Bio
Current research focus?
I am interested in the effect of social determinants, such as poverty, education and housing insecurity, on the incidence of infectious diseases and their consequences and how the health care system can mitigate these challenges.
Exciting ongoing project(s)?
I have been leading two NIH-funded R01 studies assessing the role of women-centered and patient-centered HIV care in mitigating the effects of adverse psychosocial factors of HIV care outcomes. I also lead the Investigator Development Core of FIU’s Research Center for Minority Institutions and co-lead the Genomics Workforce Development Core for the FIU-Center for Genome Research.
Relevant past or current dissertations you have chaired?
1. Developing a triage tool for use in identifying people living with HIV who are at risk for unfavorable HIV care outcomes and sexually transmitted infections
2. HIV-related stigma dimensions in relation to antiretroviral therapy adherence and viral suppression outcomes among women with HIV in the Miami-Dade Ryan White Program
3. Impact of collective efficacy and neighborhood structural disadvantage on depressive symptoms among adolescents in the
United States
4. Laboratory and epidemiological characteristics of Zika virus infections in Florida
5. Carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE): Epidemiology, duration of carriage, and progression to infection in a large healthcare system in Miami, FL
Proud moment from one of your mentees?
Seeing my former students become tenure-track faculty or leaders in public health practice settings.
Advice for PhD applicants?
Ask lots of questions. The more information you have, the better your choice is likely to be.