About The GRIT Lab

Building Commitment, Courage, and Resilience in Global Health

The GRIT Lab is a research collaborative focused on carrying out community-based public health research and service activities in low- and middle-income countries and providing training opportunities in research and program implementation to students ranging from high school through doctoral studies.

GRIT Lab is directed by Dr. Heather Wipfli, Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences and International Relations at USC. Current research projects focus on cancer prevention, treatment, and control among people living with HIV, cancer and HIV stigma, implementation science, adolescent health, drowning prevention, environmental health, and tobacco regulatory science .

Students engaged in the lab gain real world experience designing and implementing research studies in partnership with community partners, as well as facilitating community outreach and awareness raising programs.

Current community partners working with GRIT Lab include Children’s Chance International, Project Elimu, Ugandan Scouts, Ugandan Lifesaving Association, and Energy in Action. Other collaborators include the Makerere School of Public Health, Ugandan Ministry of Health, University of Zambia, US Peace Corps, Center for Tobacco Control in Africa, and the World Health Organization.