The Department of Epidemiology

We are pleased to announce that the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health is undergoing a transformative evolution with the official split into two distinct entities: the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences and the Department of Epidemiology.

The newly formed Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, led by Professor Kristin Mena, PhD, is dedicated to advancing public health through environmental and workplace safeguards. The department's specialized focus on environmental and occupational health positions it to substantially impact safeguarding public health in these critical areas.

The Department of Epidemiology, led by Professor Alanna Morrison, PhD, will focus on understanding and alleviating the impact of diseases on human populations through research, education, and service.

Establishing two distinct departments signifies a commitment to providing specialized education, fostering collaboration, and empowering faculty and students.

This new chapter holds boundless opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and academic achievement, positioning the new departments to contribute significantly to advancing public health knowledge and practice.

EPIDEMIOLOGY FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS

Successful Healthcare Intervention for Cancer Survivors:

A Collaborative Approach

Serena Rodriguez, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, and Bijal Balasubramaniam, MBBS, PhD, professor in the Department of Epidemiology, published new research to discover what factors impact the implementation of a healthcare intervention designed for cancer survivors in a safety-net system and how these factors influenced the overall success of the implementation of the intervention.

The researchers found that the intervention proved suitable and well-received, and active collaboration, intentional flexibility coupled with regular feedback, and rapid evaluation cycles increased adoption over time. You can read more from the study published in Implementation Science here.

Assistant Professor

Fadi Musfee, MD, PhD, MPH

Please join us in welcoming Fadi Musfee, MD, to the Department of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health in Brownsville as Assistant Professor.

Musfee obtained his MD from the Baghdad College of Medicine at the University of Baghdad in Baghdad, Iraq, and earned his MPH and PhD from UTHealth Houston School of Public Health.

Musfee's research focuses on exploring the association between gender, maternal genome, and racial/ethnic disparities, and the development of adverse cardiac outcomes.

He is interested in understanding the genetic and epidemiological risk factors related to the development of congenital heart defects, thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection, heart failure, and ischemic cardiomyopathies.

In his free time, he enjoys running and biking.

Assistant Professor

Andrea Ramirez Valera, MD, PhD, MPH

Please join us in welcoming our newest faculty member to the School of Public Health. Andrea Ramirez Valera, MD, will join us as Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology in Houston and will be affiliated with the Center for Pediatric Population Health. She also will hold a joint appointment in the Department of Pediatrics at McGovern Medical School.

Ramirez Valeria earned her MPH and MD degrees from Universidad de los Andes in Bogota, Colombia. In 2019, she obtained her PhD in Epidemiology from the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil.

She is a physician-scientist with research interests in public health surveillance, physical activity epidemiology, health policy research, preventive medicine, and transition research, especially in Latin America.

She is also the Coordinator and Steering Committee member at the Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!), Steering Committee member at the Global Observatory for Physical Education (GoPE!), the Latin American Society for Physical Activity and Health - SLIAFS, board member of the International Society of Physical Activity and Health ISPAH and Member-at-large, Executive Committee of the International Society of Behavior Nutrition and Physical Activity- ISBNPA, and Senior Associate Editor at the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.

Ramirez Valeria enjoys reading, attending the opera, and traveling during her downtime.

EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDENT NEWS

New Graduate Spotlight: Aparna Subramaniam, MBBS, MPH, PhD

In December of 2023, Aparna Subramaniam, PhD, an epidemiology researcher, earned her PhD in Epidemiology from UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. Her PhD thesis focused on angiosarcoma, a rare type of blood vessel cancer. Her research characterized the epidemiologic, clinical, and genomic profile of primary cardiac angiosarcoma, i.e., angiosarcoma of the heart.

Subramaniam's journey began with a passion for studying often overlooked areas in medical research—rare cancers.

Subramaniam's research showcased that systemic therapy significantly enhances survival in primary cardiac angiosarcoma patients, not only for those with resectable disease but also for those with advanced conditions.

Mentorship played a pivotal role in her academic journey. "My dissertation supervisor, Dr. Vinod Ravi, a professor in the department of Sarcoma Medical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, significantly influenced my research. He helped tailor my dissertation to rely on my clinical medicine strengths while learning new skills to expand my genomics knowledge," said Subramaniam.

Reflecting on her PhD journey, Subramaniam takes pride in successful collaborations across institutions, leading to significant data collection for the thesis. Her research's recognition at the Connective Tissue Oncology Society 2023 annual meeting in Dublin marks a notable achievement.

Subramaniam aims to continue her angiosarcoma research and contribute as a physician-scientist, advancing therapeutic options for rare cancers. 

Epidemiology PhD Candidate Receives $10k grant from GSCN

UPCOMING EVENTS

EPIDEMIOLOGY NOTES

2024 New Investigator Development Program – Grants 101 and 102 

The New Investigator Development Program (NIDP) helps junior faculty members develop effective research proposals in a two-phase process. In Grants 101, they learn about UTHealth Houston research policies and procedures, and in Grants 102, they refine their skills for writing competitive grant applications. Grants 101 is January 8-9, 2024. Grants 102 is in February 2024.

 To register for Grants 101 or apply for Grants 102, see https://uth.edu/nidp/

SGM Cancer Care Workshop - Feb 2024 - Houston, TX - Registration Now Open

The Sexual and Gender Minority Cancer Curricula to Advance Research & Education (SGM Cancer Care) will hold their next workshop at MD Anderson Cancer Center in February 2024. The workshop seeks to provide participants with knowledge and skills to conduct quality and culturally appropriate research to improve SGM care across the cancer care continuum, from prevention to survivorship, and it will facilitate participant access to a national research community and health care provider network dedicated to shared goals in SGM cancer research.

Registration is open for participants and presenters here.

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Reminder: For more information on how to handle media requests, see the UTHealth Houston HOOP policy here. If you are contacted by the media, please call the UTHealth Houston Media Relations team on the hotline, 713-500-3030 - someone is available 24/7. Deb Lake is the designated School of Public Health contact. Always choose to call the hotline for immediate assistance.

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All campuses are encouraged to submit items for consideration for the monthly Epi newsletter. Please feel free to submit your items to sphehges@uth.tmc.edu.