We begin this new year, hopeful but cautious. Last year had us paying keen attention to some key priorities to focus on, especially all the things that would allow us to still flourish despite the never ending changing. Things that forced us to be open to the goodness that exists within ourselves. There was attention […]
In honor of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD, wrote a reflection on the Light Institute for Global Health and Transformation’s commitment to ending cervical cancer, her personal connection to cervical cancer, the current state and future of cervical cancer prevention, and her vision for a world without cervical cancer.
In celebration of World AIDS Day on December 1, 2025, the 4 Youth by Youth (4YBY) program hosted its seventh annual World AIDS Day event, marking a significant milestone in the fight against the HIV epidemic. Under the theme Persistence, this year’s open call, titled Persistence 4 Health, highlighted the resilience required to provide and […]
As we approach a new month, we pause to appreciate our incredible partners who, with dedication and resilience, continue to implement evidence-based strategies that save lives and prevent disease. Our C3RISE Bootcamp participants are actively in the field—engaging with communities, gathering pilot data, and testing participatory approaches to advance cervical and liver cancer control. Our scholars remain hard at work, […]
On Friday, October 24, the Light Institute’s Director, Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD, gave the Karl King Hoagland, Jr. Keynote, at the 2025 She Leads Symposium at WashU. This symposium is an annual gathering to highlight and celebrate women leaders and this year’s focus was on global and local impact on health. During Dr. Juliet’s keynote, she […]
We kicked off the 2nd half of 2025 with several milestone activities across our global projects. We’ve had the great privilege to work with excellent research and policy scholars in Nigeria, tackling the growing burden of vaccine-preventable cancers (liver and cervical cancers), using innovative solutions ranging from the use of mobile ringtones for HBV vaccine […]
Hello, readers! My name is Ashley Bardon, and I recently joined the team as the newest Associate Director of the Light Institute! It is so nice to e-meet you. To briefly introduce myself, I am an epidemiologist and researcher having worked in global health research, training, and education programs for over 12 years. Previously, I’ve […]
At the Light Institute, the month of May brings with it transitions – from graduating team members going beyond the classrooms into the real-world public health practice, to welcoming our 3rd cohort of STAR scholars, passionate about ending the HIV epidemic for young underrepresented populations in the US. At the Light Institute, we lean into the […]
As May approaches, we are reminded of the deep wells of strength that exist within every community. As Dr. Collins Airhihenbuwa reminds us, “Every family, every community, every culture holds positive strengths that must be uncovered, celebrated, and centered.” This belief anchors our work and fuels our commitment to building public health strategies that honor those we […]
On April 7th, the Light Institute proudly launched our inaugural speaker series of the year with a special celebration: 30 years of Health and Culture Beyond the Western Paradigm and the PEN-3 Cultural Model, both developed by esteemed public health scholar Collins Airhihenbuwa, PhD, MPH. The event honored the enduring legacy of culturally-centered research and its transformative […]
It is officially spring in St. Louis, so as I look outside while drafting this note, I am reminded of growth and renewal after the darkness and chill of winter. We now have sunshine for more hours in the day, the grass and flowers are starting to peek their way through the soil, and trees […]
February served as a time for reflection, resilience, and inspiration. We celebrated Black History Month by recognizing the achievements and contributions of Black leaders, innovators, and changemakers. We commemorated World Cancer Day, emphasizing our commitment to awareness, support, and progress in combating cancer. As March approaches, we are excited about the journey ahead—particularly with our […]
We at Light are excited for a full and transformative 2025. On this last day of cervical cancer awareness month, we are excited to embark on a journey to engage policymakers in Nigeria on the need to advocate for vaccine preventable cancer policies, of which HPV-related cervical cancer is one. Members of the Light team […]
As we wrap up 2024, we are reflective and humbled by remarkable achievements, profound connections, and inspiring growth. We have connected, collaborated, and created a lasting impact with you all, and we are very grateful you came along on our journey of bringing light to public health – locally and globally. Thanks to you, our […]
The Light Institute is thankful for all of our partners and communities here at WashU, in the United States, and globally.
WashU was recently awarded a Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grant to establish the new INSPIRE Center, led by Dr. Elvin Geng and Dr. Juliet Iwelunmor from WashU and Dr. Joseph Tucker at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Back to School EditionHello from Light! This month, the Light team is back in St. Louis and has been celebrating all of the amazing things that happened over the summer …
This month, the Light team was in Lagos, Nigeria, working closely with bright young people, public health advocates, and researchers. We collaborated with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) to refine young people’s great ideas and bring real-world solutions that prevent and control cancer. At Light, we fostered community involvement and long-term cancer prevention […]
At Light, we aim to help individuals, families, and communities achieve optimal and lasting health outcomes. We are committed to creating a world where we connect, collaborate, and make a meaningful impact on health. Our focus is on making public health truly accessible through collaboration, innovation, and unwavering dedication. In this newsletter, you will find […]
It brings me great joy to welcome you to the first of many Light Institute for Global Health and Transformation newsletters that I hope would begin to stimulate joy and love for the work we do to bring the public back into public health. When I thought of what to say or write here to […]