Who We Are

The Leah Zallman Center for Immigrant Health Research partners with immigrant communities, advocates, policymakers, and social and health systems on actionable research to improve immigrant health and well-being.

Led by Dr. Jessica Santos, we are a group of social scientists and public health researchers who conduct rigorous mixed methods research to answer relevant questions about the health of immigrants and communities. We work in partnership with funders, advocates, health systems, and immigrant communities to develop and conduct actionable, high-impact research to advance policy that supports immigrant health and health equity.

The Leah Zallman Center is a research center at the Institute for Community Health (ICH). The Center is proud to build on ICH’s long history of using participatory methods to ensure that community voices in research are amplified to the state and national level as part of evidence-based policymaking.

ICED IN

In February, LZC released Iced In: The Actions and Impacts of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Massachusetts in 2025. We summarized the background, approach, findings, and calls to action in a poster for easy viewing.

To read the full report, use our social media toolkit, watch a video presentation, or download the executive summary in several languages, visit this page.

Upcoming Event

Join the Leah Zallman Center for Immigrant Health Research, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University for the LZC Coffee Chat on Immigrant Mental Health on Thursday, March 26th, from 1-2pm ET!

Learn about the landscape of immigrant mental health in Greater Boston and innovative programs that are bridging clinical and community care.

All are welcome! Please note that this is a hybrid event. Non-Harvard affiliated attendees are encouraged to attend virtually.

Click here for online registration and here for in-person registration (RSVP by March 20 for in-person attendance).

Fresh Off The Press!

LZC Summer 2026 Updates

America250. How many of you struggled, like I did, to reconcile conflicting feelings this July 4th? Mine included hope, ​connectedness, patriotism (re-defined, see below), shame, dissonance, disgust, incredulity, curiosity, surprise, and more. When​ever​…

Iced In Social Media Toolkit

Iced In: When Frozen Water Brings Joy and Heartbreak

This holiday season, I had the opportunity (and a privilege that I don’t take lightly) to cross the U.S. border and enjoy some time in Quebec with my partner. It was by far the coldest vacation I have ever had, but we tromped around in all our winter clothes and practiced French and felt rested and refreshed after a long year.