Dr. Humphries: In the fall of 1999, I taught my first course at Yale, titled “Global Food and Nutrition Issues.” This opportunity arose shortly after we moved to Connecticut, when I connected with fellow Cornell University Nutrition alumna and Adjunct Professor Susan Mayne.
EMD Faculty Spotlight: Debbie Humphries
How long have you been a part of Yale, and what was your journey to get here?
What made you decide to apply to join the Yale faculty?
Dr. Humphries: The opportunity to teach was how I first connected with YSPH; the ongoing opportunities to teach and mentor students, along with the opportunities to partner with research teams, have kept me here. I now work with the students in the Executive MPH program, leading their integrated practicum/capstone course. In 2007, I also began an ongoing research partnership with EMD Department Chair and Professor Michael Cappello, which has allowed me to pursue my interest in addressing research questions at the intersection of nutrition and infectious diseases.
What are some of the most significant findings or innovations from your research?
Dr. Humphries: Through my research partnership with Michael Cappello, we have published several papers identifying modifiable host factors that influence hookworm epidemiology, including nutritional status and specific environmental risks. As part of an evaluation of a Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation capacity-building network in Southern Africa focused on community-based organizations (CBOs) working in the field of HIV, we identified multiple pathways to sustainability of the impacts of a program. In that situation, the capacity-building network did not continue, but each organization adopted CBO capacity-building as part of their regular work. In doing so, the activities of the capacity-building network were sustained without the need to sustain the network.
What previous work are you most proud of?
Dr. Humphries: I am most proud of the pedagogy articles I have published on public health practice, focusing on building applied skills among MPH students. From 1999 to 2017, I taught the Global Food and Nutrition course, a professional dream of mine that integrated global nutrition basics, global food systems and nutrition, and infectious diseases. From 2007 to 2022, I taught a public health practicum course in which I matched groups of students with local community organizations to conduct small-scale, applied research projects.
What are you working on at the moment?
Dr. Humphries: I am collaborating with Michael Cappello on studies of the epidemiology of hookworm infection in Ghana to support control and eradication efforts. I am also co-leading (with Luke Davis) the Yale R3EDI Hub, an NIH-funded technical assistance hub, where we’re developing resources to strengthen the field of HIV implementation science in support of the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) in the United States.
Where do you see the intersection of chronic and infectious disease research heading in the next few years, and what role do you hope your work will play in this future landscape?
Dr. Humphries: My hope is that we can begin to see how reductionist research paradigms limit the research questions that can be asked. This is particularly true at the complex interface of chronic disease, infectious disease, and nutritional status. While the reductionist approach seeks to understand each step of a process, we’re increasingly aware that, without a systems perspective, the results of studies of a single step in a complex process may not be generalizable when other variables change. Knowing that protein supplements can decrease the risk of helminth infections in sheep suggests that low protein intake might play a role in human susceptibility, but studying that question in free-living human beings utilizing randomization and double blind methods is not possible.
What advice would you give early-career researchers who are starting out?
Dr. Humphries: Be clear on your personal definition of success.
What do you look for in an MPH or PhD student looking to join your lab? Are there any immediate/future opportunities for students to join?
Dr. Humphries: We look for a sense of curiosity, independent thinking, self-reflection, and analytical skills, as well as preferably experience in implementation science and community engagement. We will have opportunities for research assistants in the fall.