Xiao Named Fulbright Scholar for 2026-2027 | | |
Epidemiology Associate Professor Qian Xiao, PhD, has been selected as a Fulbright Scholar for the 2026-2027 academic year. She will travel to Australia to lead an innovative research project titled "Environmental Exposures, Sleep, and Health: Nationwide Analysis and Local Assessments in Australian Populations."
During her Fulbright term, Xiao will collaborate with Sotiris Vardoulakis, PhD, Director of the NHMRC Healthy Environments and Lives (HEAL) National Research Network and Professor of Environmental Public Health at the University of Canberra Health Research Institute. Together with Vardoulakis and his team, she will lead a comprehensive program of research, education, and community engagement focused on the intersection of environmental health, sleep, and chronic disease.
The project includes two major research components. First, Dr. Xiao and her collaborators will conduct nationwide and regional analyses to examine how multiple environmental exposures, including artificial light at night, noise, extreme heat, and air pollution, influence sleep patterns and are associated with dementia prevalence across Australian populations. Second, the team will conduct mixed-methods studies in local communities to assess sleep deficiencies and identify environmental factors that may disrupt healthy sleep.
Xiao's Fulbright project aligns closely with the program's mission to foster international collaboration, promote knowledge exchange, and address global public health challenges. Her work is expected to generate new insights into how environmental conditions shape sleep and long-term health outcomes, with implications for both policy and community-level interventions.
This prestigious recognition highlights Xiao's leadership in environmental epidemiology and reinforces the Department of Epidemiology's growing global impact in addressing complex public health issues.
| | EPIDEMIOLOGY FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS | | Sharma Named Fellow of the American Heart Association | | |
Shreela V. Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD, Vice Chair and Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Director of the Center for Healthy Communities at the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, has been named a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) by the AHA Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health.
Election as a Fellow of the American Heart Association recognizes premium professional members for excellence and sustained contributions in scholarship, practice, education, and volunteer service in advancing the Association’s mission. Fellowship is one of the American Heart Association’s highest professional honors and is conferred through a rigorous peer-review process.
Sharma’s FAHA designation acknowledges her innovative and sustained contributions to lifestyle and cardiometabolic health research, as well as her leadership and service within the American Heart Association and the broader public health community. As Director of the Center for Healthy Communities at the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, Sharma leads interdisciplinary research and community-engaged initiatives focused on nutrition, physical activity, chronic disease prevention, and promoting community well-being across diverse populations.
This prestigious recognition highlights Sharma’s outstanding contributions and leadership in advancing research and practice in lifestyle and cardiometabolic health.
| | Young Adult Cancer Survivorship Risks | |
Young adult cancer survivors face a higher burden of social risks than their peers without cancer, according to a new study published in Cancer Research Communications. Led by Ami E. Sedani, PhD, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Dallas.
Using nationally representative Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from 2022–2023, the research team examined social risks across age groups. Young adults ages 18–39 experienced the highest overall prevalence, with cancer survivors in this group facing elevated challenges, including food and housing insecurity, employment and transportation barriers, and cost-related barriers to care. Differences were smaller in middle adulthood (ages 40–64) and largely absent among adults 65 and older. Among young adults, disparities were further shaped by policy and demographic context.
Co-authors include Bijal Bala, PhD, Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, along with Stephanie Wheeler, PhD, and Anisha Ganguly, PhD, of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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New Research on Adolescent Cardiovascular Health
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Augusto Cesar F. De Moraes, PhD, assistant professor, is a co-author of a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension that examines how cardiometabolic risk develops in U.S. adolescents.
Using data from the ABCD Study, the research followed more than 3,000 youth ages 12 to 16. The findings show that abdominal obesity is already common in early adolescence, with new cases of high cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure emerging quickly over just a few years. The most significant increases were observed in body fat and lipid measures.
These results highlight adolescence as a critical window for prevention, underscoring the importance of early screening and targeted interventions to improve long-term cardiovascular and brain health outcomes.
This work was conducted in collaboration with colleagues across institutions, with support from the IC2 Institute and UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin.
| | Community Impact at African American Men’s Wellness Day | |
The Center for Healthy Communities attended the African American Men’s Wellness Walk to connect with community members and share information about ongoing and upcoming research focused on brain health and chronic disease prevention.
Assistant Professor Ashley Shaw, PhD, from the Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, Assistant Professor Serwaa Omowale from the Department of Management, Policy, and Community Health, and Kateria Crichlow, Senior Program Manager, shared more about the Center’s work and opportunities to engage with the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, including participation in studies like IMPACT-TX.
