$2.8m Grant for Groundbreaking Blood Coagulation Research

UTHealth Houston School of Public Health Epidemiology Professor Alanna Morrison, PhD, and UNC School of Medicine Professor Alisa Wolberg, PhD have been awarded a grant renewal totaling $2,816,828 over four years for the project "Using Genomics and Functional Biology to Understand Fibrinogen and Factor XIII and Their Effects on Thrombotic Diseases." This research, which commenced in February 2019, focuses on fibrinogen, a crucial component for normal blood coagulation and a significant player in inflammatory pathways that contribute to thrombotic and atherosclerotic diseases.

During the previous grant cycle, an interdisciplinary collaboration was established between genetic epidemiologists and functional biologists. This collaboration focused on investigating fibrinogen-associated loci to characterize the genomic regulation of fibrinogen, assess epigenetic associations with fibrinogen levels, and translate genomic study results into a comprehensive understanding of fibrinogen's role in thrombotic and atherosclerotic diseases. This work resulted in 16 publications and presentations at national and international conferences.

In the renewal phase of the project, the research will continue to focus on fibrinogen and will also include a new investigation of factor XIII (FXIII). Both fibrinogen and FXIII are essential components of the blood coagulation cascade and are major determinants of bleeding and clotting. The research aims to expand knowledge of the genetics of total and γ' fibrinogen levels and FXIIIa activity in diverse populations and to assess the complex regulatory mechanisms influencing these blood coagulation proteins. The goal is to leverage multidisciplinary expertise in genomic studies and functional biology to generate new biological knowledge about the genomic regulation of these factors and their independent or coordinated relationship with thrombotic diseases.

The project involves Associate Professor Ron Hoogeveen, PhD from Baylor College of Medicine, and Professor Nicholas Smith, PhD from the University of Washington. Additionally, the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health team includes Epidemiology Associate Professor Paul de Vries, PhD, Epidemiology doctoral student Julie Hahn, MPH, and Epidemiology Senior Statistician Michael Brown, MS.

EPIDEMIOLOGY FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS

UTHealth Houston Awarded $965,000 NIH Grant to Study PFAS Impact on Bone Health

Researchers at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Brownsville have received a $965,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate the effects of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on bone health in Hispanic/Latino populations.

The project, titled "PFAS and Bone Health Over the Life Course in Hispanic/Latinos: Emerging Risk Factors and Underlying Mechanisms," will be led by Joseph McCormick, MD, professor of epidemiology at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. Other collaborators include Susan P. Fisher-Hoch, MD, professor of epidemiology; Miryoung Lee, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology; Ana Gitter, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health; Nahid Rianon, MD, professor at McGovern Medical School.

The funding is part of a larger NIH award (R01ES036253) to the University of Southern California. You can read more about the grant here.

New Study Links Maternal Diarrhea to Increased Risk of Birth Defects

New research published in Birth Defects Research by Epidemiology Associate Professor Kim Waller, PhD, and collaborators reveals that mothers who reported diarrhea lasting 1-5 days during early pregnancy had elevated odds of 9 out of 32 birth defects examined. The findings suggest a strong association between maternal diarrhea and gastrointestinal infections during early pregnancy and a higher frequency of certain birth defects.

The study includes six coauthors affiliated with UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, including Epidemiology Associate Professor A.J. Agopian, PhD, Professor Mark Canfield, PhD and post-doctoral students Nithya Mohan Dass, MPH, Omobola Oluwafemi, MPH JiYun Tark, PhD, and Adrienne Hoyt, PhD. Angela Scheuerle, MD of UT Southwestern Medical Center, is also a co-author.

The study is based on data for 16,675 pregnancies from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, covering births between 1997 and 2011, and was supported by cooperative agreements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Human Genetics Center at TOPMed Meeting

Faculty, staff, and students from the Human Genetics Center attended the TOPMed Annual Meeting in Bethesda, MD, on Feb 19-21, 2025.

