Jean-Francois Trani and his team at the Global Research on Inclusion and Disability (GRID) lab are dedicated to investigating the intersection of mental health, disability, aging, ethnicity/race, gender, and structural and social determinants of health, with a primary focus on conducting field research that informs public health policy and service design for marginalized populations in conflict-affected fragile states and low-income countries but also underserved areas in the United States. 

Trani’s work is grounded in the capability approach pioneered by the Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen. Using this approach, Trani has shown that the stigma faced by people with disabilities and other marginalized groups leads to a lack of opportunities, social exclusion and mental distress, and that addressing the often-overlooked issue of stigma is crucial for enhancing the well-being of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. He also built — in partnership with Ganesh M. Babulal, an associate professor of neurology, and Yiqi Zhu, an assistant professor of neurology, both at WashU Medicine — a new composite index of structural and social determinants of health using 37 deprivation indicators from the National Institute on Aging Health Disparities Research Framework, covering environmental, sociocultural, and behavioral dimensions. 

Trani is a member of WashU’s Prevention Research Center and the university’s Social System Design Lab. His research has been incorporated into policy papers for the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Health in Afghanistan. He serves as an editor for Alter: European Journal of Disability Research and the Revue Tiers Monde. Additionally, he coordinates the Health and Disability group at the Human Development and Capability Association, an international community of researchers and practitioners that seeks to apply the capability approach and human development ideas to the policy arena. 

Trani’s teaching is closely aligned with his professional experience in global health and international development. He actively involves master’s and doctoral students in all phases of his research projects, fostering the development of future public health leaders. 

Through his comprehensive approach to research, policy influence, and education, Trani is making substantial contributions to the field of public health, particularly in enhancing the lives of individuals living with disabilities and those in vulnerable situations. 

Areas of focus:

  • Aging 
  • Disabilities  
  • Global health 
  • Global mental health  
  • System dynamics

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