Through meaningful, in-person conversations, they raised awareness about research participation and emphasized the importance of nutrition and physical activity, helping build trust and strengthen community connections.
| | Improving Access to Autism Screening | |
Mallika Mathur, PhD, post‑doctoral fellow with the Center for Healthy Communities, recently published a study in Clinical Medicine Insights: Pediatrics examining barriers to timely autism screening and diagnosis among underserved populations.
Drawing on pediatrician perspectives, the research identifies challenges related to access, availability, and knowledge, and highlights the need for equity‑focused, tailored strategies to improve early screening, referrals, and diagnosis.
The findings also emphasize the importance of provider and parent education, consistent well‑child visits, and stronger referral systems to support earlier evaluations and better developmental outcomes for children.
Co‑authors include Jinni Tang, PhD, and Christine Markham, PhD, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences; Sandra McKay, MD, McGovern Medical School; Ruosha Li, PhD, Department of Biostatistics and Data Science; Deepali Ernest, PhD, Center for Healthy Communities; Allison Marshall, PhD, Georgetown University School of Health; and Shreela Sharma, PhD, Center for Healthy Communities.
| | EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDENT NEWS | | Brooklyn Adams Baker, PhD, MPH, Advances Maternal and Child Health Through Epidemiology | | |
Brooklyn Adams Baker, PhD, MPH, a 2026 doctoral graduate from the Department of Epidemiology at the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, has focused her career on improving maternal and child health and addressing persistent disparities in birth outcomes. Raised in a small East Texas town, she had early exposure to unequal health outcomes, which shaped her commitment to advancing health equity through research.
Baker was drawn to epidemiology for its ability to connect data, research, and health outcomes to inform evidence-based interventions. She chose UTHealth Houston for its strong Epidemiology department and growing emphasis on maternal and child health, providing a strong foundation for her doctoral training.
Her research centered on maternal and child health, particularly disparities in birth outcomes. In her dissertation, she examined understudied pathways contributing to adverse outcomes, such as low birth weight, and was supported by a dedicated dissertation committee that helped refine her analytical approach.
Baker also gained valuable applied research experience at the Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living in Austin. Working with the STREETS program, she developed skills in data collection, fieldwork, and research translation, strengthening her ability to bridge science and practice.
She now serves as a Public Health Scientific Writer at the Texas Department of State Health Services, contributing to disease surveillance and public health communication. Baker plans to continue in public service while advancing maternal and child health research.
You can read the full article here.
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Yerra Presents at TACCHO Public Health Conference
MPH Epidemiology student Harinee Yerra, MS, presented a poster at the 2026 TACCHO Public Health Conference in Austin (April 8–10).
Her work, based on her master’s thesis in Nutrition and Dietetics, examined metabolic and lifestyle risk factors among IT professionals in a Tier‑II Indian city, highlighting links between sleep deprivation, central obesity, and diabetes risk.
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Building Sustainable Nutrition Partnerships: Implementing Texas HB 26 & SB 25
Wednesday, May 6
Noon - 1:00 PM
Virtual Event
Texas’ new laws, HB 26 and SB 25, create powerful opportunities to integrate nutrition interventions into health care, positioning “Food is Medicine” as a core strategy to improve health outcomes and reduce costs. This one-hour webinar will share practical strategies for successfully scaling nutrition services, such as medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, and other nutrition support programs, particularly for Medicaid members at risk for, or living with, diet-related chronic disease.
Registration information
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Carmel Dyer, MD, Lecture Series - "Management of Chronic Inflammatory Skin Diseases in the Elderly"
Monday, May 18
Noon - 1:00 PM
Virtual Event
Speaker: Megan Rogge, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology and Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Immunology, McGovern Medical School
Please join us for engaging presentations from innovators in geroscience, clinical research, and practice dedicated to advancing aging research and care.
Registration information
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The 2026 School of Public Health Commencement ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2025, at 2:00 pm CDT at NRG Arena, 1 NRG Parkway, Houston, TX 77054.
Note: All summer 2025, fall 2025, and spring 2026 graduates from all locations are eligible to participate.
For more information, please visit the Commencement website.
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Important Deadlines
May 1
Application for summer
2026 graduation opens
May 4-8
Final exams for spring
May 18
First day of summer classes
May 21
Census Date
May 25
Memorial Day Holiday; University Closed
Visit My SPH SharePoint for more information
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The Cupboard
Student Food Bank
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
RAS Building, B-04
Please visit The Cupboard's Instagram
for May dates
The Cupboard is a no-cost food resource for students who may need assistance.
Location: SPH Building, Basement
Email: TheCupboard@uth.tmc.edu
| | 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. | | | | |
