Dr. Birru Talabi is pictured with her hair down, golden hoop earrings, and a blue top.

Principal Investigator

Mehret Birru Talabi, MD, PhD She/Her

Dr. Birru Talabi is a clinical rheumatologist, health services researcher, and women’s health expert with methodologic expertise as a Ph.D.-trained epidemiologist. She received 10 years of dedicated women's health training prior to becoming a board-certified internist and a rheumatologist. Dr. Birru Talabi’s research has spanned topics related to pregnancy, contraception, fertility, reproductive health policy, menopause, and medication safety during pregnancy. She studies the intersection between autoimmunity, indicators of social and economic marginalization, and pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. Her research seeks to reduce the rates of severe maternal morbidity and mortality of people affected b autoimmune diseases and other chronic medical conditions. She provides specialized sexual and reproductive rheumatology health care for patients at the Women's and Reproductive Health Clinic at UPMC. She also contributes to the academic medicine diversity and training mission as an Assistant Dean and Co-Director of the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. 

The Team

  • Erin smiling. Erin has light features and brown hair pulled back into a bun. She is wearing a brown top.

    Erin Carol Rockwell, MPH (she/her)

    Lab Manager, Lead Data Analyst

    Erin most recently worked as the Director of Evaluation and Research for Plan A Health, a mobile health clinic providing reproductive health services for residents of the Mississippi Delta. Prior to that, she was a Researcher for the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and The Center for Reproductive Health Research in the Southeast (RISE) at Emory University.

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    Sami Gregory, MEd (she/her)

    Project Manager, Lead Project and Process Manager

    Sami has a masters in Education and nearly a decade of research coordinating experience on a broad range of studies. Currently, Sami manages multiple studies specific to addressing issues or inequalities related to reproductive health.

  • Sarah Graves smiling. She has brown hair and glasses. She is wearing a grey top.

    Sarah Graves, MPH (she/her)

    Clinical Research Coordinator

    Sarah has experience working on projects and clinical trials related to mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and person-centered healthcare. Sarah received her Bachelor of Science in Community Health and Sociology and her Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

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    Alexa Pierce (she/her)

    Clinical Research Assistant

    Alexa Pierce is a second-year master’s in public health candidate focusing on health policy and management at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. She is deeply passionate about advancing sexual and reproductive health through advocacy, research, and policy.