Related Groups
Below is a selection of research centers and research service providers including a brief description and key people. Where applicable, we encourage you to visit the organization's website for a more complete description and up-to-date contact information. To learn more, click the name. To browse details alphabetically, scroll down.
| RC - Research Center | Besides the Center for Health Behavior Research, there are many notable centers contributing innovative research and expertise to the complex realm of health behaviors. |
| RR - Research Resource | There is a wealth of resources throughout Penn that are poised to support health behavior related research. They may do this through providing mechanisms to connect collaborators, grant writing assistance, and/or research methods consultations. |
| TP - Training Programs | Training programs offer pre- and/or post-Doctoral individuals with opportunities to participate in research and educational experiences. |
| CF - Community Focused | Centers or organizations whose primary focus is community outreach and/or advocacy with an emphasis on public health. |
| NP - Non Penn | Notable centers and organizations outside of the University of Pennsylvania involved in health behavior-related work. These represent some of our community partners, collaborators and like-minded organizations. |
| Abramson Cancer Center Principal Investigator/Director: Caryn Lerman, PhD Contact Person: Barbara A. Vance, Ph D, vanceb@mail.med.upenn.edu Center Focus: Cancer Description: The Abramson Cancer Center is a national leader in cancer research, patient care, and education. The Center provides state-of-the art cancer care, forms of cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatments. The Center is also home to translational and clinical scientists working to determine the pathogenesis of cancer. |
RC |
| African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network Principal Investigator/Director: Shiriki Kumanyika, PhD, MPH Contact Person: Vikki C. Lassiter, MS, vlassite@mail.med.upenn.edu Description: AACORN partners with U.S. researchers, scholars-in-training, and community-based researchers to improve the quality and quantity of research on weight related health issues in African American communities. |
RR |
| Annenberg National Health Communication Survey (ANHCS) Contact Person: anhcs@asc.upenn.edu Description: ANHCS aims to capture national trends relating health behavior and behavioral intentions to media exposure, health knowledge and beliefs, and policy preferences and beliefs. |
RR |
| Biostatistics Analysis Center (BAC) Principal Investigator/Director: John T. Farrar, MD, PhD Contact Person: Amy Praestgaard, praestga@mail.med.upenn.edu Description: Provides professional, high quality data analysis, biostatistical programming, and data management services for research in health outcomes, clinical trials, genomics, large prescription and diagnostic databases, and observational epidemiological studies. Housed within the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics. |
RR |
| Bridging the Gaps (BTG) Principal Investigator/Director: Lucy Wolf Tuton, PhD Contact Person: Ellen Martinak, Program Coordinator, martinak@mail.med.upenn.edu Description: A multifaceted program that links training of health professionals, at all levels, with the provision of health related services for underserved populations. |
TP |
| Cartographic Modeling Lab (CML) Principal Investigator/Director: Dennis Culhane,PhD; Amy Hillier, MSW, PhD; Charles Branas, PhD; Dana Tomlin, PhD; Tara Jackson, Executive Director Contact Person: Vicky Tam, vtam@sp2.upenn.edu Description: CML specializes in using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to conduct spatial analysis in academic research and urban/social policies. |
RR |
| Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB) Principal Investigator/Director: Brian L. Strom, MD, MPH Contact Person: www.cceb.upenn.edu/pages/apps/ProjectCollab/registerContact.html Description: CCEB faculty have expertise across a wide range of statistical methods and research designs, and have extensive experience working with biomedical and clinical investigators in diverse disciplines. Services include support for the development and implementation of studies of all sizes from small pilot studies to large-scale, multicenter clinical trials, collaborative clinical and patient-oriented research, and multi-institutional health services research projects. Long-term collaborations with CCEB faculty are encouraged. |
RC, RR |
| Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics Principal Investigator/Director: Kevin Volpp, PhD, MD Contact Person: Sarah Windawi, MPH, swindawi@mail.med.upenn.edu Center Focus: Behavioral Economics and Health Description: CHI specializes in research and dissemination strategies that foster the translation of behavioral economic theory to improve health-promoting behaviors and health care delivery in older adults. Some areas of research include obesity, tobacco use, and medication non-adherence for diseases. |
RC |
| Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction Principal Investigator/Director: Caryn Lerman, PhD and Julie A. Blendy, Ph.D. Contact Person: Angela Pinto, pintoa@mail.med.upenn.edu Center Focus: Tobacco research and Nicotine addiction Description: CIRNA seeks to expand knowledge of nicotine withdrawal-related deficits and develop new models of medication development. |
RC |
| Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research Principal Investigator/Director: Trevor Hadley, PhD Contact Person: cmhpsr@mail.med.upenn.edu Center Focus: Mental Health Policy Description: CMHPSR researches the organization, financing, and management structure of mental health care systems and the delivery of mental health services and provides consultation and technical support to those individuals and programs involved in implementing system change. The Center has attempted to use the results of its research and evaluation efforts to inform the decision making of public policy makers at local, state, and national levels. |
