THRU LAB CURRENT MEMBERS
Alexander W. Sokolovsky, PhD
Assistant Professor
Dr. Sokolovsky is an Assistant Professor at the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies. His research focuses on understanding the causes and consequences of tobacco use and dependence, the use of substances in the real world, the translation of this knowledge into interventions and treatments, and the prevention of tobacco-related harms. His current projects focus on understanding cross-conditioning in young adult users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes (DUET) and examining the effectiveness of providing free e-cigarette to adult smokers with asthma to reduce harm and assess the associated changes in lung function (SWAP).
Mary Ellen Fernandez, BA
Research Assistant
Mary Ellen is a Research Assistant working within the THRU Lab. As part of the THRU Lab, Mary Ellen works on both research studies: SWAP and Project DUET. Her research interests include young adults, substance use, harm reduction and public policy. She received her BA in Psychology and minored in Justice Studies at Rhode Island College. Mary Ellen hopes to continue her education in the very near future to receive an MSW (Master of Social Work).
Nicole Haderlein, BS
Graduate Research Assistant
Nicole Haderlein is an MPH Epidemiology student at Brown who attended UW-Madison for her undergraduate education. She is interested in infectious disease and addiction research. A few fun facts: she owns a calico cat, likes to crochet and is an avid baker.
Munachimso Ugoh
Graduate Research Assistant
Munachimso Ugoh is an MPH Epidemiology student at Brown University, with a Bachelor’s Degree from Xavier University of Louisiana. His focus includes infectious disease epidemiology, cancer prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa, substance use relationship with infectious diseases, harm reduction interventions, and tobacco’s impact on maternal mortality. Following his master’s degree, Muna aspires to attend medical school, combining academic expertise with hands-on practice to address public health challenges effectively.
Lauren Diamond
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Lauren Diamond is an undergraduate student at Brown University who is pursuing a degree in economics and entrepreneurship. She is interested in addiction research and the associated development of cessation solutions. Lauren has fostered hundreds of kittens and is incredibly passionate about animal rescue.
THRU LAB ALUMNI
Bailey Clark
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Bailey Clark is an undergraduate student at Brown University who is pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Biology with a theme in Brain Behavior. She is interested in addiction studies and looks forward to continuing her education in the health science field centered around addiction research and cessation. In her free time, Bailey is avidly volunteering her services in the healthcare setting, logging over 150 hours in hospitals around Rhode Island.
Mariel Bello, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Mariel Bello, Ph.D., is a NIDA T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University School of Public Health. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Science from the University of Southern California in 2022, where she conducted research examining tobacco-related health disparities among socioeconomically disadvantaged racial/ethnic minority adolescents, young adults, and adults who smoke. Her program of research focuses on the etiology and underlying mechanisms of tobacco dependence in underserved populations in order to inform the development of innovative, culturally-tailored smoking cessation treatments in disadvantaged, minority groups. Her work has been supported by grant funding from the National Science Foundation and USC Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science. Additionally, as a pre-licensed clinical psychologist, she provides evidence-based, outpatient psychological services to clients from socially disadvantaged backgrounds in Rhode Island. Aside from research and clinical work, Mariel enjoys visiting local cafés and antique shops, arts & crafts, reading, playing video games, hiking, and spending time with her fiance, friends, and family.
Madison A. Smith, BA
Graduate Research Assistant
Lab Member from May 2021 – August 2021
Madison is a Masters of Public Health Graduate Student at Brown University’s School of Public Health. She worked as a Graduate Research Assistant for the THRU Lab, primarily focused on the SWAP research study. She is passionate about Public Health and learning more about the implementation of nicotine harm reduction interventions and strategies. After graduation, Madison’s goal is to use her MPH background in the healthcare setting specifically working in administration and policy implementation.