Deborah Adeyemi, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
University of Miami (BS, Psychology), Emory University (MPH, Epidemiology)
Research Interests
My research focuses on addressing health disparities experienced by Black women and women of color using perinatal, reproductive, clinical, and surveillance epidemiology. I investigate morbidity and mortality in maternal health outcomes and reproductive cancers, including cervical and ovarian cancer. My work aims to uncover factors contributing to these disparities, ultimately improving health equity in reproductive health.
Carrie Chan, MSN, CPNP, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
University of California, Berkeley (BA, Public Health); University of Pennsylvania (BS, Nursing); University of Pennsylvania (MS, Nursing); Harvard University (MPH, Epidemiology)
Research Interests
My research interests are in the areas of informatics, machine learning, and predictive modeling, leveraging these tools to enhance pediatric healthcare through evidence-based clinical decision support. My dissertation focuses on harnessing large healthcare data to develop precision pediatric surgical infection prediction models that can be used to guide preoperative planning and optimization.
Kate Chirikova, MAS
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
Higher School of Economics University, Moscow, Russia (BA, Sociology; MA, Sociology), University of California, San Francisco (MAS, Clinical Research)
Research Interests
My research focuses on cancer health disparities. I leverage real-world data and apply methods from social epidemiology, causal inference, and geospatial data analysis to identify modifiable factors that contribute to inequities in gynecologic and breast cancers. I am particularly interested in factors related to social and built environment, and healthcare context.
Michelle DeVost, MPH
Pronouns
-
Education
California State University, Northridge (BS, Mathematics, Pure Mathematics and Classical Applied Mathematics concentrations); UCLA (MPH, Biostatistics)
Research Interests
My professional research experience ranges from statistical consulting for model development and biomarker validation in nursing to investigating sexual health behaviors and biomedical HIV prevention among sexual and gender minority communities. As a doctoral student, I am particularly interested in the principles of study design, statistical methods for clinical trials, applying mathematical modeling to public health research and leveraging electronic medical records data to investigate barriers to effective intervention implementation and to dynamically monitor and enhance population health.
Priscilla Espinosa Tamez, MD
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
Universidad de Monterrey (MD)
Research Interests
Research methods in implementation science; design, implementation, and evaluation of screening interventions. My research has focused on assessing the feasibility of colorectal cancer screening in Mexico. As a doctoral student, I am interested in understanding in depth the burden of cancer in Mexico, and in designing and implementing context-appropriate screening interventions in primary care health systems across Mexico.
Erin Ferguson, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
Boston University (MPH, Epidemiology and Biostatistics; BA, Neuroscience)
Research Interests
My research aims to rigorously evaluate aspects of dementia care (ex. prescriptions, patient flow) in electronic health records. I am especially excited by the application of quasi-experimental methods in EHR, such as emulated target trials and instrumental variable analyses. Another theme of my research is scientific reproducibility. I'm interested in identifying bias introduced from researchers' analytic decisions using methods like multiverse analysis. .
Elisabeth Gebreegziabher, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
University of California, Berkeley (BA, Public Health; MPH, Epidemiology & Biostatistics)
Research Interests
Infectious disease epidemiology, including the design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions to prevent and treat infectious diseases; targeted strategies for high-risk populations; and disparities in health outcomes. My previous work focused on individual and population-level studies on malaria, COVID-19, HIV, ophthalmology, and other child health issues.
Cozie Gwaikolo, MD, MAS
Pronouns
-
Education
Cuttington University (BS, Biology); University of Liberia (MD, General Medicine); University of California, San Francisco (MAS, Clinical Research)
Research Interests
I am interested in reducing infectious diseases burden in low- and middle-income settings through epidemiological research, with emphasis on tropical diseases. During my MAS training, I worked with the Montserrado County Health Team, Ministry of Health Liberia, to study post-acute sequela of COVID-19 and its determinants in Liberia.
Sepehr Hashemi, DMD
Pronouns
-
Education
UC Davis (BS in Genetics with emphasis on genomics); Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Research Interests
Predicting common surgical outcomes and complications, maxillofacial transplantation platforms, palliative therapy of oral cancer complications, and molecular assessment of treatment-specific complications in breast and prostate cancers.
