Luma Akil an Assistant Professor at the Department of Behavioral and Environmental Heath, school of Public Health at Jackson State University. Her research is focused on the impact of environmental changes on infectious diseases, on the local and international level, with emphasis on foodborne illnesses. She utilizes several statistical methodologies and modeling approaches to understand the effects of environmental and climatic changes on food-safety and human health. Dr. Akil's research explores the direct and indirect effects of environmental change on human health, with special emphasis in the southern states. In addition, she is interested in global infectious diseases, respiratory diseases, obesity and heart disease.