Faculty

Dr. Marcelo Galafassi is a teaching assistant professor in the Department of Community Medicine and Population Health at the College of Community Health Sciences. He teaches graduate-level courses in epidemiology and population health, with a focus on applied, community-centered learning for future population health and clinical professionals. His teaching is grounded in the belief that epidemiology is both a scientific discipline and a human one, a tool to better understand and improve the lived experiences of individuals and communities across Alabama and beyond. Galafassi earned his PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Injury Epidemiology from The University of Alabama, where his dissertation examined rural–urban differences in concussion outcomes during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods using electronic health record data from Alabama-based clinical sites. His background as a certified athletic trainer informs his interest in injury prevention, sports and exercise medicine, return-to-activity timelines, and health disparities in rural communities. Galafassi is actively involved in student mentorship, scholarly poster projects and community-engaged initiatives, including concussion education outreach with the MATCHED Lab’s Brain Day program.