Current PhD Candidates & Students
Alpha Order by last name
Katherine Colcord
PhD Student
Advisor: Maria Corrada
Katherine is interested in aging research, specifically in individuals 90 years and older. Her work as a physical therapist specializing in geriatric and neurological rehabilitation has informed her research questions. She is currently investigating factors related to falls in individuals 90 years and older, including physical factors, cognitive factors, health services, and clinical care pathways. She is also interested in gait characteristics associated with neuropathological burden in this group. Awards & Fellowships: H&H Lee Foundation Fellowship in Public Health 2021
Athena Corral Carlos, MPH
PhD Student
Advisor: Andrew Odegaard, MPH, PhD
Carlos’ research interests are epidemiologically based, focused on primarily on the study of disease and disease prevention. Her specific interests are surrounding chronic diseases, specifically the impact that physical activity and other lifestyle-related factors have in the current era in the context of larger social factors. She has worked for the California Department of Public Health, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Hoag Hospital, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Jiahui Dai
PhD Student
Advisor: Luohua Jiang, MD, PhD
Dai’s research interests include diabetes, diabetes treatments, dementia risk, and health disparities. My current work focuses on investigating the associations between different anti-diabetic medications and dementia risk among Native Americans with diabetes, and examine if time-related biases will impact the effects of anti-diabetic medications on dementia risk using health care administrative data.
Sepideh Ferdos
PhD Student
Advisor: Karen Edwards, MS, PhD
Ferdos’ research interests include genetic epidemiology, metabolic syndrome, environmental exposures, and cancer research. She has previously worked on GWAS’s of gene by smoking interaction on Type 2 Diabetes.
Anais Elena Fernandez Calzavara
PhD Student
Advisor: Odegaard, Andrew
My primary areas of research center on type 2 diabetes, nutrition, and metabolic diseases. These interests are shaped by my academic background in psychology and my practical experience in community engagement. I am currently focusing on exploring the interplay between type 2 diabetes and the gut microbiome, with a specific emphasis on investigating dietary interventions and the influence of psychosocial determinants.
Alexis Ruth Gaines
PhD Student
Advisor: Karen Edwards, MS, PhD
Yoonji Kim
PhD Student
Advisor: Joel Milam, PhD
My research interests broadly lie in the psychosocial epidemiology of cancer and the determinants of cancer disparities in care and outcomes in the cancer control continuum. I am also very interested in the structural barriers to wellbeing among childhood and young adult cancer survivors. My current research is focused on the long-term survivorship experience of childhood cancer survivors and addressing a gap in literature concerning risk and protective factors for substance use.
Jessie Ko
PhD Student
Advisor: Suellen Hopfer, PhD
My research interests are broadly in social determinants and preventive behaviors for the underserved communities. I also have a strong interest in intervention design. My interests are informed from my academic background in health communication and my professional background in public relations. During my graduate studies in Hong Kong, I carried out a research project about college students’ risk perception towards cervical cancer, and its relationship with the intention to receive the HPV vaccine.
Wendy Lazouras
PhD Student
Jiarui Li
PhD Student
Advisor: Andrew Odegaard, MPH, PhD
Marcela Lopez
PhD Student
Bingya Ma
PhD Student
Advisor: Yunxia Lu, MSc, PhD
D’Artagnan Moises Robinson
PhD Student
Advisor: Elizabeth Thomas, PhD
Lewis Alexander Simon
PhD Student
Advisor: Karen Edwards, MS, PhD
Simon’s research interests primarily center around the prevention of chronic metabolic and renal disorders. His dissertation research aims to improve risk prediction of type 2 diabetes in diverse, at-risk populations using advanced approaches in statistical genetics and genetic epidemiology. Prior to joining UCI, Simon worked as a research associate in the Division of Nephrology at UCLA Health and has many years of experience in clinical research. Awards & Fellowships: University of Washington Summer Institute in Statistical Genetics (SISG) Fellowship-Summer 2021, Summer 2022 Division of Teaching Excellence and Innovation (DTEI) Graduate Fellowship- Summer 2022 Graduate Dean’s Dissertation Fellowship (GDDF)- Summer 2023
Saba Sohail
PhD Student
Advisor: Karen Edwards, MS, PhD
Jose Villalvazo
PhD Student
I have a keen interest in epidemiology, particularly with a focus on infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, and their impact on children, especially those from underrepresented communities. I am committed to exploring the intricate dynamics of disease transmission, risk factors, and the unique challenges faced by children of color in dealing with disease. By examining the disparities in infection rates and health outcomes, my aim is to contribute to the development of targeted interventions and policies to better protect and support these vulnerable populations.
Kent Vo
PhD Student
Andrew Vu
PhD Student
Advisor: Sora Park Tanjasiri, MPH, DrPH
Ran Wang
PhD Student
Manxi Yang
PhD Student
Kun Yuan
PhD Student
Past research includes working in Dartmouth toxic Metals Superfund Research Program utilizing covariate-adjusted Gaussian Graphical Model(GGM) to model the probability of co-occurrence between pairwise contaminants (such as Mercury and PCBs) and Network Analysis to visualize the results using imputation by chained equations and correlations. Also, NLP, CNN and other deep learning projects in Dartmouth Neukom Institute. In the future, I am going to explore the world with DNA methylation and RNA sequencing data, and aim to predict biomarkers or disease symptoms.
Xioachen Li
Thesis: Genomic factors underlying alcohol-associated and viral hepatitis
Shantell Cerise Nolen
Thesis: Cancer in the oldest-old: Risk of dementia and cognitive decline
Zeinah Al-Darsani
Thesis: Measures of MRI brain imaging biomarkers in middle age according to average Mediterranean diet score over the previous 25 years
Maribel Cervantes-Ortega
Thesis: Illness Burden in Hispanic Women: The Role of Social Networks
Valeria Elahy
Thesis: The timing of food intake, body weight, and chronic disease risk”
Rachel McFarland Lucia
Thesis: DNA methylation markers for glyphosate exposure and mammographic density
Annemarie Olivia Perez
Thesis: Cross-Sectional Associations between Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake and DEXA-Scan Adipo
Kayleen Deanna Ports
Thesis: Dementia Prediction Model for American Indian and Alaska Native Individuals Based on Electronic Health Record Data Using Machine Learning Algorithms
