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HEALTH Research Institute

Ezemenari Obasi

Ezemenari Obasi headshot
Professor and HRI Co-founder
Department of Psychological, Health, & Learning Sciences 
ORCID logo 0000-0003-2142-952X
713-743-4698
Farish 466G

Dr. Obasi has a current program of research that focuses on the neurobiology of stress, addictions, health disparities that disproportionately affect the African American community, and cultural predictors of health behaviors.

Research Areas

News

HRI Founder Takes New Leadership Role
When Dr. Ezemenari Obasi first envisioned a groundbreaking national research center at the University of Houston, he wanted the center to be a “game-changer” which would have a transformative impact on underserved communities.
February 5, 2024
Improving Access to Care: UH Study Explores Telemedicine’s Impact on Opioid Use Disorder Patients
When University of Houston’s Dr. Omolola Adepoju delivered her third son who was a premature baby, she faced a difficult challenge not only in terms of caring for her son, but also the palpable sting of a staggering hospital bill.
September 13, 2023
HEALTH Research Institute’s Hinal Patel Honored with DOR Staff Excellence Award
Two years ago, when HEALTH Research Institute’s Hinal Patel was first asked to join the HEALTH–FAST initiative, it was a meaningful opportunity that she knew she had to embrace.
For Patel, the challenge of training doctoral scholars, postdoctoral fellows, and early-stage investigators to become future scientists was an endeavor she deeply wanted to pursue.
August 4, 2023
Staying Resilient in Times of Trauma: One-on-One with PTSD Expert, Dr. Anka Vujanovic
Facing a deluge of stressors in their post-pandemic reality, Americans have reported their highest stress level in a 15-year history based on a poll conducted by the American Psychological Association. The uptick of stress and trauma in the U.S. is due to a myriad of factors including financial stress, inflation, divisive political climate, systemic racism, a sense
of loss from COVID-19, War in Ukraine, and global uncertainty.
July 26, 2023
UH Researcher Shares Her Vision for Purpose-Driven Research on Syrian Refugee Communities
For more than 12 years, the Syrian people have struggled to survive in a war zone, after the relentless civil war which has displaced more than five million people. The dire humanitarian crisis has become a defining inspiration and impetus for University of Houston researcher Samina Salim, Ph.D.
May 30, 2023