HUGEN News
Pitt Public Health student presents at Pharmacogenomics Global Research Network meeting
Ifeanyi Igboaka, PharmD, an MPH student in the Department of Human Genetics at Pitt Public Health, presented his research on equity in cardiovascular pharmacogenomics guidelines at the Pharmacogenomics Global Research Network annual meeting held Sept. 25-27 in Chicago, Ill., at Northwestern University's Chicago Medical Campus.
Public health is everywhere — so why not stop and talk about it?
That’s the idea behind a new monthly webinar series launching Oct. 13 from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. Hosted by Dean Maureen Lichtveld, MD, MPH, the series will bring the public into conversations about public health, the work of Pitt Public Health and the issues shaping the field. Each webinar will feature researchers, practitioners and community partners working to address some of today’s biggest public health challenges.
Pitt Public Health researchers bring genetics expertise to inaugural Polynesian Precision Medicine Symposium
Department of Human Genetics faculty and students shared research and expertise in genetics and precision medicine at the inaugural Polynesian Precision Medicine Symposium, held July 29-31 in Apia, Samoa. The symposium brought together approximately 110 researchers, clinicians, community leaders and advocates from Samoa, Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and the United States to explore how advances in genetics and precision medicine can improve health among Polynesian communities while remaining culturally responsive and community driven.
Pitt Public Health partners on new rare disease treatment effort
A new $25 million investment from the Richard King Mellon Foundation is bringing together Pittsburgh’s leading research, clinical and technology institutions to accelerate the development of treatments for rare diseases — and Pitt Public Health researchers are playing an important role in the effort.
School of Public Health staff honored at annual award and recognition celebration
Members of Pitt Public Health’s staff were honored at the 2026 Staff Awards & Recognition Ceremony on Aug. 11. Staff milestones recognizing five to 40 years of service were also celebrated.
McCarthy receives grant to support bioethics study abroad program
Associate Professor Cindy McCarthy, DHCE, director of the Bioethics Certificate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, has received a $10,000 Institute for the International Education of Students (IES Abroad) Faculty-Led Program Global Pillars Grant to help support students participating in a new study abroad program.
Meet Leah Greenspan
Assistant Professor Leah Greenspan joined the Department of Human Genetics faculty earlier this year with plans to expand her research on the cellular interactions that regulate wound healing—a process that slows as we age and fails all too often for people with diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and vascular and genetic disorders.
‘An absolute game changer’: Confocal microscopes open new possibilities for public health research
Research at Pitt Public Health has entered a new era of cellular discovery, thanks to a piece of technology that has eliminated a barrier on campus. In March 2024, the Office of the Dean and three departments within Pitt Public Health—Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Environmental and Occupational Health and Human Genetics—collaborated to purchase a confocal microscope using instrumentation funds from the Office of Senior Vice Chancellor for Research.
Swapping a desk for a week of service
Safe, stable housing is often considered a cornerstone of public health, a metaphor that resonates with Pitt Public Health research administrator Scott Szypulski. Each spring, he trades his desk for a Habitat for Humanity housing site, spending a week with Pitt students and alumni helping construct the walls, frames and foundations that give families a secure place to live.
Join us for Public Health Genetics and Genomics Week, May 18-22!
Public Health Genetics and Genomics Week (PHGW) is an annual awareness campaign held each May to highlight how genetic and genomic information is applied to improve population health, prevent disease, and ensure equitable access to genetic services. Throughout the week, we celebrate those professionals, researchers, and patient advocates working in this field.
McCarthy named inaugural director of Bioethics Education for Undergraduates
Cindy McCarthy, DHCE, MA, NREMT, Pitt Public Health associate professor of human genetics, has been named the inaugural Director of Bioethics Education for Undergraduates within the Pitt Institute for Bioethics. In this role, McCarthy will develop and implement bioethics educational initiatives for undergraduate students, foster mentor relationships between undergraduates and Pitt faculty and advise students interested in bioethics research.
Pitt team shines in national bioethics competition
The University of Pittsburgh Bioethics Bowl team placed second at the National Bioethics Bowl competition on April 11. Pitt's School of Public Health and Institute for Bioethics sponsored this year’s competition, which was the 18th annual event. Competitors represented
Pitt Public Health faculty publish genetic counseling handbook
Michael Deem, PhD, and Robin Grubs, PhD, associate professors of human genetics, served as editors for The Oxford Handbook of Genetic Counseling, a comprehensive new resource for the field. Released in October 2025, the handbook brings together decades of scholarship and practice, spanning the history of genetic counseling, its growth within health care systems and the ethical and social questions shaping its future.
Science meets origami: Kaveh Moradi finds focus beyond the lab
Kaveh Moradi, PhD, knows that structure is everything. In his research, when myelin breaks down, the brain loses its ability to communicate—driving diseases like multiple sclerosis. At his desk, a single misplaced fold can collapse a paper figure. As a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Moradi studies the mechanisms behind demyelination. Outside of the lab, he folds origami, a craft requiring the same precision. Lately, it has also become a way to cope with the uncertainty of having family in Iran.