Nigussie A. Kassaw, PhD, MPH, MSc

Jimma University, BSc, Public Health, 2007

Addis Ababa University, MPH, Reproductive and Family Health, 2011

Hawassa University, MSc, Applied Statistics, 2019

University of South Australia, PhD, Medical Sciences, 2025

Dr. Nigussie Kassaw is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He earned his PhD focusing on Genetic Epidemiology from the University of South Australia, a Master of Public Health from Addis Ababa University, and a Master of Science in Applied Statistics from Hawassa University.

Dr. Kassaw’s research investigates how genetic and environmental factors influence the risk of cardiometabolic diseases and their comorbidities, with a particular focus on populations of African ancestry. His work integrates conventional epidemiological methods with genetic approaches, particularly Mendelian randomization and phenome-wide analyses, and incorporates multi-omics data, including genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics. Through this integrative framework, he aims to uncover the causal pathways and the interplay of lifestyle factors, genetics, and the environment in disease development and progression.

His scientific path is deeply rooted in a commitment to health equity. Beginning his career in Ethiopia, Dr. Kassaw witnessed striking health disparities across communities, which motivated him to pursue research that bridges public health and molecular science. During his doctoral work using UK Biobank data, he examined how genetics and environment jointly shape alcohol use and its impact on multiple diseases and mortality. Building on this experience, his current work seeks to generate causal and mechanistic insights that can guide targeted prevention strategies and advance precision public health.

With a strong interdisciplinary background in public health, biostatistics, and genetic epidemiology, Dr. Kassaw is passionate about collaborative and inclusive research. His goal is to translate scientific discovery into meaningful actions that improve health outcomes and reduces disparities across populations.

Epidemiology, Causal inference, Genetic epidemiology, Mendelian randomization, Phenome-wide analysis, Epigenomics, Multi-omics, Alcohol, Lifestyles, Cardiometabolic diseases, Diabetes, African ancestry, Health disparities.