Lab Personnel
Principal Investigator
Toni Marie Rudisill, MS, PhD
As an injury epidemiologist, Dr. Rudisill is immensely passionate about injury research. Her research typically focuses on 1) transportation-related injuries and medical care, 2) substance use, 3) the intersection between medical conditions, substance use (i.e., prescription and non-prescription medication, supplement, nutraceutical use), and driving safety, 4) the impacts of health policies on injuries (i.e., distracted driving, cannabis use laws, etc.), 5) illnesses and injuries in rural and medically underserved populations.
Dr Rudisill is also the Principal Investigator of a 300 person, parallel, three-arm, double-blind, randomized clinical trial investigating the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on driving performance that is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
Outside of her research, teaching, and service responsibilities, Dr. Rudisill enjoys the great outdoors. She can often be found hiking/backpacking trails, boating, fly fishing, golfing, biking, horseback riding, and enjoying winter sports in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains.
Staff
Polina Krom, MS, PhD
Dr. Krom is from Moscow, Russia and is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at West Virginia University School of Public Health. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University and her Master’s and Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience from WVU. Her research focuses on behavioral neuroscience, addiction, driving safety, and public health, with expertise in eye tracking, EEG, fMRI, and human research. She is heavily involved in the clinical trial examining the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on driving performance and related public health outcomes along with other projects being conducted in the lab.
Cindy Fisher-Duda, RN
Cynthia (Cindy) is from Morgantown, WV. She is a Clinical Research Specialist at the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute at West Virginia University. She is a Registered Nurse who holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Fairmont State University. She combines clinical expertise with research experience to support the advancement of evidence-based healthcare. Cindy is serving as the study coordinator for the clinical trial investigating the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on driving performance and related public health outcomes.
Students
Meiling Zheng, MPH, MS
Meiling Zheng is a PhD student in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, at West Virginia University. She earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) and a Master of Science (MS) in Biostatistics from West Virginia University. Her dissertation research focuses on the relationship between mental health and driving safety, with a particular emphasis on the impact of anxiety on driving performance. Meiling also supports the clinical trial investigating the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on driving performance. Outside of research, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, baking, and gardening.
Yilin Cai, MBA, MS
Yilin Cai is a PhD student in Epidemiology and serves as a Senior Health Data Analyst at the WVU Health Affairs Institute. She earned the Master of Science degree in Biostatistics from WVU in 2020, Master of Finance in 2018, and MBA in 2017. Her research focuses on substance use disorders, telehealth, and health disparities in West Virginia. Her dissertation examines the telehealth service utilization and its impact on healthcare service utilization and drug overdose among individuals with substance use disorder in West Virginia. Outside of research and work, Yilin enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Mohini Banerjee, BDS, MPH
Mohini Banerjee is a doctoral student in Epidemiology at West Virginia University and a public health researcher with a background in dentistry. After earning her Bachelor of Dental Surgery in India, she transitioned to public health in the United States to pursue her passion for community health and population-level impact. Mohini holds a Master of Public Health from West Virginia University in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Her research focuses on infectious diseases, substance use, and health disparities, with her doctoral dissertation examining spinal infections among people who inject drugs. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, traveling, gardening, and spending time with her husband, 5-year-old daughter, and 5-month-old son.