Education
- B.S., University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff AR, 2011, Physics
- B.S., University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff AR, 2012, Chemistry
- M.P.H., University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 2014, Epidemiology
- Ph.D., Howard University, Washington, DC, 2021, Genetics and Human Genetics
Research Interests
Dr. Caldwell is a human geneticist with an interest in combining genetic ancestry analysis and community engaged research strategies. Her research uses interdisciplinary research designs to observe genetic, environmental, and cultural factors that contribute to chronic health disparities. Her epigenetic our study designs combine observing genetic traits, social determinants of health and behavioral risk factors that impact health disparities.
Dr. Caldwell also studies ancestry, culture, and behavior and how they contribute to transgenerational disparities in ethnic minorities. Her work includes the analysis of the genetic composition of Gullah Geechee population, an African American micro ethnic group found in stroke belt hot spots, including Lowcountry of Georgia and South Carolina. This research established the Gullah Geechee as a progenitor for Legacy African Americans. As a Forge AHEAD Pilot Cohort 3 Fellow, Dr. Caldwell is engaged with Forge AHEAD, a health equity research center committed to eliminating health disparities in the Deep South. The center’s funded project is a behavioral study of the impact of participant knowledge of genetic risk on health behavior change.
Department: Public Health Genomics and Health Equity
