Research that informs policy and practice.

  • We use a life course approach to understand the origins of obesity-related diseases among Samoans and other Pacific Islanders while developing and testing interventions to address them.

  • We are a group of multidisciplinary researchers and practitioners who represent US, Samoan, and American Samoan institutions.

  • Our work spans the translational spectrum from preclinical modeling to implementation science.

  • We are currently supported by the US National Institutes of Health (NHLBI, NIDDK, NICHD) and philanthropic funding.

Our Expertise.

Cardiometabolic Diseases

A central theme of our work is the etiology and prevention of obesity-related cardiometabolic diseases (diabetes, dyslipidemia). Examples include our ongoing Lipidomics and Structural Genomics project, as well as the Ola Tuputupua’e Study, which examines the timing of emergence of these conditions in childhood.

Genetics

Our genetic work has identified population-specific variants with importance for obesity and cardiometabolic disease risk. It has also raised awareness of the need to diversify participation in genetic research for equitable benefit. Download some of our key papers here:

CREBRF — BTNL9 — CETP

Maternal & Child Health

Recognizing the importance of early life exposures in shaping risk of disease over the lifespan our work has a significant maternal child health focus. We are currently recruiting for projects in American Samoa that will examine the genetic epidemiology and impact of gestational diabetes (GROW and HOPE). Our intervention work has shown success in reducing obesity-related risk factors for maternal and infant morbidity.

Mental Health

Pacific Island territories have a high burden of mental health concerns but lack critical mental health infrastructure. Since 2019 we have been working with community partners to document mental health needs and to develop interventions to address youth mental health. Our Strong Families project is adapting a family skills-based intervention for use in American Samoa.

Health Systems Strengthening

Working with local stakeholders and various multilateral organizations, including the World Bank, we have contributed to a number of health systems strengthening initiatives. Dr Anna Rivara’s current K01-funded project (Diabetes CARE) explicitly examines health system contributors to engagement in post-diagnosis care for Type 2 Diabetes.

FAQs

  • Dr. Stephen McGarvey was responsible for early work in Samoa and American Samoa, which characterized obesity, hypertension, and diabetes among the population. This work expanded to include genetic studies (family-based linkage studies) in the 1990s and a GWAS in 2010, which engaged University of Pittsburgh researchers and Dr. Nicola Hawley (Yale). Under Dr. Hawley’s recent leadership, the program of work had expanded to include a broader disease focus and a focus on intervention.

  • We work hard to ensure that the communities we work with are active voices in driving our research agenda. We have scientific and community advisory boards who work with use to develop new research questions and support us in sharing our research fundings. To learn more about these efforts or to request community-facing materials, please use the Contact Us form below.

  • Many of our projects have generated data that can be shared with other researchers. Our Publications and Data page is being actively updated and we hope to have a complete catalog of data available soon. Our genetic data is available through a number of potential mechanisms described here.

  • Please check the Current Opportunities page for open positions with our group.

    Local positions (Samoa and American Samoa) are posted on our Facebook Page - @YaleOlaga and in local media.

    Postdoctoral fellows with an interest in joining the group should email Dr. Nicola Hawley (nicola.hawley@yale.edu). We are also an active site in the Fogarty Institue-funded Global Health Equity Scholars program. Applications are due on October 1 each year.

  • There are many ways for students to get involved and we welcome enquiries from students at any institution (not only the ones we currently represent). Students at the University of Pittsburgh should start by emailing Dr. Ryan Minster (rminster@pitt.edu), Brown should email Dr. Stephen McGarvey (stephen_mcgarvey@brown.edu), and UT Southwestern students should email Dr. Anna Rivara (Anna.Rivara@UTSouthwestern.edu). Yale students and students from other institutions should contact Dr. Nicola Hawley (nicola.hawley@yale.edu).

  • We are so grateful that you are considering supporting our work. All donations for OLaGA-related research would have to be processed through the Yale donations office. Please feel free to contact: https://ysph.yale.edu/about-school-of-public-health/charitable-opportunities/contact-us/

Contact Us.

Please provide your contact information and your enquiry and we’ll be in touch!