UTHealth Houston SPH Epidemiology

Congratulations to Epidemiology student Neeharika Dandamudi on receiving the School of Public Health 2026 James Emerson Award for Outstanding Teaching Assistant.
This recognition reflects her dedication to teaching excellence and student success, and celebrates her meaningful contributions to the learning experience.

Congratulations to Epidemiology Assistant Professor Ryan Ramphul, PhD, on receiving the 2026 Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching from the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. This well-deserved recognition highlights his dedication to teaching, mentorship, and advancing student success in the Department of Epidemiology.

Rajvi Rahul Shah, MPH in Epidemiology, made the most of her time at the School of Public Health, earning prestigious scholarships and gaining hands-on research experience across community health and clinical research settings.

Through mentorship with Professor Shreela Sharma, PhD, and collaboration with leading researchers, Shah contributed to impactful work in pediatric population health and community-focused research.

Shah secured multiple full-time job offers before graduation and has now begun her full-time role at Northwell Health, where she will be leading multi-site industry-sponsored clinical trials.

Read the full story and learn more about her journey in our latest newsletter here ➡️ https://conta.cc/4uFhLGS ⬅️

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Attention Graduates! The 2026 Commencement Ceremony photos are now live:

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCUsLg

Dr. Lopez del Amo, Assistant Professor in Epidemiology, has been invited to deliver research seminars at the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, highlighting the growing international impact of research in vector control, genome editing, and genetic biocontrol.
These visits will provide opportunities to establish potential collaborations for future multidisciplinary projects and strengthen partnerships with researchers advancing innovative approaches to vector-borne disease control.
His latest research, including work published in Nature Communications, will also be featured at the Gordon Research Conference on Genetic Biocontrol this July.

Pictured: Dr. Lopez del Amo with host Dr. Angela Meccariello at Imperial College London.

Exciting news to celebrate! 🎉
Associate Professor Qian Xiao, PhD, has been selected as a Fulbright Scholar for 2026–2027. During her time in Australia, she will collaborate with leading researchers at the University of Canberra’s Health Research Institute and the NHMRC Healthy Environments and Lives National Research Network on an innovative project exploring how environmental exposures impact sleep and chronic disease.
Her work will advance understanding of how factors such as light, noise, heat, and air pollution influence health outcomes at both the population and community levels, contributing to global efforts to improve public health.
🔗 Want to learn more? Sign up for our newsletter here: go.uth.edu/EpiNewsletter

Augusto Cesar F. De Moraes, PhD, assistant professor, co-authored a new study in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension examining how cardiometabolic risk develops in U.S. adolescents.

Tracking more than 3,000 youth ages 12 to 16, the study found abdominal obesity is already common, with rapid increases in cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure over just a few years. The largest changes were seen in body fat and lipid levels.

This work was conducted in collaboration with colleagues across institutions, with support from the IC2 Institute, and Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin.

Young adult cancer survivors face greater social challenges than their peers, according to new research in Cancer Research Communications led by Ami E. Sedani, PhD, Assistant Professor at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Dallas.

Using national BRFSS data, the study found adults ages 18 to 39 with a cancer history experience higher rates of food and housing insecurity, barriers to work and transportation, and cost-related challenges in accessing care.

The findings highlight the need for stronger support, better resource connections, and policies that improve survivorship care for young adults.

Want to read more? Sign up for our monthly newsletter, Epi in the News, out this week:
👉 go.uth.edu/epinewsletter 👈