The Healthy Early Life Environments (HELE) Lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is led by Dr. Sheena Martenies (Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Kinesiology). We are interested in investigating the roles that environmental factors play in the health of infants and children. To learn more about who we are, please see our profiles below. Descriptions of our current research projects are available here. Find a list of our most recent publications here.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Sheena Martenies
Dr. Martenies is an assistant professor in the department of Health and Kinesiology department. She started at the university in 2020. She received her MPH in Environmental Health Science and Policy from the George Washington University in 2013 and her PhD in Environmental Health Science from the University of Michigan in 2017. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Environmental Epidemiology at Colorado State University. She is interested in how exposure to environmental hazards early in life impact children’s health. Her current work focuses on how air pollution, the built environment, other environmental factors, and health behaviors interact to influence childhood health.
Graduate Students
Alice Oloo
Alice Oloo joined the lab in Fall 2021. She is a 3rd year PhD student in the Community Health degree program. Her primary interest in researching indoor air quality in public housing. Hercareer is goal is to be a field researcher working with an organization whose aim is to develop practical solutions that reduce the negative impacts of environmental exposures on human health and improve public health outcomes. The goal is to advocate for more sustainable practices such as safe and livable public housing for underserved communities and for policies that protect them and their environment.
Undergraduate Students
Brianna Sirdich
Brianna Sirdich joined the lab in Fall 2021 as a student in the START program. She is currently a senior majoring in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences with minors in Public Health and Health Administration and a certificate in Health Technology. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school to obtain my Master of Public Health with a focus on biostatistics. Being a part of the Healthy Early Life Environments Lab has made her realize she has a passion for health research as well as disparities in health outcomes. This passion is something she will definitely carry with her into my future career.
Vinh Vo
Vinh Vo joined the lab in Fall 2021 as a student in the START program. He is a senior majoring in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences with a concentration in health behavior change. His career interest is in dentistry, providing affordable dental care for underserved and underrepresented communities.
Tanya Karwande
Tanya Karwande is currently a Junior studying Public Health with a concentration in Health Education. She first joined the HELE lab in 2021 to pursue her interest in health research and childhood and environmental health. Tanya also hopes to contribute to the improvement of childhood development and health by participating in this research program. Outside this lab, Tanya is interested in pursuing a career in health policy and health advocacy. She aspires to one day work for a national public health department and improve the health of communities on a broader level.
Maria Myers
Maria Myers joined the lab in Spring 2023. She is currently a junior majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Public Health. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career as a physician assistant.
Former Students
Anastasia Adjei
Anastasia Adjei joined the lab in Fall 2022 as a student in the START program. She graduated from the University of Illinois in Spring 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in Community Health with a concentration in Health Education and Promotion and a minor in Public Health. She plans to pursue a career as a physician focusing on women’s and children’s health. She is currently studying for the MCAT and gaining clinical experience.