As an undergraduate public health major, Janet Kuramoto ’06 set out on an independent research project examining the association between depressive symptoms and HIV-related risk behavior. The research, she quickly found, was in fact collaborative, with Kuramoto consulting faculty mentors along the way who helped her turn corners and avoid blind alleys in her research.

She worked from HIV-prevention studies and surveys conducted by the lab of Carl Latkin, an associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. “Dr. Latkin and my other mentors were really helpful, guiding me through my statistical analysis,” says Kuramoto. “Often I thought I had something, but when it came down to it, I had to start from scratch. There are so many variables and limitations to consider when doing this kind of analysis.”

Kuramoto says that from Latkin's data she was able to find a significant relationship between the display of depressive symptoms and high-risk behavior, such as injection drug use, among urban poor.

The journey to her conclusions, however, was far from straightforward.

Hope Gilbert, one of Kuramoto's mentors and a research scientist in the School of Public Health, says the young student has produced “stellar” statistical work.

“I wasn't really familiar at all with the area of injection drug use, and this was the first time I was doing serious research,” she says. “I had to learn a lot about research methods. These were things I went over in class, but when I actually had to implement them, I realized I still had a lot to learn.”

Hope Gilbert, one of Kuramoto's mentors and a research scientist in the School of Public Health, says the young student has produced “stellar” statistical work.

“Janet is already an amazing researcher,” she says. “I have no doubts that one day, Janet will make great contributions to the public health field in her professional career.”