Kaku So-Armah, PhD
Associate Professor, Medicine
Biography
Dr. So-Armah is an epidemiologist with expertise in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of cohort studies and use of electronic health record data for research. His lab uses molecular biology coupled with data on health behaviors, risk factors and disease diagnoses to identify and explain novel epidemiological associations and identify novel intervention targets. His research focuses on substance use and chronic infections like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and tuberculosis (TB) and how these exposures impact the heart, liver and lungs.
His work uses data from the Russian cohort of the Uganda Russia Boston Alcohol Network Alcohol Research Collaboration on HIV/AIDS (URBAN ARCH) as well as the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS).
His long-term goal is to translate the growing understanding of the mechanisms of excess HIV-related comorbid disease risk into effective, sustainable interventions for HIV populations bearing the brunt of the HIV epidemic.
Other Positions
- Faculty, Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit, Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Education
- University of Pittsburgh, PhD
- Amherst College, BA
Publications
- Published on 2/11/2025
Fuster D, So-Armah K, Cheng DM, Blokhina E, Patts G, Lioznov D, Gnatienko N, Long MT, Freiberg MS, Tindle H, Samet JH. Is There an Association Between Cigarette Smoking and Advanced Liver Fibrosis in Smokers with HIV, Heavy Drinking and High Prevalence of HCV? J Clin Med. 2025 Feb 11; 14(4). PMID: 40004700.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/22/2024
Murray Horwitz ME, Dugas JN, McCloskey L, So-Armah K, Yarrington CD, Buitron de la Vega P, Benjamin EJ, Battaglia TA. Associations between Health-Related Social Needs and Postpartum Linkage to Care. Am J Prev Med. 2024 Dec 22. PMID: 39716509.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/12/2024
Abi N, Young A, Tiwari P, Chen J, Liu C, Hui Q, So-Armah K, Freiberg MS, Justice AC, Xu K, Gwinn M, Marconi VC, Sun YV. Epigenome-Wide and Methylation Risk Score Analysis of Body Mass Index Among People with HIV. Epigenomes. 2024 Dec 12; 8(4). PMID: 39727808.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 11/29/2024
Johnson NL, Beaugard CA, Heredia-Perez D, So-Armah K, Reason P, Yule AM, Lee CS, Chapman SE, Chatterjee A, McClay C, Weeden T, Becerril C, Thomas D, Komaromy M. Embracing anti-racism: Co-creating recommendations with Black people for how addiction treatment needs to change. Soc Sci Med. 2025 Jan; 364:117433. PMID: 39615095.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 11/8/2024
Rosenmoss S, LaRochelle M, Bearnot B, Weinstein Z, So-Armah K, Moyo P, Yan S, Walley AY, Kimmel SD. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Referral Rejection From Postacute Care Facilities Among People With Opioid Use Disorder in Massachusetts. J Addict Med. 2025 Mar-Apr 01; 19(2):165-171. PMID: 39514897.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 11/2/2024
Chen J, Hui Q, Titanji BK, So-Armah K, Freiberg M, Justice AC, Xu K, Zhu X, Gwinn M, Marconi VC, Sun YV. A multi-trait epigenome-wide association study identified DNA methylation signature of inflammation among men with HIV. Clin Epigenetics. 2024 Nov 02; 16(1):152. PMID: 39488703.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 11/1/2024
Moreira-Bouchard JD, Cunha J, Tao BS, Kim H, Lepson J, Nessen EJ, Milstone ZJ, Fisher N, Clinton N, Roberts LM, Serrano MA, Gopal DM, Benjamin EJ, So-Armah K, Fetterman JL. Creating diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility statements for your CV: a resource guide to effectiveness and comprehensiveness. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2024 Dec 01; 327(6):H1376-H1383. PMID: 39485298.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 10/31/2024
Murnane PM, Afshar M, Chamie G, Cook RL, Ferguson T, Haque LY, Jacobson KR, Justice AC, Kim TW, Khalili M, Krupitsky E, McGinnis KA, Molina P, Muyindike WR, Myers B, Richards VL, So-Armah K, Stewart S, Sulkowski MS, Tien PC, Hahn JA. Using Phosphatidylethanol as an Adjunct to Self-Reported Alcohol Use Improves Identification of Liver Fibrosis Risk. Am J Gastroenterol. 2024 Oct 31. PMID: 39480054.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 10/11/2024
Beaugard CA, Johnson NL, Heredia-Perez D, Chapman SE, Chatterjee A, Lee CS, McClay C, Reason P, Thomas D, Weeden T, Yule AM, So-Armah K, Komaromy M. The Effect of Racial Concordance for Black Patients in Addiction Treatment: A Scoping Review of the Literature. Subst Use Addctn J. 2025 Jan; 46(1):103-111. PMID: 39394669.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 9/27/2024
Shangani S, Winter MR, Shea M, Kim TW, So-Armah K, Magane KM, Bellamy SL, Saitz R, Stein MD. Social Vulnerability and Mental Health Among People with HIV and Substance Use: The Role of Race. AIDS Behav. 2024 Dec; 28(12):4094-4105. PMID: 39327395.
Read at: PubMed
View 83 more publications: View full profile at BUMC