NICHD Research Profiles: Text Alternative

Maggie O’Haire, Ph.D.

#NICHDResearch quote from NICHD-Funded Grantee Maggie O’Haire Ph.D.: “Persistence is critical. When I started, this field wasn’t seen as a ‘serious’ science. We’re changing that, and I hope to create opportunities for the next generation of human-animal interaction researchers.”

Dr. Maggie O’Haire, at the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, focuses on the ways that animals such as service dogs affect human mental health and wellness. She is one of the country’s leading researchers in human-animal interaction.

Learn more about Dr. O’Haire.

Sharon Dekel, Ph.D.

#NICHDResearch quote from NICHD Grantee Sharon Dekel, Ph.D.: “The wellbeing of mothers is a bedrock of a healthy human society. We should do everything in our power to safeguard it.”

Dr. Sharon Dekel, at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, studies the biological and psychological factors that affect how mothers react to the stresses of childbirth. Her research focuses on the impact of the birth experience of maternal mental health with an emphasis on traumatic experiences. The multidisciplinary research model she developed has helped her team study more than 8,000 postpartum women.

Learn more about Dr. Dekel.

Cori Cahoon, Ph.D.

#NICHDResearch quote from NICHD-Funded Trainee and Pathway to Independence Awardee Cori Cahoon, Ph.D.: “Keep asking questions. Keep being curious about whatever it is that you’re studying, because you never know what the answer might be and where it will take you on your career path.”

As the daughter of a nurse and a veterinarian, Dr. Cori Cahoon, at the University of Oregon, knew that a career in health or medicine was in her future. That childhood inspiration ultimately led her to research that focuses on the genetics of and environmental influences on sperm and egg development.

Learn more about Dr. Cahoon.

Fern R. Hauck, M.D., M.S.

#NICHDResearch quote from NICHD grantee Fern R. Hauck, M.D., M.S.: “We want to help people make the best decisions for themselves and their babies. All caregivers want their babies to do well and to survive and thrive. Sharing evidence-based information improves the likelihood that infants will thrive.”

Dr. Fern Hauck, at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, focuses her research on safe sleep interventions to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and other sleep-related infant deaths.

Learn more about Dr. Hauck.

Pinhas Ben-Tzvi, Ph.D., P.E.

#NICHDResearch quote from NICHD grantee Pinhas Ben-Tzvi, Ph.D., P.E.: “I always knew I would end up in the medical field. I use my engineering skills to help patients and doctors find solutions for the challenges they face. Combining robotics and rehabilitation is like a dream come true.”

Dr. Pinhas Ben-Tzvi, at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, uses his background in mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering and NICHD funding to develop rehabilitation technology for people with brachial plexus injury.

Learn more about Dr. Ben-Tzvi.

Rachel Moon, M.D., FAAP

#NICHDResearch quote from NICHD grantee Rachel Moon, M.D., FAAP: “We want babies to sleep in a safe environment so they can all celebrate their first birthday. That's something I am passionate about.”

Dr. Rachel Moon, a pediatrician and Harrison Distinguished Professor at the University of Virginia, receives NICHD support for her studies on ways to reduce sleep-related infant deaths.

Learn more about Dr. Moon.

Alexa Freedman, Ph.D.

#NICHDResearch quote from former NICHD-funded trainee Alexa Freedman, Ph.D.: “Stressful events during pregnancy can affect how the placenta functions, what signals it puts out, how it transfers nutrients, and more. It's a time capsule of the pregnancy and everything that happened.”

Dr. Alexa Freedman, a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award recipient at NorthShore University HealthSystem Hospital, studies maternal stress, placental inflammation, and pregnancy outcomes with support from NICHD.

Learn more about Dr. Freedman.

Amar Dhand, M.D., D.Phil.

#NICHDResearch quote from NICHD grantee Amar Dhand, M.D., D.Phil.: “The role of social connections in health deserves a particular focus and a set of tools, methods, and theory that can actually illuminate these forces as they impress upon human health.”

Dr. Amar Dhand, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, received NICHD support for his postgraduate training through to his current independent research on how social interactions help people recover after a stroke.

Learn more about Dr. Dhand.

Myron Evans II, Ph.D.

#NICHDResearch quote from former NICHD-funded trainee Myron Evans II, Ph.D.: “In children, cancer is in essence a developmental disorder. We really need a better understanding of normal development to determine why these kids get cancer and how to treat it. I really enjoy knowing that what I do in my lab can truly help patients.”

Dr. Myron Evans, a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award recipient at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital, studies how the brain typically develops to better understand pediatric brain cancer.

Learn more about Dr. Evans.

Matthew MacDougall, M.D., Ph.D.

#NICHDResearch quote from former NICHD-funded trainee Matthew MacDougall, M.D., Ph.D.: “Science is just like a creative pursuit. There's so much imagination and creativity required to come up with new ideas and change how people understand and look at the world around them.”

Dr. Matthew MacDougall, a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award recipient at Stanford University, received NICHD support for his Ph.D. work while he was at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

Learn more about Dr. MacDougall.

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