Dr. Damon DiSabato is a Post-Doctoral Scholar in the Department of Neuroscience. His research focuses on Neuroinflammation and spinal cord injury. Dr. DiSabato shares his insights into the research world, discussing discrepancies in the federal grant process, how research funding is allocated, and the role that identity, gender, race, and socioeconomic status play in academia.

Dr. Padamsee is a sociologist by training and brings theoretical and methodological tools from sociology and women's studies to bear on public health problems. She discusses her sociology work at OSU, women's health, cancer research, and how disparities continue to impact the health world. We talk about her work with the Daughter, Sister, Mother project and talk about hurdles in breast cancer detection/diagnosis.

In this episode, we invited Dr. Tamika Odum and Dr. Payal Chakraborty of the Ohio Policy Evaluation Network (OPEN) to discuss the Supreme Court decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. We learn about how this ruling specifically affects Ohio State University students, how our access to abortion care is changing, and what changes we may see in the future. We also dive into Dr. Chakraborty’s study exploring travel-related obstacles to abortion care, and how this substantial increase in travel distance impacts Franklin county residents. 

Julia Applegate is the director of the Equitas Health Institute where she leads LGBTQ+ health education and research efforts to improve the health and wellness of LGBTQ+ communities across Ohio. In part 2 of this interview, Ms. Applegate discusses the stigma and policies that interfere with quality healthcare. She analyzes the lacking physician-patient relationship and examines why LGBTQ+ individuals have a greater chance of developing health issues compared to heterosexual individuals.

Dr. Elaina Johns-Wolfe is a PhD researcher working with the Ohio Policy Evaluation Network: a research collaborative studying how public policy affects reproductive health and equity. In part 2 of the conversation, she delves into her research studying the relationships between stress, race and birth intention. Dr. Johns-Wolfe examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted patients seeking pregnancy care and abortion services, and discusses advancements in Ohio legislature needed to advance reproductive healthcare for low socioeconomic communities.

Dr. Demicha Rankin serves as the Associate Dean for Admissions and Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. In this interview, we learn about the history of medical school admissions, racial discrepancies in standardized testing, and the education achievement gap. As part of the Anesthesiology Resident Recruitment and Selection committee, as well as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee and Anti Racism task force for the College of Medicine, Dr. Rankin discusses the process of holistic review and how universities are working to create a change in the admissions process.

Dr. Ashley Felix is the Interim Chair of the Division of Health Behavior and Health Promotion, an Associate Professor in the Division of Epidemiology, and Co-Director of the Undergraduate Honors Program at the Ohio State University. In Part 1 of the conversation, Dr.Felix goes into her background, talking about what drew her to her career as an epidemiologist and her specific research in endometrial cancer. She introduces us to her research and discusses the lack of female and minority representation in clinical trials and how we see this evolving in the future.