Dr. Holmes spent years practicing primary care medicine in the South Bronx and among a largely immigrant population in a Cambridge neighborhood health center.  In 2000 she transitioned to full-time epidemiology research, and she is based at Brigham Women’s Hospital where she is an Associate Professor of Medicine. Her research interests include lifestyle factors (diet, weight, physical activity, psychosocial factors, and common medications such as aspirin) affecting the quality of life and survival after a breast cancer diagnosis.  She has helped to design a longitudinal study of non-communicable disease (obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer) at 5 sites in sub-Saharan Africa, relying on VISIONS principles to facilitate that multicultural collaboration.  Michelle is both a dynamic presenter and a compassionate facilitator.