RC |
| Center for Public Health Initiatives Principal Investigator/Director: Marjorie Bowman, MD, MPA Contact Person: Wendy Voet, MPH, wvoet@exchange.upenn.edu Center Focus: Public Health Description: CPHI seeks to improve health and quality of life by expanding and strengthening public health education, research and practice, and fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration. |
RC |
| Center for Weight and Eating Disorders Principal Investigator/Director: Thomas A. Wadden, PhD Contact Person: Jeffrey Lavenberg, jlav@mail.med.upenn.edu Center Focus: Weight and Eating Disorders Description: The Center conducts studies to assess the causes of weight problems, determine the medical and psychological consequences, and then develop a program accordingly. The Center offers clinical care through its research program as well as individualized treatment informed by its cutting edge research. |
RC |
| Center of Excellence in Cancer Communication Research Principal Investigator/Director: Robert A. Hornik, PhD Contact Person: ceccr@asc.upenn.edu Description: CECCR draws upon a broad range of disciplinary backgrounds to examine the complex public information environment around cancer and how that affects the behavior choices people make relevant to cancer. |
RC |
| Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET) Principal Investigator/Director: Trevor M. Penning, PhD Contact Person: ceet@mail.med.upenn.edu Center Focus: Environmental Health Description: CEET conducts research to determine the mechanistic links between environmental exposures and diseases of environmental etiology. Also offers training opportunities for high school, undergraduate, graduate, post-doctoral, and health care professionals interested in elucidating the links between diseases of environmental etiology. |
TP, RC |
| Clinical Research Computing Unit (CRCU) Principal Investigator/Director: Feldman, Harold, MD, MSCE & Landis, J. Richard, PhD Contact Person: Florence Speiser, fspeiser@mail.med.upenn.edu Description: CRCU is a core research facility housed within the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics that provides scientific services related to clinical data management and research computing. |
RR |
| Fels Institute of Government Principal Investigator/Director: David B. Thornburgh, MPP Contact Person: felsinstitute@sas.upenn.edu Center Focus: Public Policy Description: Provides government agencies and nonprofit organizations with expertise on a variety of issues relating to public policy and management, specializing in policy areas of urban revitalization and regional competitiveness, K-12 education, and economic and environmental sustainability. Offers focused practical educational programs that prepare undergraduate and graduate students for public sector work. |
TP, RC |
| The Field Center for Children's Policy, Practice & Research Principal Investigator/Director: Cindy Christian, MD; Richard J. Gelles, PhD; Debra Schilling Wolfe, MEd Contact Person: Deena Caswell, deenac@sp2.upenn.edu Center Focus: Children's Policy Description: Fosters interdisciplinary collaborations and brings together resources of UPenn to enhance and assure the well-being of abused and neglected children, as well as those at risk of maltreatment. Multiple disciplines and perspectives are incorporated into current projects that address issues facing the child welfare system. Provides interdisciplinary education for area students in a variety of disciplines including social work, law, medicine, and public health. |
TP, RC |
| Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism (IDOM) Principal Investigator/Director: Mitchell A. Lazar, MD, PhD Contact Person: Kishani Martin, kishanis@mail.med.upenn.edu Center Focus: Diabetes and Obesity Description: IDOM enhances and supports research aimed at understanding the genetic, biochemical, molecular, environmental, and behavioral mechanisms underlying diabetes and obesity. IDOM initiatives include critical and unique scientific core facilities, and pilot grants that support new investigators as well as interdisciplinary science involving investigators from Penn Medicine and throughout the University of Pennsylvania that are relevant to the IDOM mission. |
RC |
| Institute for Strategic Threat Analysis and Response (ISTAR) Principal Investigator/Director: Harvey Rubin, MD, PhD Contact Person: Harvey Rubin, MD, PhD, rubinh@mail.med.upenn.edu Center Focus: Internation Issues Description: ISTAR stimulates supports and generates innovative projects and programs of research, education and practice in the field of national and international strategic threats. ISTAR's areas of research include: human and veterinary infectious diseases, behavioral sciences and psychology of terrorism, political philosophy and legal aspects of strategic security issues, and adaptive computational systems. |
RC |
| Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (LDI) Principal Investigator/Director: David A. Asch, MD, MBA Contact Person: Megan Pellegrino, meganpel@wharton.upenn.edu Center Focus: Health Policy and Health Services Description: A formal cooperative venture among Penn's schools of medicine, business, nursing, and dental medicine, LDI works to improve the health of the public through multidisciplinary studies on the medical, economic, social, and ethical issues that influence how health care is organized, financed, managed, and delivered. |
RC, TP |
