Alex is undertaking an MPhil in population health sciences at the University of Cambridge, supported by HDR UK and Diabetes UK. He grew up and studied in the United States, where he obtained an undergraduate degree in psychology at Boston College. Following this degree, he began working in child psychiatry research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where he published articles on the roots of early childhood depression and suicidality, as well as borderline personality disorder.
Following this, Alex left research for a time to work in foster care advocacy and systems navigation. Through working with foster children and families in St. Louis, he became aware of the vast racial disparities and injustices present within healthcare systems. Early onset type 2 diabetes is diagnosed at significantly higher rates in Black populations versus white populations, and more research must be done to determine whether or not structural and institutional factors are at play (access to healthcare, trust in healthcare systems, socioeconomic status, etc.). If they are, then societal interventions could be initiated to hopefully decrease this disparity.
Alex is excited to delve into this research domain during his time at Cambridge, and also to expand his horizons through collaboration with other students and academics.
