Portrait image of Lucy Thairu
Lucy Thairu

Assistant Professor

Contact Information

OFFICE: Hirt 312E

Dr. Lucy Thairu is an Assistant Professor of Public Health at Mercyhurst University. She has over 15 years of epidemiology experience. Her top skills include epidemiology and teaching public health at Stanford University and at Touro University. Her other skills include publication of peer reviewed articles and skills in SQL, SAS, R, SUDAAN, SPSS, Excel, Microsoft Access and other data management programs. She is an occasional consultant at UNICEF and at the World Health Organization.

About Dr. Lucy Thairu

    Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Nutritional Epidemiology from Cornell University. Undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from France. Fluent in four languages, including French.

    Peer Reviewed Journal Articles 

    Chechi T, Siyahian S, Thairu L, Hagerman R, and Lozano R. Participation of underrepresented minority children in clinical trials for Fragile X syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Intractable & Rare Diseases Research. 2014; 4(3), 147-152.

    Thairu L, Wirth M, Lunze K. “Innovative newborn health technology for resource-limited environments” Trop Med Int Health. 2013 Jan;18(1):117-28.

    Wirth M, Thairu L, Lunze K. “Low-cost technologies that can save the lives of newborns: Designing promising innovations for developing countries” Global Health and Diplomacy 2012 Sept; 2(2):106-10.

    Thairu L and Wirth M (2012) “Medical devices for pregnancy and childbirth in the developing world” Health and Technology journal. 2012 Aug 8

    Thairu L, Katzenstein D, Israelski I (2011) “Operational Challenges in delivering CD4 diagnostics in sub-Saharan Africa” AIDS Care. 2011 Mar 10:1-8

    Morton J, Hall J, Wong R, Thairu L, Benitz WE, Rhine WD (2009) “Combining Hand Techniques with Electric Pumping Increases Milk Production in Mothers of Preterm Infants” Journal of perinatology Nov;29(11):757-64.

    Thairu L and Pelto GH (2008) “Newborn Care Practices in Pemba Island (Tanzania) and their Implications for Newborn Health and Survival” Maternal and Child Nutrition Journal;4(3):194-208.

    Abiona TC, Onayade AA, Ijadunola KT, Obiajunwa PO, Aina OI, Thairu L (2006) “Acceptability, Feasibility and Affordability of Infant Feeding options for HIV-infected Women: A qualitative study in South-West Nigeria” Maternal and Child Nutrition Journal;2(3):135-144

    Thairu L, Pelto GH, Rollins NC, Bland RM, Ntshangase N (2005) “Socio-Cultural influences on Infant Feeding Decisions Among HIV-Infected Women in South Africa” Maternal and Child Nutrition Journal;1:1-16. 

    Pelto G, Levitt E, Thairu L (2003) “Improving Infant Feeding Practices: Current Patterns, Common Constraints and Designs of Interventions” Food and Nutrition Bulletin of the United Nations University; 24:45-82.

    Thairu L (2001) “Infant Feeding Options for Mothers with HIV—Using Women’s Views to Guide Policies” Nutrition Policy Paper, United Nations’ Sub-Committee on Nutrition; 20:63-69.

    Books and Book Chapters 

    Thairu L “Soins et alimentation de jeunes enfants en Afrique.” Éditions Universitaires Européennes. (Forthcoming)

    Pelto GH, Levitt E, Thairu L (2013) ‘Babies: Practices, Constraints and Interventions’ in ‘Nutritional Anthropology: Biocultural Perspectives on Food and Nutrition’ Dufour, DL, Goodman AH, Pelto GH, (eds.) Oxford University Press. Second Edition.

    Thairu L (2011) “Maternal Care of the Newborn in Pemba Island” LAP Lambert Academic Publishing GmbH & Co. KG: Saarbrücken, Germany. ISBN-13: 978-3843363143.

    Thairu L (2010) “Breastfeeding HIV/AIDS transmission in sub-Saharan Africa” in “Infant Feeding Practices: A Cross-Cultural Perspective” Liamputtong, P. (Ed.). Springer: New York.

    Thairu L (2009) “Achieving Optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices: Case Studies from Rwanda and Tanzania” in “Infant and Young Child Feeding: Multicultural challenges to implementing a Global Strategy” V. Moran and F. Dykes (eds.). Wiley-Blackwell Publishers.

    Namey E, Guest G, Thairu L, Johnson L, (2007) “Data Reduction Techniques for Large Qualitative Data Sets” in “Handbook for Team-based Qualitative Research” G Guest and K MacQueen (eds.). Lanham, MD:AltaMira Press.

    •    Dental health in pregnant women and children
    •    Opioid morbidity and mortality
    •    Global Health Innovations for mothers and newborns in the developing world
    •    Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV through breastfeeding 
    •    Delivery of low-cost CD4 diagnostics in resource-poor settings

    •     Environmental Health 
    •    Principles of Epidemiology I 
    •    Biostatistics section 1
    •    Biostatistics section 2
    •    Mental Health and Psychiatric Epidemiology
    •    Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health 
    •    Principles of Epidemiology II
    •    Public Health Research Practicum