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CENTER FOR CLINICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH

BUILDING A PROACTIVE, POPULATION-POSITIVE SYSTEM FOR HEALTH.

OUR VISION

Steering the way towards an era of inclusive and equitable healthcare by integrating clinical and social insights through data-driven research

OUR MISSION

The CCSR is dedicated to advancing equitable healthcare through rigorous scientific exploration, enabling data-driven generation of deep insights on the intersection between clinical and social determinants of health. Powered by big-data and driven by scientific integrity and a commitment to minority communities, the CCSR endeavors to equip healthcare stakeholders with evidence-based, clinically meaningful and socially impactful research. Our ultimate goal is to help shape, with leading research and real-world data, a health landscape that embraces the increasing complexity, diversity and inherent dignity of the US and global populations.


Key Programs


Minority and Rural Coronavirus Insights Study (MRCIS)

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Alliance for Representative Clinical Trials (ARC)

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Healthcare Data Equity Project

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MyClinical

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OUR TEAM

Christina Edwards began her academic career at Howard University, earning her Bachelor of Science. She later earned her Master of Health Administration from George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. A research coordinator position at an NYC research clinic would offset her career into the clinical research field. Years later she ventured into academic research at Weill Cornell Medicine, managing a multisite, NIH funded, pediatric study for children with Crohn’s disease. She later transitioned to the NewYork –Presbyterian Health System coordinating industry sponsored clinical trials for the Department of Medicine- Pulmonary and Critical Care. Now serving as the Clinical Trial Director for Center for Clinical and Social Research at NMQF, she aims to increase research trial participation among underserved and underrepresented populations.
As a Research Epidemiologist with the National Minority Quality Forum, Dr. Derrick J. Forney brings a wealth of experience, technical proficiency, and a steadfast commitment to improving health outcomes and addressing health disparities. Dr. Forney is an accomplished researcher with a distinguished career focused on health disparities, public health analytics, and modeling. With a strong background in public health research, Dr. Forney has consistently demonstrated his expertise in transforming data into research-grade insights, executing research proposals, and effectively communicating complex findings. He has a Ph.D. in Public Health with a focus on Health Disparities from Florida International University. Additionally, he holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology from Michigan State University, which further strengthen his academic background in the field. Throughout his career, Dr. Forney has held various roles in prestigious institutions such as the University of Miami, where he previously served as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in the Department of Public Health Sciences. In this capacity, he has been instrumental in formulating publications and leveraging statistical programming tools such as SAS, R, and SQL to perform regression analysis and develop machine learning models. His research efforts have been extensive, covering diverse topics, including HIV care, mental health, and social determinants of health. With a keen focus on continuous learning and professional development, Dr. Forney has pursued additional training in machine learning and data science. His expertise in data management, statistical analysis, and program evaluation reflects his commitment to staying at the forefront of emerging methodologies and technologies. His publication record further highlights Dr. Forney's career accomplishments, comprising peer-reviewed journal articles and abstracts presented at national and international conferences. His research has contributed significantly to advancing our understanding of health disparities, HIV prevention and treatment, and social determinants of health among diverse populations.
Jennifer serves as Research Lead Epidemiologist at the National Minority Quality Institute (NMQF). She obtained her Bachelor's in Psychology with a Biology minor from The University of Houston and an MPH in Epidemiology from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health. Prior to joining NMQF, Jennifer worked as a research associate in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine for several years. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Epidemiology with minors in Biostatistics and Data Science. Throughout her career, Jennifer has engaged in diverse research projects encompassing maternal and child health, substance abuse, and infectious diseases. At NMQF, Jennifer's work revolves around analyzing Medicare and Medicaid Claims Data to highlight and understand healthcare disparities.
Liou Xu serves as the Senior Principal Statistician and Vice President for Center for Clinical and Social Research at NMQF, where she conducts research and data analysis related to health and medical care delivery systems. She earned her PhD degree in Statistics from the University of Kentucky. After graduation she moved to Northern Virginia and joined the team in April 2011. She has worked on a variety of projects in health care research with application of real-world evidence and observational research data in all major therapeutic areas, providing statistical solutions to measure health status in small geographic areas and to identify care gaps across specific patient populations.