Biography
Jiali Han, PhD, is currently professor and chair, Department of Epidemiology, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, and Rachel Cecile Efroymson professor of cancer research at Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indiana University, Indianapolis. Dr. Han earned his PhD in Biological Sciences in Public Health from Harvard University in 2004. He then joined the faculties of Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health. Prior to his move to Indianapolis in 2013, he was an associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health, and associate professor of medicine and dermatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Han has been the principal investigator on a dozen of NIH grants. He also serves as a key investigator on multiple NIH-funded projects, providing critical expertise in genetic and molecular epidemiology to his collaborators and peers. He has published over 240 original research articles in peer-reviewed journals. A series of his seminal research findings has been published in high-profile journals and drew enormous attention not only from the scientific community but also from public media. Dr. Han has been invited to speak about his research at regional, national, and international scientific meetings. He has served as ad hoc reviewer for over 100 peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Dr. Han has served on a number of national and international committees and grant review panels in the NIH study sections, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the American Cancer Society. He has been on several committees and chaired sessions of national and international scientific societies.
Dr. Han has shown tremendous dedication to training and mentorship. He has mentored and co-mentored over 40 graduate students, medical students, fellows, clinicians, and junior faculty members. Many of them have gone on to academic and research careers globally.
Research Interests
Dr. Han initiated his research journey in exploring the genetic and molecular epidemiology of cancer, delving into its etiology, prevention, and outcomes. His comprehensive research spans across diverse domains of human health, integrating basic science, clinical medicine, data science, informatics, technology, and community.
Internationally, he spearheads consortia investigating genetic susceptibility to keratinocyte carcinoma. Taking charge post-"genome-wide association study," Dr. Han collaborates on efforts for the integrative and functional analysis of genetic variants linked to skin cancer. His expertise extends to studying cancer screening strategies on a global scale, with a keen focus on global health settings. With significant experience in pharmaco-epidemiology and real-world evidence research, Dr. Han collaborates extensively with pharmaceutical companies.
A unique facet of his research involves exploring opioid response-mediated addictive behaviors among tanning bed users. Recently, he has delved into sports and exercise epidemiology and examined community-built environments for wellbeing.
Global Health
Dr. Han exhibits a passionate commitment to global health research and education. Actively contributing to the strategic planning and implementation of global health initiatives at the Fairbanks School of Public Health at Indiana University Indianapolis, he has amassed a track record in this field. His global health engagements include teaching a graduate-level course in Bangkok, Thailand, and serving as the Principal Investigator for an International Development Fund grant in the past.
Dr. Han had several peer-reviewed publications studying breast cancer screening strategies in developing countries, and he has numerous peer-reviewed publications from diverse international collaborations.
In 2023, he conducted a workshop in Kenya and delivered a keynote speech at the 6th Africa International Biotechnology and Biomedical Conference. Currently, Dr. Han is involved in the planning stages of developing cancer prevention and control programs in collaboration with NCI-Kenya, while also contributing to the design of new public health programs globally.