Hyelee Kim, MD, MAS, MS
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
Seoul National University College of Medicine (MD, Medicine); Seoul National University Hospital (Internship and Psychiatric Residency); University of California, San Francisco (MAS, Clinical Research); Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (MS, Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology)
Research Interests
Current: Computational Precision Health UCSF and UC Berkeley joint program designated emphasis student. My research interests include the application of ML/AI to improve disparities in mental health care, LLMs, data harmonization, causal inference of psychiatric disorders and health disparities, and child protection.
Leah Koenig, MSPH
Pronouns
-
Education
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (MSPH, Sexual & Reproductive Health), Wesleyan University (BA, Social Studies)
Research Interests
My research applies rigorous quantitative methods to policy-relevant issues in reproductive health. My current work is focused on examining the safety, effectiveness, patient experience, and health equity implications of novel methods of abortion care.
Aimee Lansdale, MS
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
Duke University (BA, Global Health & International Comparative Studies), Stanford University (MS, Community Health and Prevention Research)
Research Interests
My research interests are maternal and reproductive health, social determinants of health, and health policy, focusing on pathways linking environmental exposures to health outcomes. I examine how chemicals and contaminants in homes and environments affect health, particularly during pregnancy and early child development, aiming to inform public health policy to reduce harmful exposures and address inequities in maternal and child health.
Yusuph Mavura, MS
Pronouns
-
Education
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (BS Biochemistry and Molecular Biology), Georgia Institute of Technology (MS Bioinformatics)
Research interest: I am interested in genetic epidemiology and the etiology of complex diseases such as cancer and also health disparities. My previous research experience in genomics of Ovarian Cancer as well as research at the NIH working on Genome-wide Association study (GWAS) for a Chinese pancreatic cancer study encouraged me to pursue a PhD focusing on human statistical genetics. I am also interested in bioinformatics and big data analysis.
Claire McDonell, MS
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
University of California, Davis (BS, Biological Sciences), University of California, San Francisco (MS, Global Health Sciences)
Research Interests
My research interests are at the intersection of causal inference, community-engagement, and drug use harm reduction. I aim to conduct rigorous research that uplifts the voices of socially marginalized communities, informs just social policy, and advances health equity. I currently work with Dr. Meghan Morris on clinical trials and observational studies focused on improving the health outcomes of people who use drugs.
Shivani Mehta, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
University of California, San Diego (BA, Global Health), Brown University (MPH, Epidemiology & Biostatistics)
Research Interests
Leveraging natural language processing techniques to identify social risk factors within patient clinical notes, enhancing the detection of social determinants of health. My research interests aim to improve the understanding and tracking of social risk factors and their relationships to associated health outcomes in clinical settings, thereby supporting and promoting health equity.
Rebecca Mendez, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
San Francisco State University (BS in Cell & Molecular Biology, MPH in Community Health Education)
Research Interests
My previous work examined the effects of racialized stress on health in young adults from diverse racial backgrounds. In my doctoral studies, I focus on molecular epidemiology, investigating how racial discrimination affects biological pathways related to cancer outcomes in vulnerable populations. Using advanced epidemiological methods, I aim to inform public health strategies that reduce health disparities and improve cancer outcomes.
Brittany Morin, MS
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
University of Massachusetts, Lowell (BA, Psychology); University of New Hampshire (MS, Health Data Science)
Research Interests
My current research work examines speech and language features in dementia patients with the goal of using speech to understand and describe variants of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). As a doctoral student, I am interested primarily in women’s aging with a focus on cognitive function and hormonal changes over the lifespan. I hope to leverage data science tools to help alleviate signs and symptoms of menopause.
Rachel Murro, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
City University of New York School of Public Health & Health Policy (MPH, Community Health), Cornell University (BS, Human Biology, Health, & Society)
Research Interests
My current research focuses on sexual and reproductive health, primarily contraception, abortion and pregnancy desires. I am passionate about using a reproductive justice and harm reduction lens to conduct ethical research. During my doctoral training I am specifically honing my skills in qualitative methods, sampling "hidden" populations, social epidemiology, and causal inference.