School of Public Health Dean Eric Boerwinkle, PhD, was a keynote speaker and talked about “Decoding the exposome in TOPMed”.

Epidemiology doctoral student Iman Egab, MPH, presented two presentations on “Temporal changes in immune and cellular gene expression profiles related to factor VIII exposure in Hemophilia A” and “Unveiling the hidden rules: enhancing NMD prediction for protein-truncating variants.”

Also in attendance from the Human Genetics Center were Professor Bing Yu, PhD, Assistant Professors Chloe Sarnowski, PhD and Yixuan He, PhD and Faculty Associate Megan Grove, MS.

New Telerehabilitation Service for Stroke Patients in Cameron County

UTHealth Houston researchers are launching a randomized clinical trial to offer a new at-home telerehabilitation care service for stroke patients in Cameron County, Rio Grande Valley.

The trial, headed by lead investigator Fadi Musfee, PhD, involves investigators from UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Brownsville, the Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, and the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics.

The study will test "Mobile Rehab," which delivers personalized rehabilitation video regimens based on patients' motor skills and daily living deficits. The intervention will last three months, with community health worker home visits for progress checks, stroke education, and troubleshooting. The control group will receive a list of social services resources as part of usual care.

Researchers aim to evaluate functional health, mental health, and caregiver burden outcomes while identifying barriers and facilitators to adopting and delivering this new rehabilitation model.

You can read more about the new services here.

De Moraes and Team Win Prestigious International Award

Assistant Professor Augusto Ferreira De Moraes, PhD, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 EPI|Lifestyle Paul Dudley White International Scholar Award by the American Heart Association (AHA). This honor recognizes his high-ranking abstract, which showcases excellence in cardiovascular and lifestyle research on a global scale.

The award-winning abstract is part of an AHA International Grant led by De Moraes and Marcus Nascimento-Ferreira, PhD, Federal University of Tocantins, Brazil, aimed at enhancing UTHealth Houston’s impact on global health through innovative cardiovascular research.

Epidemiology Professors Shine at the 2025 Innovations in Health Science Education Conference

Professors from the School of Public Health presented four different abstracts at the Shine Academy Conference. Three abstracts were part of discussion sessions, covering topics such as student engagement in online classrooms, interdepartmental communication among faculty, and teaching in mixed-modality environments. The fourth abstract, presented in the poster session, detailed the development and implementation of the Center for Health Equity's Summer Intensive Fellowship Experience (SIFE).

Epidemiology Assistant Professors Audrey Choh, PhD, Heather Essigmann, PhD and Elena Feofanova, PhD presented and co-authored three studies.

Challenges to Student Engagement in Asynchronous Online Classrooms

Additional co-authors include School of Public Health Assistant Professors Nola Eugene, DrPH, and Nicole Hare-Everline, PhD, with the Department of Health Promotion & Behavior Sciences, and Ellen Breckenridge, PhD, with the Department of Management, Policy & Community Health

Faculty Fusion: Supercharging Instruction through Interdepartmental Communication and Collaboration Among Instructional Faculty

Additional co-authors include: School of Public Health Assistant Professors Abigail Sedory, PhD, with the Department of Biostatistics, and Nicole Hare-Everline, PhD with the Department of Health Promotion & Behavior Sciences

Teaching Effectively in a Mixed-Modality World

Additional co-authors include School of Public Health Assistant Professors Nola Eugene, DrPH, and Nicole Hare-Everline, PhD, with the Department of Health Promotion & Behavior Sciences, Ellen Breckenridge, PhD, with the Department of Management, Policy & Community Health, and Abigail Sedory, PhD, with the Department of Biostatistics.

Additionally, the Development and Implementation of the Center for Health Equity's Summer Intensive Fellowship Experience (SIFE) was presented by Epidemiology Assistant Professor Jemima John, PhD, in the poster session. The abstract co-authors include John and Epidemiology Professor Shreela Sharma, PhD, and Center for Health Equity Program Manager Naomi Tice, MPH.

EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDENT NEWS

The Action Lab moves fellows out of classrooms and into communities

How Student Evaluators Gain Unmatched Experience Addressing Community Needs in North Texas

Join Our Epidemiology PhD Program in Public Health!

Are you considering a PhD in Public Health?

We invite you to explore our PhD program in Epidemiology, where you'll receive state-of-the-art education, research, and training in disease prevention and control.

Our program is supported by five affiliated research centers, home to leading experts in chronic and infectious diseases. These centers focus on improving the quality of care, addressing health disparities, and extending life expectancy.

We also offer fellowship opportunities and robust training in our research centers to our doctoral students throughout their journey. You can visit our PhD program degree planner for more details here.

For more information about our PhD in Epidemiology program, please email our academic advisor, JR Bright, with any questions.

UPCOMING EVENTS

TEPHI INFECTION PREVENTION

& CONTROL SEMINAR SERIES

Module 302: Clostridiodes Difficile Infections (CDIs)

March 6

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm, virtual

In this module, Infection Prevention Practicioner Kayla Ruch, PhD, MPH, will introduce Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSIs) and discuss reduction efforts and patient engagement with CLABSI prevention.

Lunch Bag Art Party

Monday, March 17

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

RAS Building, 2nd-floor lobby

Nourish and the SPH Dietetic Internship program invite you to bring your creativity and help us make lunch bags special for Kids' Meals Inc. All materials will be provided!

Please register to ensure we have enough materials available.

APHA 2025

Call for Abstracts

Deadline March 28, 2025

The APHA 2025 Call for Abstracts for oral and poster presentations is now open!

Authors are encouraged to submit abstracts on the meeting theme, "Making the Public’s Health a National Priority," and current and emerging public health topics.

The submission deadline is March 28. Learn more and submit your abstract today!

Submission Details here.

The Cupboard

Student Food Bank

Noon - 3:00 pm

RAS Building, B-04

Monday, March 3

Thursday, March 6

Closed for Spring Break

Monday, March 17

Thursday, March 20

Monday, March 24

Thursday, March 27

Monday, March 31

The Cupboard is a no-cost food resource

for students who may need assistance.

Location: SPH Building, Basement

Email: TheCupboard@uth.tmc.edu

NOTES

R. Palmer Beasley, M.D. and Lu-Yu Hwang, M.D. Travel Award for International Research

Due Date: April 1, 2025 Click Here to Apply!

This travel award application is for continuing students working on important public health issues in a developing country of Asia, Africa, or Latin America. The awards will be for travel during summer 2025. Faculty can send recommendation letters by April 1 to melanie.e.house@uth.tmc.edu or students can upload recommendation letters with their application. Students must adhere to the UTHealth Houston travel requirements for students traveling to international locations. See Student Travel and the Step by Step Guide for Students Traveling Internationally. For more information, see mySPH.

Scholarship Application for Academic Year 2025-2026

Due Date: March 15, 2025 Click Here to Apply!

This annual scholarship application for continuing students is for 50+ different endowed and gift scholarship opportunities at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. Most of the awards will be for the fall 2025 semester. Students will need to upload the required number of recommendation letters within the application.

Click here to see a list of all available awards and recommendation letter requirements. Most awards only require one recommendation letter, but if more than one is required, the award will specify. Any additional recommendation letters that you would like to submit after the application has been submitted can be sent by you or directly by the faculty by March 15th to melanie.e.house@uth.tmc.edu.

Calling all Epidemiology alums! Epi in the News would like to include alum updates and news to feature in our monthly spotlight! Please email Jana Satterwhite, Communications Specialist, to be considered for our upcoming newsletters.

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.

SUBMISSIONS AND NEWSLETTER DEADLINE

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