Tobacco Research Programs Staff

Andy Egbert is a Research Project Manager. He received a Masters in Public Health from the University of Minnesota in 2023. He is responsible for the administration and regulatory oversight of multiple research projects. Prior to joining the Tobacco Research Programs in 2019, Andy worked in community-based research related to underage drinking in and around Washington D.C.

[email protected]
612-624-4568

Katherine (Kat) Harrison has been working as a project coordinator and manager for Tobacco Research Programs since 2010. Her work at the University of Minnesota has included research related to sex hormones, tobacco use and cessation and cannabis use. She completed her Master of Public Health and is a Cognitive Science PhD student at the University of Minnesota.

[email protected]
612-624-5377

Laura Maertens is a Research Program Manager. She received her PhD in Pharmaceutics from the University of Minnesota. Her research has focused on investigating the lung metabolism of tobacco specific compounds and the role of DNA damage in cancer formation. In 2016, she began managing and coordinating human studies investigating the DNA damaging effects of alcohol. She currently assists multiple faculty within the Masonic Cancer Center with the setup, organization, and coordination of their studies.

[email protected]                                                                                                                            (612)-626-8654

Brittany Hautala is a research coordinator for the University of
Minnesota’s Tobacco Research Programs. She received her BA in
Anthropology in 2012 from the University of Minnesota. Brittany has been
with the tobacco research team since 2013 and has worked with a vast
group of investigators on projects that include e-cigarettes, cigarette filter
ventilation, DNA adducts and tDCS in quitting smoking. She has completed
certifications for the Association of Clinical Research Professionals,
Phlebotomy Techniques and Social Media Marketing and continues to
attend seminars to further her knowledge in nicotine addiction and harm
reduction.

[email protected]
612-624-3422

Jane Schulz has been working as an adult nurse practitioner in tobacco and cocaine use research since 2008. She has responsibility for the entrance and exit physical exams for study participants where the studies require them. She also assists our medical directors in review of the participants' charts and provides some required skills training and updates for staff. She has a master's degree in public health and has spent most of her career working in public health both clinically, primarily in primary care with under-served and under-insured populations, as well as in other areas of research particularly HIV/AIDS, STIs, and tuberculosis.

[email protected]

Lori Strayer is our Data Manager, and helps develop the data collection forms/surveys/tools used to collect participant data for most of our studies. She focuses ono making sure our data is complete, accurate, secure, and well documented and assists in the analysis of our research. She received her first Master’s degree in engineering, and worked in the technology field prior to pursuing a Master’s Degree in Public Health, in Epidemiology, both from the University of Minnesota. She has been working with faculty supporting cancer research since 2006.

[email protected]
612-624-4913

Sydney Price is a Research Coordinator and graduated from Winona State University in 2024 with a B.S in Public Health with an emphasis in Epidemiology. Prior to joining, she did her internship with Dana Carroll at the Tobacco Research Programs. Sydney is now pursuing a Master’s Degree in Public Health.  

[email protected]
(612)-393-8967