James Antonio Najera, MS
Pronouns
-
Education
University of California, San Diego (BS, Microbiology; BS, Public Health), University of Washington (MS,Genetic Epidemiology)
Research Interests
My broad research interests focus on population genetics, gene-environment interaction, and big data analytics for omics. My previous research at the University of Washington focused on the exploration of HLAalleles and haplotypes associated with the progression of Type 1 Diabetes. As a doctoral student, I aim to use genomic research to improve health equity among underserved communities.
Mia Navarro, MS
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
Stanford University (MS, Epidemiology and Clinical Research); University of California, Los Angeles (BS, Computational and Systems Biology)
Research Interests
Mia studies how structural determinants of health influence can inform resource allocation strategies and health policies. Her prior work explored how violence in Burkina Faso affects sick children's likelihood to seek care, how place of residence interacts with health and symptom severity to influence risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, and how timing and duration of poverty throughout the life course impact people's brain performance.
Gloire Mbaka Onya, MPH
Pronouns
he/him/his
Education
University of Aberdeen, MPH
Research Interests
My research interests are malaria and infectious disease epidemiology, biostatistics, global health and the use of mathematical models to inform malaria public health strategies.
Brittany Peterson, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
Roanoke College (BA Sociology), The George Washington University (MPH, Epidemiology)
Research Interests
My research interests include the design and implementation of RCTs aimed at the reduction of infectious disease burden and improvement of child health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. My current research involves assessing malnutrition outcomes and antimicrobial resistance burden following mass antibiotic distribution in West Africa.
Eduardo Rodriguez Almaraz, MD, MAS
Pronouns
he/him/his
Education
Instituto Politecnico Nacional (MD, General Medicine), University of California, San Francisco (MAS, Clinical Research)
Research Interests
My research focuses on clinical outcomes in neuro-oncology, with a special emphasis on integrating molecular precision medicine and artificial intelligence. I aim to leverage AI to enhance decision-making in cancer care by predicting treatment responses and optimizing personalized therapies, ultimately improving patient outcomes within the precision health landscape.
Marta San Luciano Palenzuela, MD
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
University of Navarre (Spain) - MD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine - MS in Clinical Research Methodology
Research Interests
My research interests are broadly in clinical and genetic epidemiology of Parkinson's disease, dystonia and other movement disorders and neurodegenerative illnesses, as well as in outcomes research in neuromodulation surgeries for movement disorders. In particular, my current research focuses on identifying predictors of favorable motor outcomes following deep brain stimulation surgery in isolated and acquired dystonia.
Maia Scarpetta, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
Reed College (BA, Psychology), University of New Mexico (MPH, Epidemiology)
Research Interests
As a doctoral student, I focus on the intersection of substance abuse and infectious disease epidemiology. My research examines health inequities among people who use drugs, emphasizing interpersonal dynamics and social-structural drivers of risk environments and outcomes like hepatitis C transmission and non-fatal overdose. I employ advanced dyadic methods, multilevel models, and latent variable methods, with a commitment to community engagement and equity.
Mai Sedki, MD, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
Wayne State University (BA in Romance Languages, BS in Biology & Psychology); Wayne State University - School of Medicine (MD); University of California, Berkeley (MPH, Epidemiology)
Research Interests
Mai Sedki is a PhD in epidemiology and biostatistics at UCSF and a clinical gastroenterology and hepatology fellow at Stanford University, pursuing a physician-scientist track. Mai's research focuses on identifying risk factors for gastrointestinal and liver cancers, with a particular emphasis on steatotic liver disease. Her research is dedicated to improving risk stratification methods for the surveillance of liver cancer and other complications associated with liver disease. A significant aspect of her work involves studying the factors contributing to the incidence of liver cancer on a population level, aiming to enhance early detection, prevention, and patient care strategies. Her prior research includes investigating outcomes of kidney and liver transplant recipients based on donor and recipient hepatitis C virus serostatus.
Joan Shim, MPH, BA
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
University of California, Berkeley (BA, Integrative Biology), University of California, Berkeley (MPH, Epidemiology and Biostatistics)
Research Interests
My research interests are in using advanced epidemiological methods for health disparities research and investigating the role of social determinants of health in producing inequities and disparities in cardiometabolic health and other health outcomes.
