Jingzhen Ginger Yang, PhD, MPH

Dr. Jingzhen (Ginger) Yang is a Principal Investigator at the Center for Injury Research and Policy, of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. She is a Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Epidemiology in The Ohio State University College of Public Health. Dr. Yang’s primary research interest is injury prevention, with an emphasis on injuries to children and adolescents. Much of her current research focuses on the trajectory of recovery from sports-related mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI) among children as well as parental engagement in teen driving safety. Dr. Yang’s research interests address some of the leading causes of death and disability among children in the US and worldwide. Dr. Yang has a national and international reputation as a consummate researcher and is recognized for her leadership in the field of injury prevention. Dr. Yang’s research has not only advanced scientific knowledge but also significantly impacted children and their families by preventing and reducing the burden of injuries.

Funding for Dr. Yang’s work has been provided primarily through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This research includes studies that monitor physical and cognitive rest following sports-related concussion for optimal recovery, and evaluate the effects of state TBI laws on rates and patterns of pediatric concussions and concussion-related healthcare utilization. Currently, Dr. Yang is directing three NIH-funded R01 studies. Two R01s are randomized controlled trials that test the effectiveness, implementation and cost-effectiveness of parent-focused driving safety programs on the safe driving practices of teen drivers who have received a traffic violation. The third R01 is a longitudinal observational study that examines driving performance of teens after mild traumatic brain injury.

Dr. Yang has a distinguished national and international record of achievement through involvement in a wide range of other injury prevention, intervention, and evaluation research projects. Over the course of her academic career, she has been the Principal Investigator or Co-investigator on 35 grants and contracts, and author/co-author on over 150 peer-reviewed publications, and 5 book chapters. From 2010 to 2015, she was appointed to the Major League Baseball Injury Research Committee, which provides guidance in injury research among professional baseball players. In 2013, she received the American Public Health Association (APHA) Injury Control and Emergency Health Services Section (ICEHS) “Excellence in Science Award,” a prestigious award for her outstanding achievements in the field of injury prevention.