Cho, Hyunsan

Cho, Hyunsan

Position: Associate Research Scientist,

Background: Hyunsan Cho, Ph.D. has conducted research on a variety of prevention and evaluation studies over the past 10 years. As a sociologist with a strong statistical background, she has extensive experience in conducting NIH-funded randomized controlled trials. Currently, she serves as a Co-Investigator of randomized trials in Kenya and Zimbabwe (PI, Denise Hallfors). These projects are innovative clinical trials to test whether keeping orphans in school can reduce their risk for HIV infection. She led the randomization and data analyses for both projects and participated in all aspects of the research process for the Kenya project, including human subjects, data and safety monitoring, coordinating the work of study partners, and budget development and monitoring. She is well published and has recently submitted an application to lead a large R01 clinical trial in Kenya that builds on the current Kenya and Zimbabwe orphan studies. The application achieved a score at the 11th percentile. Given the NIMH priority for funding new investigator, it is expected that this grant will be funded in April 2011.

Prior to her work in Africa, Dr. Cho was Co-Investigator and chief methodologist of a large randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of the Reconnecting Youth (RY) program for high-risk high school youth in two large urban U.S. cities. She led a key project paper on iatrogenic program effects, and another on the association between drug use and suicide behaviors. Her range of statistical methods is very broad and includes longitudinal data analysis, structural equation modeling, meta-analysis, cluster analysis, social network analysis, and multi-level analysis. Dr. Cho has also provided innovative methodological leadership in integrating qualitative process evaluation with quantitative outcome data in a study evaluating “Fighting Back” community coalitions and the RY program. She also led a paper on the evaluation of federal school policy which examines the gap between state/district level and federal government policy on authorized drug and violence prevention activities in the U.S. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Cho is a productive and very promising investigator with strong NIH study experience that encompasses HIV prevention, adolescent health, and randomized controlled trials.

Contact Information:

cho@pire.org

919-256-2620

OVC Wellbeing Content:

School support as structural HIV prevention for adolescent orphans in Western Kenya