| Mixed Methods Research Lab (MMRL) Principal Investigator/Director: Fran Barg, PhD & Majorie Bowman, MD, MPA Contact Person: MMRL@uphs.upenn.edu Description: MMRL provides investigators with conceptual and technical support in the use of qualitative and mixed methods research methodologies with a focus on integrating key stakeholder perspectives and goals into research designs. |
RR |
| Netter Center for Community Partnerships Principal Investigator/Director: Ira Harkavy, PhD Contact Person: Joann Weeks, weeks@pobox.upenn.edu Center Focus: Community Service Description: The Netter Center organizes academically based community service, direct traditional service, and community development projects within the Philadelphia community to encourage knowledge building and problem solving of complex issues within the city. |
C F |
| Outcomes Measurement Methods Core (OMMC) Principal Investigator/Director: John T. Farrar, MD, PhD and Karen Glanz, PhD, MPH Contact Person: Karyn Tappe, PhD, ktappe@mail.med.upenn.edu Description: OMMC works with investigators and trainees in research collaboration, education, and consultation for the selection and development of measurement tools in translational and clinical research projects. |
RR |
| Penn Minority Aging Research for Community Health (MARCH) Principal Investigator/Director: Jerry Johnson, MD and Neville Strumpf, PhD, RN Contact Person: Dr. Jerry Johnson at jcjohnso@mail.med.upenn.edu or Dr. Neville Strumpf at strumpf@nursing.upenn.edu Center Focus: Aging in Minority Populations Description: MARCH is a research-based and mentoring center aimed to improve the health and well being of older minority populations by identifying mechanisms for closing the health disparities gap between minority and non-minority elderly populations. |
RC |
| Penn Center for AIDS Research (Penn CFAR) Principal Investigator/Director: James A. Hoxie, MD Contact Person: Evelyn Olivieri, oliviere@mail.med.upenn.edu Center Focus: HIV and AIDS Description: Penn CFAR seeks to create an infrastructure that fosters basic, clinical, social and integrated HIV/AIDS research on campus. CFAR has four main research areas in HIV/AIDS, including virology and pathogenesis, clinical and therapeutics, immunology and vaccine, and behavioral and social sciences. |
RC |
|
| Policy Lab at CHOP Principal Investigtor/Director: David M. Rubin, MD, MSCE Contact Person: policylab@email.chop.edu Center Focus: Pediatrics Description: PolicyLab partners with numerous stakeholder within the healthcare field to develop evidence-based solutions to the most challenging health-related issues affecting children. By informing program and policy changes through interdisciplinary research, PolicyLab aims to achieve optimal child health and well-being. |
RC |
|
| Robert Wood Johnson Health & Society Scholars Program Principal Investigator/Director: Robert A. Aronowitz, MD & David A. Asch, MD, MBA Contact Person: Melissa Kulynych, Program Coordinator, mkulynyc@wharton.upenn.edu Description: Two year training program for doctoral trained fellows interested in population health. |
TP |
Collaborators outside of UPenn
| Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Philadelphia VA Medical Center Principal Investigator/Director: Michael J Fine, MD, MSc Contact Person: Carson Clark, Carson.Clark@VA.GOV Description: CHERP is responsible for conducting health services and health equity research, providing training for individuals interested in the health care field, and disseminating activities related to health and health disparities. |
NP, RC, TP |
| Principal Investigator/Director: Gary D. Foster, PhD Contact Person: Stephanie Vander Veur, stephanie.vanderveur@temple.edu Description: CORE is a university-wide group of investigators dedicated to excellence in obesity research. Its mission is to facilitate interdisciplinary research on the etiology, consequences, treatment and prevention of obesity. Research will range from basic science to epidemiology. A particular focus of the Center will be a greater understanding of the causes, treatment and prevention of obesity among minorities of lower socioeconomic status, among whom obesity is more prevalent. |
NP, RC |
| The Food Trust Principal Investigator/Director: Yael Lehmann, MSW Contact Person: contact@thefoodtrust.org Description: The Food Trust collaborates with neighborhoods, schools, grocers, farmers, and policymakers to develop a comprehensive approach that combines nutrition education with greater availability and affordability of healthy foods. |
NP, CF |
| Health Promotion Council Principal Investigator/Director: Vanessa Briggs, MBA, RD, LDN Contact Person: hpcpa@phmc.org Description: HPC is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to promote health, prevent and manage chronic disease, especially among vulnerable populations through community-based outreach, education, and advocacy. |
NP, CF |
| Philadelphia Department of Public Health Principal Investigator/Director: Donald F. Schwarz, MD, MPH, Health Commissioner and Deputy Mayor for Health and Opportunity Contact Person: HealthDept@phila.gov Description: The mission of the Department of Public Health is to protect the health of all Philadelphians and to promote an environment that allows us to lead healthy lives. They provide services, set policies, and enforce laws that support the dignity of every man, woman and child in Philadelphia. |
NP, CF |
| Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) Principal Investigator/Director: Richard J. Cohen, PhD, FACHE Contact Person: hpcpa@phmc.org Description: PHMC is a nonprofit public health institute that builds healthier communities through partnerships with government, foundations, businesses and community-based organizations. It fulfills its mission to improve the health of the community by providing outreach, health promotion, education, research, planning, technical assistance, and direct services. |
NP, CF |