Dr. Briana Mezuk
Dr. Briana Mezuk

Post-doctoral fellow
Robert Wood Johnson Health & Society Scholars Program
University of Michigan School of Public Health

PhD, Mental Health
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
Psychiatric Epidemiology Training Program

BS, Neuroscience
University of Pittsburgh

BPhil, History and Philosophy of Science
Certificate in Conceptual Foundations of Medicine
University of Pittsburgh

Research Interests/Current Projects:

My research uses epidemiologic methods to understand the relationships between mental and physical health over the lifespan. To this end my scholarship aims to address three objectives:

  1. To integrate social, psychological, and biological approaches to understanding health using a developmental framework
  2. To explore the multiple pathways linking mental disorders and medical conditions associated with aging
  3. To inform interventions that reflect an integrative approach to mental and physical health to effectively address social disparities in health.

I strive to embody an integrative, transdisciplinary framework in my research. As a reflection of this perspective, I have published in a wide breadth of scientific journals, from clinical to population sciences. I also draw on various literatures, from sociology to genetics, in my approach to epidemiologic research in order to examine a hypothesis from various perspectives.

I consider teaching central to the role of a scholar and mentoring is my favorite part of academia. I have been fortunate in my career to have worked with a diverse set of excellent mentors, and my own approach is a hybrid of these experiences. I strive to involve students in all aspects of the research process and use a team-science approach to guide my mentoring, which is exemplified by GREMAP. At these meetings members gain experience presenting and explaining their research ideas, provide and receive constructive feedback on their in-progress research projects, and gain direct experience in scientific research through participating in the development, analysis, and drafting of scientific publications.