Barbara Abrams, professor of public health

Barbara Abrams is professor in the School of Public Health, where she teaches courses in epidemiology, public health nutrition and maternal and child health to both graduates and undergraduates. Her research focuses on the role of nutrition and social/behavioral factors in human health, particularly for women, mothers and children. Her published work addresses maternal weight and weight changes during and after pregnancy, factors associated with low birth weight, pre-term birth and other pregnancy complications and guidelines for prenatal care. One of her newest studies is investigating the safety of a novel approach to preventing HIV transmission from mother to infant in developing countries. Barbara has consistently been a student or employee (or both) of the University of California since graduating from Simmons College in Boston more than 25 years ago. Prior to joining the faculty in 1985, she worked as Research Nutritionist at Berkeley, a Perinatal Nutritionist and Lecturer at UC San Francisco and she earned M.P.H., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the School of Public Health.