Research Education Programs Executive Committee
The Executive Committee consists of the program director, co-program directors (at Emory University, Morehouse School of Medicine, Georgia Tech, and UGA), co-directors for the Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR) program, Research Education lead evaluator, and key faculty from all three Georgia CTSA academic institutions.
The Executive Committee is subdivided into working groups as necessary (e.g., for KL2 and TL1 study sections).
The committee is charged with reviewing applications (for the Georgia CTSA MSCR program, Certificate Program in Translational Research, and TL1 program), selecting participants, assessing trainee and scholar progress, selecting and approving faculty mentors and thesis committees, and evaluating and approving thesis work (in consultation with the thesis advisor). The Executive Committee also evaluates and develops new curriculum, approves instructors for the MSCR core curriculum courses, reviews program evaluation and intervenes as necessary to improve the program, and interacts with the administrative structures of Emory, Georgia Tech, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), and University of Georgia (UGA).
The committee meets monthly to review operation and progress of the Research Education training programs. Day-to-day operations are managed by the program directors, co-program directors, and administrative staff.
The committee now includes ten former trainees (Drs. Alvarez, Bhatti, Goldsmith, Kempker, Michopoulos, Ofotokun, Patzer, Shah, Shane, and Sheth) who completed the MSCR or CPTR and/or KL2 and TL1 programs and established successful careers in clinical and translational research.
Research Education Programs Executive Committee
Henry M. Blumberg, MD
Principal Investigator, KL2 and TL1
Co-Course Director, Clinical Research Colloquium, Research Education Programs / Emory University
Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine
Professor of Epidemiology and Global Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health

Thomas R. Ziegler, MD
Site Director, Emory University Hospital
Georgia CTSA Clinical Research Centers (GCRCs) / Emory University School of Medicine
Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Lipids
Director, Center for Clinical and Molecular Nutrition
Site Director, Emory University Hospital Clinical Research Site

Jessica A. Alvarez, PhD, RD
Associate Director, Certificate Program in Translational Research (CPTR)
Emory University School of Medicine
Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Lipids
Read Jessica's Bio
Lou Ann Brown, PhD
Committee Member
Emory University School of Medicine
Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine,
Director, Office of Postdoctoral Education

Dawn Comeau, PhD, MPH
Mentor Training Director
Emory University
Associate Professor & Vice Chair for Faculty Development, Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health
Read Dawn's Bio
J. Brandon Dixon, PhD
Co-Director, KL2 and TL1 Programs, Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Read Brandon's Bio
David Goldsmith, MD
Committee Member
Emory University
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine
Read David's Bio
Eun-Ok Im, PhD, MPH, RN, CNS, FAAN
Committee Member
Emory University
Senior Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
Read Bio
Jordan A. Kempker, MD, MSc
Co-Course Director, Introduction to Clinical & Translational Research
Emory University
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Emory University School of Medicine
Read Jordan's Bio
Matthew Magee, PhD
Co-Course Director, Analytic Methods for Clinical and Translational Research
MSCR Thesis Committee / Emory University
Associate Professor of Hubert Department of Global Health Rollins School of Public Health
Read Bio
Amita Manatunga, PhD
Course Director, Overview of High Dimensional Data
MSCR Thesis Committee / Emory University
Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Rollins School of Public Health
Read Amita's Bio
Vasiliki Michopoulos, PhD, MSc
Co-Director, TL1 Program
Emory University School of Medicine
Read Bio
Igho Ofotokun, MD, MSc
Co-Director, KL2 Program
Co-Course Director, Clinical Research Colloquium, Co-Coordinator, MSCR Journal Club / Emory University School of Medicine
Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
Read Igho's Bio
Rachel E. Patzer, PhD, MPH
Co-Director, TL1 Program
Emory University
Associate Professor of Surgery and Epidemiology, Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation & Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health
Director of Health Services Research, Emory Department of Medicine & Surgery

Alexander Quarshie, MD, MSc
Co-Director
Informatics and Research Education Programs / Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM)
Director, Morehouse School of Medicine, MSCR Program
Director, Biomedical Informatics Program
Professor of Community Health and Preventive Medicine

William M. Shafer, PhD
Committee Member
Emory University
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology Emory University School of Medicine
Senior Research Career Scientist, VA Medical Center (Atlanta)

Amit Shah, MD, MSCR
Committee Member
Emory University
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology
Read Amit's Bio
Andi L. Shane, MD, MPH, MSc
Co-Course Director, Clinical Trial Design
Emory University & Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Marcus Professor of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

Claire E. Sterk, PhD
Committee Member
Emory University
Charles Howard Candler Professor of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences Rollins School of Public Healt
Read Claire's Bio
Somanath P.R. Shenoy, PhD, FAHA
TL1 and KL2 Co-Director, UGA
University of Georgia
Professor, College of Pharmacy University of Georgia
Director of Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics

Anandi Sheth, MD, MSc
Committee Member
Emory University
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory School of Medicine
Read Bio
Gianluca Tosini, PhD
Co-Director, TL1 Program
Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM)
Chief Scientific Research Officer
Professor and Chair of Pharmacology and Toxicology
