Derek grew up in Washington, DC, before attending Auburn University and joining M. Christopher Newland's behavioral pharmacology and toxicology lab, where he earned his Ph.D. in 2016.

While at Auburn, he researched how interactions between genes, pharmacology, and environment affect decision-making and executive functioning and translational research investigating how chronic exposure to environmental toxicants (e.g., methylmercury, lead) influence the behavioral correlates of aging and age-related diseases via non-human animal-models.

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Derek attended a postdoctoral fellowship at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC's Addiction Recovery Research Center, where he conducted human translational research concerning the trans-disease, neuro-socio-behavioral mechanisms underlying addiction, other disorders, and maladaptive health behaviors using a behavioral economic framework.

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He has over 30 peer-reviewed publications and experience applying theoretical, mathematical models to human and non-human behavior. He is currently an adjunct faculty member at Meharry Medical College, conducting didactics concerning various subfields in neuroscience for Psychiatry Residents.

He also collaborates with Dr. Bryan Heckman and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, conducting innovative research on social conditions affecting underserved communities' health and livelihood. Key research areas are leading causes of preventable deaths: tobacco and nicotine, substance use, and COVID-19; and treatment adherence for chronic medical conditions: HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, kidney, cardiovascular and mental health.

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Derek also serves on both the National Data Harmonization Core for the Health Equity Action Network, funded by the Federal National Institute for Minority Health, and the Regional Data Harmonization Team for 1 of the 11 (P50) centers for multiple chronic diseases associated with health disparities across the United States, the Center for Health Disparities Southeast Collaborative for Innovative and Equitable Solutions to Chronic Disease Disparities.