|
Congratulations to our stellar undergraduate, graduate students, and PhD candidates who are being recognized for their achievements, awards,
and work in the community.
|
|
|
Voices of Public Health: Harnessing the power of machine learning in stroke prediction
Xueting (Mimi) Ding, PhD in Public Health (Global Health) candidate, provides her perspective and insight on how public health research can be transformed with innovative applications of machine learning to predict stroke recurrence.
Ding was inspired by seeing the success of machine learning in handling complex medical data in a study that she was a first author on, which was published in Discover Public Health. It made her realize that emerging analytical techniques could revolutionize how we approach disease prediction and prevention. READ MORE
|
|
Natalie Binczewski
PhD Candidate in Environmental Health Sciences
Binczewski was the first author in a study published in the ISEE Journal of Environmental Epidemiology. The study examined the link between prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in contaminated drinking water and childhood cancer risk in California. Dr. Veronica Vieira served as the corresponding author.
|
|
|
|
By analyzing geocoded birth residences, water district data, and predicted maternal PFAS concentrations, her research identified suggestive associations between PFAS exposure and certain childhood cancers, including nonastrocytoma gliomas and acute myeloid leukemia.
|
|
Mandana Masoumirad, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
Department of Health, Society & Behavior
Masourmirad served as the first author of the study published in the journal Social Science and Medicine, Dr. Tim Bruckner served as corresponding author, Shutong Ho, Public Health (Global Health), PhD candidate and Dr. Abhery Das, Public Health, PhD alumna, served as additional authors.
|
|
|
|
The research helped to uncover the spikes in hate crimes against Asian Americans and its connection with increased psychiatric emergency visits, highlighting the profound mental health impact of racial discrimination and the need for targeted, culturally competent mental health support.
|
|
Shutong Huo, MPH
PhD in Public Health Candidate
Global Health Concentration
Huo was the first author of a study that showed that psychiatric-related visits rose sharply with a return to remote instruction in Fall 2020. These findings, published in BMC Psychiatry, contrasted with the start of the pandemic where psychiatric emergency department (ED) visits initially declined during Spring 2020 school closures.
|
|
|
|
Huo’s work showcases the importance of schools in supporting adolescent mental health and the challenges posed by remote learning environments. Additional Wen Public Health authors include Professors Tim Bruckner and Annie Ro.
|
|
Alein Haro-Ramos, MPH, PhD
UC Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Health, Society, & Behavior
Haro-Ramos published a study in the American Journal of Public Health exploring how healthcare discrimination contributes to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Latino adults. Her study revealed that experiences like delayed care and communication barriers increase vaccine hesitancy tied to immigration fears, impacting both immigrants and US-born individuals.
|
|
|
Juan Carlos Ruiz Malagon, MS, MA
PhD in Public Health Student
Global Health Concentration
Malagon served as the second author in a study exploring how healthcare providers perceive patient experiences and disparities in telehealth adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic.
|
|
|
|
The research, published in Journal of Health Equity, focused on qualitative analysis, examining interviews with providers, administrators, and staff to identify key barriers and facilitators to telehealth use. The study brought a new perspective on how age, race/ethnicity, and technological experience shape patient access to remote healthcare for more equitable telehealth implementation.
|
|
Yerin Jung, MS
PhD Candidate in Environmental Health Sciences
Jung recently published a study in the Journal of Environmental Research on the effects of prenatal exposure to PFAS through food and indoor dust ingestion, using pharmacokinetic modeling to predict maternal serum concentrations.
|
|
|
|
Her findings suggest that lower dietary intake estimates provide reasonable predictions of PFAS levels, offering insights into background exposure among pregnant women in populations without known water contamination.
|
|
|
Understanding and Managing Lipoprotein(a) Testing and Treatment in the U.S.
|
|
Yihang Fan, MPH, PhD
PhD in Public Health Student
Disease Prevention Concentration
Fan served as a co-author, in collaboration with Dr. Nathan D. Wong and Dr. Wenjun Fan, on a study examining the awareness and management of lipoprotein(a) testing and treatment in the U.S.
|
|
|
|
Titled “Clinician Awareness, Testing, and Treatment for Lipoprotein(a): Results from a Large US National Survey,” her work has been accepted as a moderated poster presentation at the 74th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology (ACC 2025) in Chicago.
|
|
Pooja Gadhvi
2nd Year MPH student
Epidemiology Concentration
Gadhvi was awarded the prestigious Randall Lewis Health & Policy Fellowship. She is serving as leader in an oral health needs assessment research project at Jamboree Housing communities, supporting the community’s vulnerable populations.
|
|
|
|
If you are a current student and would like to submit an award that you received for inclusion in the next Student Spotlight Newsletter, please reply to this email.
|
|
|
|
