ALUMNI Spotlight

Dr. Daleniece Higgins Jones is a molecular epidemiologist with research interests in microbial food safety epidemiology and environmental health disparities.

Dr. Jones received her PhD in Epidemiology from the School of Public Health at the University of Memphis (Co-Advisors: Dr. Pratik Banerjee and Dr. Wilfried Karmaus) in 2019 and completed her postdoctoral training with UofM SPH faculty Dr. Chunrong Jia in 2021.

She was active in research during her doctoral study and worked on several projects including laboratory molecular diagnostics of foodborne pathogens, drinking water safety in Haiti, safe and healthy environments in early childhood learning centers and social and racial disparities in soil heavy metal exposures. In 2021, she became a tenure- track

Assistant Professor of Public Health in the Department of Public Health at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville. She has been continuously active in research.

Recently, as the principal investigator, she submitted a research proposal to the National Institute of Health with a focus on prenatal environmental exposure metabolites and childhood asthma.

Even though I could have never anticipated my current journey in public health, I can say I am loving the outcome and the direction my path is taking me. I am confident no matter where my journey takes me I will always have the continuous support of my family, friends, and the University of Memphis School of Public Health. For that, I am grateful and excited for the future!”