MSS News and Announcements

A new risk prediction tool developed by the American Heart Association (AHA) estimated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in a diverse patient cohort more accurately than current models, according to a recent study published in Nature Medicine.

A new study published in Science Advances is the first to use consumer wearables to quickly and precisely predict postoperative complications in children and shows potential for facilitating faster treatment and care.

We are proud to celebrate Dr. Jennifer Hoffmann, MD, MS, Assistant Professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics (Emergency Medicine) and Medical Social Sciences, for being selected as a 2025 Fellow of the Implementation Research Institute (IRI)—a national, NIH-funded training program widely regarded as a cornerstone in the field of implementation science.

Please join us in congratulating Eileen Graham, PhD, on being selected to the 2025–2026 Northwestern University LEAP (Leadership Education for Advancement and Promotion) cohort! This prestigious opportunity recognizes Graham’s dedication to leadership development and her commitment to advancing team science and collaboration.

We are proud to celebrate Juan Pablo Zapata, PhD, Research Assistant Professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Medical Social Sciences, for being selected as a 2025 Fellow of the Implementation Research Institute (IRI)—one of the most prestigious and comprehensive training programs in the field of implementation science. T

Emily H. Ho, PhD, has been named to the 2025–2026 cohort of Northwestern University’s Leadership Education Advancement Program (NU-LEAP), a prestigious initiative designed to support emerging leaders among early and mid-career faculty at Feinberg School of Medicine.

Faculty, staff, students and trainees celebrated global health, education and outreach during the 6th annual Global Health Education Day organized by the Center for Global Health Education.

In April 2025, Emily H. Ho, PhD and the team at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Medical Social Sciences (MSS) received a grant through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program Office to conduct a study to assess the reliability and validity of the NIH Toolbox Participant/Examiner V3 App.

We are beyond thrilled to celebrate Isabel Rooper, BA, Research Coordinator at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Medical Social Sciences in the Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, as the recipient of this year’s “Up and Coming” Award from the Optimization of Behavioral and Biobehavioral Interventions (OBBI) Special Interest Group (SIG) of the Society of Behavioral Medicine

Patricia Lee King, PhD, and team at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Medical Social Sciences received a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to collaborate with University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) to implement activities of the State Maternal Health Innovation (State MHI) Program.

A recent Northwestern Medicine study published in JAMA has found that one in seven U.S. adults between the ages of 30 and 59 years have a high 30-year risk for cardiovascular disease.

Meet our MSS Staff Member of the Month: Jessica Custer, BS, Program Assistant III

Northwestern University's Lab for Scalable Mental Health and Koko partner with the State of Montana, Frontier Psychiatry, and Montana Pediatrics to address the youth mental health crisis.

On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 50 national experts gathered at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine to discuss advancing the care and outcomes for adults living with arthritis.

Students, faculty, staff and public health leaders joined Northwestern University’s Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM) for the institute’s annual Public Health Summit at the Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center on April 2.

A new grant from the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention provides for a new partnership between Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Medical Social Sciences faculty and team (Multiple Principal Investigator Rinad Beidas, PhD, Co-Investigator Amelia Van Pelt, PhD, MPH, Senior Research Coordinator Mallika Pandey, BA), Ethiopian Pediatric Society (MPI Muluwork Denberu, MD and Bogale Worku, MD), American Academy of Pediatrics (MPI Janna Patterson, MD), and Nationwide Children’s Hospital (MPI Jeff Bridge, MD).

Northwestern Medicine investigators have outlined how clinical psychologists can help close the gap between knowledge and practice in mental healthcare in a new review published in the Annual Review of Psychology. Visit us on social media to learn more about implementation science in mental healthcare.

We are thrilled to welcome Damien Lekkas, PhD, who joins the faculty of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Medical Social Sciences (MSS) as a Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Intervention Science.

Darius Tandon, PhD, Chief of the Division of Intervention Science at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Medical Social Sciences, has been awarded a highly competitive award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to support an innovative study leveraging home visiting programs to address gestational diabetes.

An international team of scientists has revealed new clues about the neural mechanisms behind memory formation and recognition in the developing human brain, according to a study published in Science Advances.

The use of patient-reported outcomes during cancer treatment improved overall patient care, according to a trial published in Nature Medicine.

David Cella, PhD, and team at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Medical Social Sciences (MSS) received a grant from the Scleroderma Research Foundation titled “COAST-CONQUEST: Cognitive Debriefing of CONQUEST Clinical Trial Endpoint Measures.”

A first-of-its kind review conducted by Northwestern Medicine investigators has found that single-session interventions can significantly improve mental health outcomes in both youth and adults, according to recent findings.

The use of decision-making aids helped atrial fibrillation patients to be more informed about their care, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal.

Katie Watson, JD, professor of Medical Education, Medical Social Sciences in the Division of Determinants of Health, and of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has been named a 2024 Hastings Center Fellow.

In January, Rinad Beidas, PhD and team at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Henry Ford Health, and Kaiser Permanente Colorado received an R01 grant (R01MH138333) from the National Institute of Mental Health titled, “Scaling out S.A.F.E. Firearm across Two Health Systems as a Universal Suicide Prevention Strategy (SCALE ASPIRE).” Patrick Janulis, PhD, associate professor of Medical Social Sciences, serves as a co-investigator, and external co-investigators include Brian Ahmedani, PhD of Henry Ford Health in Michigan, Jennifer Boggs, PhD, MSW and Arne Beck, PhD of Kaiser Permanente Colorado.

Young’s project, funded through the prestigious K01 Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, seeks to integrate genetic testing for ALDH2 into healthcare practices while prioritizing community engagement and cultural inclusivity.

For the first time in humans, breathing rhythms during sleep have been linked to hippocampal brain waves that strengthen memory consolidation, according to a recent Northwestern study.

We are thrilled to welcome Maja Kuharic, MPharm, Msc, PhD who joins our faculty as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Outcomes and Measurement Science.

Andrea Graham, PhD, Honored with Prestigious ABCT SIG Award.