Haidong Lu is an epidemiologist and methodologist who is passionate about bridging the disciplines of epidemiology, statistics, population health and medical research. His research focuses on leveraging appropriate advanced epidemiologic methods to draw causal inferences from observational data (e.g., electronic health records). Through this approach, he strives to generate accurate and impactful real-world evidence bases that inform health decision-making and promote public health equity. In addition to observational studies, he is dedicated to enhancing methodologies for analyzing randomized controlled trials, particularly in addressing challenges related to non-compliance and generalizability. He is also interested in the burgeoning field of Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare (AI4Health). His substantive research interests center around HIV, substance use, and pharmacoepidemiology. Dr. Lu earned a PhD in Epidemiology with a formal minor in Biostatistics from UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, and a master's degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is also clinically trained with a degree in pharmacy, further reinforcing his diverse and extensive background in health-related fields.