The Team
HAMPLAB welcomes researchers, volunteers, students, and community partners interested in understanding health and aging outcomes in Black Americans, African immigrants and refugees, and West Africans. Specifically, we welcome those with a special focus on health disparities, men's health, cancer risks and prevention, illness survivorship, narrative medicine, community-engaged research, and Alzheimer's disease risks and prevention.
Director and Principal Investigator
Darlingtina K. Esiaka, Ph.D, CPH, CPG
I am an NIA (K99/R00) funded Assistant Professor at the Center for Health, Engagement, and Transformation (CHET) and Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine. In 2019, I received a dual-title Ph.D. in Psychology and Gerontology from the University of Kansas. My research utilizes an interdisciplinary method to examine social determinants of health (SDH) in Black communities. It addresses the critical void as to what is known about the influence of SDoH on health outcomes in Black populations.
Email: dkesiaka@uky.edu
Twitter (X): @dkesiaka
Post-docs & Graduate Trainees
Albert Junior Nyarko
MA, BA
I graduated with an MA in Communication from the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University. Broadly, my research uses an interdisciplinary method to promote positive health behavior, well-being, and health disparities. As a doctoral researcher in HAMPLAB, I am interested in utilizing community-engaged research to examine cancer risks and prevention, illness survivorship, and Alzheimer’s disease risks and prevention in underserved communities in the US and globally.
Email: any233@uky.edu
Twitter (X): @AlbertJuniorNy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albert-junior-nyarko-6459a2129/
Obinna Odo
MGS, MSW
I have an MGS from the University of Southampton, U.K., and an MSW from the University of Stavanger, Norway. I am currently a PhD student in Social Gerontology at Miami University, Oxford, OH. My research utilizes an interdisciplinary method to examine the promotion of long-term care for people with Alzheimer's Disease and other Related Dementias (ADRD) and leverages preclinical interventions to mitigate ADRD. I am also interested in research that examines disparity in cancer care for Black men and other minoritized populations.
Email: odooc@miamioh.edu
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/obinna-casmir-925721217
Tochukwu J. Okolie
BSc
I have a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I am currently studying for a Master's degree in Social Gerontology at Miami University, Oxford, OH. My research experiences have focused on bringing the lived experiences of marginalized and vulnerable older adults to the limelight. My research interests are redefining successful aging, social exclusion in old age, older immigrants and refugees, and older adults experiencing homelessness.
Email: okolietj@miamioh.edu
Maybe you?
Please email dkesiaka@uky.edu or info@hamplab.org to inquire.
**PhD Applicants: Thank you for your interest in HAMPlab! We will be accepting applications for graduate positions soon. Applicants should be interested in minority health and aging. If you are emailing me, please title your email "Prospective Student" to ensure it does not get filtered into SPAM, and attach your CV. We generally process and respond to emails from prospective students twice a month, so please be patient if you have not heard back from us. At this time, we cannot accommodate any requests for 1:1 meetings prior to the deadline, but as the application cycle begins, I may schedule a meeting to further gauge fit before the application deadline. ***
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Shriya Biswas
Neuroscience & Political Science
I am interested in studying terminal diseases such as Cancer and Alzheimer's. My goal is to contribute to effective treatment strategies and improve the quality of life for individuals affected by these diseases. I am passionate about understanding how social determinants of health, such as lifestyle choices, impact disease outcomes and access to care. I aim to develop solutions that are innovative but also equitable.