
The University of Alabama
ABOUT US
The University of Alabama (UA) is excited to be a part of this historic research study and advocate for our community members to be represented. People of all kinds and food of all types are just two of the love languages of the UA HBCD team. The interdisciplinary team at UA focuses on community and helping to improve outcomes for community members in rural Alabama. Together Dr. Lea Yerby, (Department of Community Medicine and Population Health) and Dr. Sharlene Newman (Director of the Alabama Life Research Institute and UA MRI Facility) lead a crew of individuals with backgrounds in: family medicine obstetrics, obstetrics & gynecology, pediatrics, business healthcare management, social work, psychology, public health, human development, and neuroscience to name a portion of the team's areas of expertise. We strive for excellence in everything we do from interacting with patients in the clinic to collecting the best research data we can. We are excited to continue building trust within our rural communities and working closely with our participants over the span of the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study.

(L-R) : Terri Jones, Shakira Savage, Hannah Thomas, Stephanie Petsilis, Elyse Thomas, Sally Sutherland

Seated (L-R) : Dr. Joy Bradley, Dr. Lea Yerby, Dr. Sharlene Newman, Dr. Yanyu Xiong Standing (L-R) : Rishi Deshpande, Michelle Jamison, Shakira Savage, Stephanie Petsilis, Jamilah Channel, Sally Sutherland, Emily Gann, Hannah Thomas

(L-R) : Terri Jones, Shakira Savage, Hannah Thomas, Stephanie Petsilis, Elyse Thomas, Sally Sutherland

Seated (L-R) : Dr. Joy Bradley, Dr. Lea Yerby, Dr. Sharlene Newman, Dr. Yanyu Xiong Standing (L-R) : Rishi Deshpande, Michelle Jamison, Shakira Savage, Stephanie Petsilis, Jamilah Channel, Sally Sutherland, Emily Gann, Hannah Thomas

(L-R) : Terri Jones, Shakira Savage, Hannah Thomas, Stephanie Petsilis, Elyse Thomas, Sally Sutherland

Seated (L-R) : Dr. Joy Bradley, Dr. Lea Yerby, Dr. Sharlene Newman, Dr. Yanyu Xiong Standing (L-R) : Rishi Deshpande, Michelle Jamison, Shakira Savage, Stephanie Petsilis, Jamilah Channel, Sally Sutherland, Emily Gann, Hannah Thomas
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INVESTIGATORS

Sharlene D. Newman, PhD
Principal Investigator

Lea Yerby, PhD
Principal Investigator

Lilanta Joy Bradley, PhD
Co-Investigator

Brian Gannon, MD
Co-Investigator

Catherine Lavender, MD
Co-Investigator

John McDonald, MD
Co-Investigator

Yanyu Xiong, PhD
Co-Investigator
RESEARCH TEAM

Rishi Deshpande, MS
MRI Technical Director

Terri Jones
Family Research Navigator

Stephanie Petsilis
Research Assistant

Shakira Savage
Research Assistant

Sally Sutherland
Study Coordinator

Elyse Thomas
Family Research Navigator
