Put simply, Anjali Joseph studies how architecture can save lives. Under Anjali Joseph’s leadership, the Center for Health Facility Design and Testing designs and evaluates solutions that remove barriers for professionals in their everyday work environment and improve the experience for all occupants. Her research and its applications support doctors, nurses and other health care providers as they provide patients with safe and comfortable care. She has used her expertise in human-centered design to create and evaluate environmental design solutions that improve patient safety in different types of health care settings, including patient rooms, operating rooms and exam rooms.

Joseph has served as principal investigator on millions of dollars of grant-funded projects from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Kresge Foundation, the California Healthcare Foundation and the U.S. Green Building Council. Her groundbreaking research on safe operating room design resulted in the development of a prototype OR, and her design concepts have been implemented in multiple ambulatory surgery centers across the U.S.

She currently serves as the principal investigator on a multiyear patient safety learning lab funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) focused on developing solutions in emergency department environments that not only improve the safety of children with mental and behavioral health conditions but also improve provider well-being. This study is a collaboration with Prisma Health and the University of South Carolina.

She was recognized as Researcher of the Year in 2018 by the Healthcare Design Magazine and frequently travels to speak as a leader in the fields of architecture and health care. In 2022, she spearheaded the effort to host the 53rd conference of the Environmental Design Research Association in Greenville, South Carolina, with a focus on health in all design.