2022-2024 Primary Health Research Training Scholars

Eric Adjei Boakye, Ph.D.

Eric Adjei Boakye, Ph.D. is an Assistant Scientist in the Departments of Public Health Sciences and Otolaryngology at Henry Ford Health. He is a cancer epidemiologist and a health services and outcomes researcher. Dr. Adjei Boakye uses a transdisciplinary lens in examining cancer epidemiology and population health outcomes (social determinants of health). His work cuts across the spectrum of cancer prevention and control, early detection, survivorship, and health disparities. Dr. Adjei Boakye research 1) seek to investigate population-based knowledge and risk factors associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV), HPV-associated head and neck cancer, and HPV vaccine, 2) focus on early detection by examining social determinants of health, health disparities, cancer health outcomes and cancer screening, and 3) focus on improving survivorship among cancer patients through patient-reported outcomes and psychosocial outcomes. Dr. Adjei Boakye is author or co-author of more than 90 peer-reviewed journal articles. He has published and served as an ad-hoc reviewer for many prominent journals, and presented at state, national, and international conferences. His research has been featured in media outlets including NBC News, MSN, New York Post, The ASCO Post, and Healio.

Andrew Bossick, Ph.D.

Dr. Bossick received his PhD in Health Services Research from the University of Washington-Seattle in 2021. Dr. Bossick completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Henry Ford Health in the Department of Public Health Sciences. He joined the Department of Public Health Sciences at Henry Ford Health as an Assistant Scientist in 2023 and has been an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology at Michigan State University in the College of Human Medicine since 2022.

Dr. Bossick’s research broadly focuses on racialized disparities in women’s health, particularly during the pregnancy and postpartum, as well as in the development and treatment of fibroids, and hysterectomy. He is interested in using big data to develop and validate medical record algorithms to identify those most at risk of adverse outcomes in women’s health. Currently, he is a Co-Investigator on a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute funded project to validate a meaningful patient-engagement in research survey in diverse populations.

Joshua Emakhu, Ph.D.

Joshua Emakhu, Ph.D., is a Biostatistician from the Department of Public Health Sciences at Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan, USA. He earned a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Covenant University, Ogun, Nigeria. He then earned a Master’s and Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA, and is currently on track to becoming a faculty member at Henry Ford Health. He is a member of the American Medical Informatics Association, Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, Institute for Operations Research and the Management Services, Society of American Value Engineers, and Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineering. He is also a peer reviewer for several journals, including IISE Transactions (Journal of Industrial Engineering and Operations Management), Information Fusion, and Frontiers for Psychology. His research interests include data analytics, resource allocation, cardiovascular emergencies, product development/recall, and health disparities.

Ivana A. Vaughn, Ph.D.

Ivana A. Vaughn is an Assistant Scientist for Henry Ford Health in the Department of Public Health Sciences. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Health Services Research from The University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions, Graduate Certificate in Aging and Geriatric Practice from The University of Florida College of Medicine, Master of Public Health (MPH) from Morgan State University School of Community Health & Policy with a concentration in Epidemiology, and Bachelor of Arts (BA) from The Johns Hopkins University in both Mathematics and Biology.

As a health services researcher and gerontologist, Dr. Vaughn's primary objectives are to improve health service delivery and quality of care for older adults and vulnerable populations with chronic conditions. Currently, Dr. Vaughn is the site-Principal Investigator for flu surveillance networks on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): the US Flu Vaccine Effectiveness Network (US Flu VE) and Investigating Respiratory Viruses in the Acutely Ill (IVY). She is Scientific Liaison for the programming and data management team (POPCORE) that maintains the Research Data Warehouse. Dr. Vaughn is embedded within the Department of Family Medicine and teaches research methods for Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC) rotation. Dr. Vaughn also collaborates with Supportive Oncology Services to improve care for cancer survivors. She is actively involved with the Health Care System Research Network (HCRSN), Academy Health and The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).

Prior to Henry Ford, Dr. Vaughn worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, The New York Academy of Medicine Center for Evaluation and Applied Research (CEAR), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Data Coordinating Center, and The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD). Dr. Vaughn's additional research experiences include the University of Florida Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), The Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, The Ohio State University Medical Center Quality Operations and Improvement, and Maryland Osteoporosis Prevention and Education Task Force.

Denise White Perkins, Ph.D.

Dr. Denise White Perkins is a board-certified family physician and clinician educator with a PhD is Psychology and more than two decades experience providing care to socially and medically complex patients in our urban ambulatory medical centers. Serving as Director of Healthcare Initiatives for the Henry Ford Health, she develops innovative organizational change, educational and community-based demonstration projects aimed at eliminating health and healthcare disparities, particularly for underserved and marginalized populations. As Vice Chair of Academic Affairs in the department of Family Medicine she is working to advance the implementation, spread and scale of both operational and educational innovations related to equity. Her research interest center around health professionals training in health equity, the impact of social determinants of health on chronic disease management, and the influence of culture and religion on health. Dr White Perkins will work within this program as a physician investigator to research how Social Determinants of Health (SDH) impact the delivery and effectiveness of evidence-based hypertension and diabetes management interventions exploring predictive models that can be integrated into clinical care as a form of precision medicine.