Carolyn Smith Hughes, MS
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
University of Wisconsin - Madison (BS, Genetics, Life Sciences Communication), University of California, San Francisco (MS, Global Health Sciences)
Research Interests
My research interests include perinatal epidemiology and maternal and newborn health outcomes; evaluation of US and global maternal and newborn health policies; prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum experiences of care; and the application of a range of methods (including qualitative, quantitative, and quasi-experimental) to study, and ultimately to improve, experiences and outcomes for birthing persons, infants, and their loved ones.
Tanvi Srivastava, MBA, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology (BTech, Mechanical & Automation Engineering), Carnegie Mellon University (MBA), University of California, Berkeley (MPH, Epidemiology)
Research Interests
Reducing population cancer burden through studies in cancer disparities, modifiable risk factors, social drivers of health. My PhD research explores alcohol intake and prostate cancer progression; financial toxicity among cancer survivors; colorectal cancer etiology; roles of physical activity, race/ethnicity, SES in breast cancer survival; and ionizing radiation and dementia. My dissertation examines the roles of physical activity, SES, nativity, and ethnicity on breast cancer risk among Asian American women.
Ariktha Srivathsan, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (B.Tech, Biotechnology), Yale University (MPH, Epidemiology of Microbial Disease)
Research Interests
My research interests are primarily in infectious disease modeling and using real-world data to inform global health policy. As a PhD student, I am particularly interested in developing and applying statistical methods for observational studies on infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. My work focuses on leveraging mathematical modeling to advance public health research and decision-making.
Jack Taylor, MAS
Pronouns
he/him/his
Education
University of California, San Francisco (MAS, Clinical Research), University of California, Davis (BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Research Interests
I work at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center, focusing on frontotemporal dementia (FTD) research. I have contributed to the development and validation of the REMOTE-FTD program, which allows participants to use a smartphone app to complete cognitive, motor, speech, and survey tests from home. Additionally, I analyze UCSF's EHR data to assess FTD-related comorbidities, medications, and lab results, while exploring representation in FTD research relative to the broader FTD patient population.
Mary Thoma, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
University of San Diego (BA, Biology), Columbia University (MPH, Epidemiology)
Research Interests
My research focuses on risk factors of cognitive decline and dementia. I am particularly interested in elucidating the role of social isolation in dementia risk by exploring various plausible causal pathways, such as decreased cognitive stimulation, changes in psychosocial well-being (loneliness and depression), and related risk factors such as sensory impairment (vision and hearing loss).
Caitlin Turner, MPH
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
University of California, Davis (BS, Psychology, Mathematics Emphasis), University of California, Berkeley (MPH, Epidemiology/Biostatistics)
Research Interests
Prior to joining the Doctoral Program in Epidemiology and Translational Science, I worked as an epidemiologist at the San Francisco Department of Public Health with research interests centering social determinants of health for trans, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary communities. As a doctoral candidate living with disabilities, I leverage lived experiences and build extensive skills in epidemiological/econometric methodologies to identify policy determinants of disparities in substance use and poor mental health outcomes, particularly for sexual and gender minority populations. Ultimately, I aim to translate my research findings to positive, structural, anti-capitalist impact.
Jingxuan Wang, MPhil
Pronouns
he/him/his
Education
University of Hong Kong (BS, Statistics; MPhil, Statistics)
Research Interests
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), causal inference, electronic health records, brain imaging, epidemiologic methods. My research interests focus on applying causal inference methods to better understand risk factors for dementia and cognitive aging, based on observational health databases. I am also interested in preclinical biomarkers of AD and statistical methods for analysis of electronic health records. My ultimate research goal is to identify modifiable targets for prevention of ADRD.
Whitney Wells, MSc
Pronouns
she/her/hers
Education
Stanford University (BA, Human Biology, MA, Sociology), University College London (MSc, Social Epidemiology)
Research Interests
My research examines the health impacts of family support policies—such as access to early childhood education and social safety net policies—and the potential for these policies to address existing health inequities. I use quasi-experimental methods and natural experiments to generate evidence to ultimately inform evidence-based policymaking.
Frank Wolf, MPH
Pronouns
they/them/theirs
Education
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (MPH), University of Pennsylvania: Wharton School of Business (BSc in Economics), University of Pennsylvania: College of Arts and Sciences (BA in Biology)
Research Interests
Frank's research leverages big data and computational methods to identify and address the needs of marginalized and medically underserved populations with a focus on the needs of sexual and gender minority populations along the cancer continuum.