaboration (IDRC)/ Makereree University, Uganda: Moses Kamya, MBChB, MMed, MPH, PhD

Dr. Kamya is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. He is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Makerere University in Uganda and is the Executive Director of the Infectious Disease Research Collaborative (IDRC) in Uganda. He is a global leader in the study of malaria and works extensively with investigators throughout the world to better understand drivers of malaria and related illnesses. Dr. Kamya works with HOPE collaborators on investigations in Uganda focused on assessing whether metabolic models that predict maturity, morbidity, and mortality in the US translate into developing settings. 

NYU: Shuyuan Huang, MPH, PhD, RN

Dr. Huang is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is an Assistant Professor/ Faculty Fellow in the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing whose research focuses on the intersection of chronic disease prevention and minority and immigrant health. Dr. Huang contributes this expertise to the HOPE Consortium where she partners on efforts aimed at better understanding links between chronic disease and pregnancy outcomes.

UCSF: Kayla Karvonen, MD

Dr. Karvonen is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. She is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF whose research focuses on investigating and addressing racial and ethnic inequities in the delivery of neonatal care and neonatal outcomes. Dr. Karvonen contributes this expertise to the HOPE Consortium where she leads and partners on studies leveraging hospital- and population-based data to better understand neonatal outcomes and care - especially in minority populations.

UCSF: Kord Korber, PhD

Dr. Korber is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium. He is a Professor of Physiologic Nursing at UCSF whose research focuses on improving understanding of molecular and cellular underpinnings of human disease. Dr. Korber contributes this expertise to the HOPE Consortium where he oversees laboratory storage and management of study biospecimens and contributes his expertise to the study of biomolecular drivers of adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes.

Miriam Kuppermann, PhD, MPH

Dr. Kuppermann is a professor at UCSF in the Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences and Epidemiology & Biostatistics in the School of Medicine at UCSF. She is also the Director of the Preconception and Prenatal Interventions and the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for the UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative.

Liang Liang, PhD

Dr. Liang is a Co-Investigator with the HOPE Consortium with deep expertise in metabolomics and multi-omic signaling during pregnancy.

Susan Lynch, PhD

Dr. Lynch is a Professor of Medicine in the UCSF School of Medicine and is Director of the Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine.

Charles McCulloch, PhD,

Dr. McCulloch is a professor of Biostatics and a Vice Chair in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at UCSF

Matt Pantell, MD, MS

Dr. Pantell is an Associated Professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine at UCSF.

Nisha Parikh, MD, MPH

Dr. Parikh is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology in the School of Medicine at UCSF.

Brian Piening, PhD

Dr. Piening is the Technical Director for Clinical Genomics at Providence St. Joseph Health in Portland, Oregon and is also the chief of the Immunogenomics Laboratory. 

Aric Prather, PhD

Dr. Prather is a Professor of Psychiatry in the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences.

Beate Ritz, MD, PhD

Dr. Ritz is a Professor of Epidemiology in the UCLA School of Public Health.

Rebecca Schmidt, PhD

Dr. Schmidt is an Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences at UC Davis. 

Akila Subramanium, MD, MPH

Dr. Subramanium is an Associate Professor in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the Univeristy of Alabama Birmingham.