A conversation with policy and global health researcher Salma Abdalla
Abdalla’s work explores how social, economic, and political systems shape health, and why public health must learn to embrace complexity
May 30, 2026
Health Design & Impact Lab launched at SPH
Lab promotes the use of design approaches to improve health services.
A new laboratory has been established at WashU School of Public Health dedicated to designing health interventions and understanding complex systems to ensure that public health programs and interventions can be successfully implemented, sustained and scaled up to maximize impact.
The Health Design & Impact Lab, co-led by assistant professors Maura Kepper, MPH, PhD, and Sara Malone, MSW, PhD, aims to incorporate the principles and methods of design – engaging early and continually with target audiences to uncover root causes of health challenges, generate ideas and iteratively test prototypes – into public health research and practice to improve health outcomes, optimize interventions, elevate health-care delivery and expand the capabilities of health systems for all people.
The lab will function as an applied-learning space for students, researchers and practitioners to gain hands-on experience with health design.
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