Project Contact: Naomi Tice, MPH
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Nalini Ranjit, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Rachel Bower, MD
Assistant Professor, McGovern Medical School
Co-Investigator
Meg Bruening, PhD
Associate Professor, College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University
Co-Investigator
Jayna Markand Dave, PhD
Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine
Project Manager
Naomi Tice, MPH
Center for Healthy Communities
Sr. Program Manager
Wesley Gibson
Center for Healthy Communities
The primary goal of this project is to document the organizational and community-level impacts of the elimination of federal SNAP-Ed funding, and to describe the adaptations undertaken by agencies and states in response to this policy change.
Project Contact: Maha Almohamad, PhD
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Maha Almohamad, PhD
Center for Healthy Communities
Registered Dietitian
UT Physicians
Registered Dietitian
UT Physicians
Health Educator
Natalia Williams, MPH
Manager, Health Education
UTHealth Houston
Health Educator
Project Manager, McGovern Medical School
Linh Nguyen
Data Evaluator
This project implements and evaluates a culturally tailored produce prescription program for Hispanic adults with diabetes, combining bi-weekly produce deliveries with individualized nutrition counseling and culinary education to improve diet quality, food security, and long-term glucose control. The program provides fresh produce, diabetes-focused education, and regular touchpoints from registered dietitians to address both access and knowledge barriers to healthy eating.
Project Contact: Chelsea Liu, PhD
Principal Investigator
Chelsea Liu, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Miryoung Lee, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Older adults with ADRD are at disproportionate risk of falls. This can be highly costly to the healthcare system and to the health and well-being of older adults and their families. The goal of this project is to identify opportunities for fall prevention for ADRD older adults in Texas throughout the care continuum.
Project Contact: Ashley Shaw, PhD
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Ashley Shaw, PhD
Assistant Professor, Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
Data Manager
Kateria Crichlow
Center for Healthy Communities
This Stage II randomized controlled trial will test the efficacy of the culturally tailored MIND+SOUL dietary intervention for improving cognition in Black adults aged 50+ with elevated cardiometabolic risk.
Project Contact: Chelsea Liu, PhD
Principal Investigator
Chelsea Liu, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Miryoung Lee, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Over 40% of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) experience elder mistreatment or abuse (EA/EM), oftentimes perpetrated by their primary caregiver. The proposed study will identify early warning indicators for EA/EM and gaps in resources through practice knowledge of case managers and lived experience of ADRD caregivers, with the long-term goal of informing methods and materials for screening and prevention.
Project Contact: Jemima John, PhD
Principal Investigator
Jemima John, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Project Partners
The Medical Legal Partnership evaluation framework convenes domains across the RE-AIM framework to qualitatively and quantitatively assess measures of interest around social needs that disproportionately impact populations of low income and of color.
Project Contact: Heidi Hagen McPherson, MPH
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Senior Project Manager
Heidi Hagen McPherson, MPH
Co-Lead, Coalition of Connected Care
Co-Investigator
Jemima John, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Project Manager
Rosalia Guerrero, MPA
Manager, Community Health Worker Program
Collaborative effort to reduce stigma as a barrier to care.
Project Contact: Chelsea Liu, PhD
Principal Investigator
Chelsea Liu, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Rafael Samper-Ternent, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Management, Policy & Community Health
One of the leading risk factors for ADRD is Type 2 diabetes (T2DM), with epidemiological studies showing that incident diabetes and fasting blood glucose levels are strongly associated with cognitive decline and ADRD. We propose to use the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) to provide key evidence on T2DM medication initiation and long-term cognitive decline in a population of older adults in Mexico.
Project Contact: Heidi Hagen McPherson, MPH
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Senior Project Manager
Heidi Hagen McPherson, MPH
Co-Lead, Coalition of Connected Care
Co-Investigator
Micaela Sandoval, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Project Manager
Rosalia Guerrero, MPA
Manager, Community Health Worker Program
A collaborative effort to improve access to care and services related to maternal health.
Project Contact: Naomi Tice, MPH
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Jose-Miguel Yamal, PhD
Professor, Department of Biostatistics
Co-Investigator
Nalini Ranjit, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Project Manager
Naomi Tice, MPH
Center for Healthy Communities
Program Manager
Wesley Gibson
Center for Healthy Communities
Community Health Worker
Adriana Cardenas
Center for Healthy Communities
Community Health Worker
Edith Davila
Center for Healthy Communities
Graduate Research Assistant
Lorena Macias-Navarro, MPH
Center for Healthy Communities
Data Manager
Michael Gonzalez
Center for Healthy Communities
Biostatistician
Jing Xie, MPH
Center for Healthy Communities
This three-phase evaluation examines how a Food Prescription (FRx) Program providing healthy food and nutrition education affects pregnancy and birth outcomes, food security, and program utilization among low-income, ethnically diverse women receiving care at Harris Health. Starting in September 2023, approximately 620 participants will be followed from early pregnancy through 90 days postpartum using survey and clinical data.
Project Contact: Ryan Ramphul, PhD
Project Team
Co-Investigator
Ryan Ramphul, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Maria Fernandez, PhD
Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Andrew Springer, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
This project examines how living near urban heat islands influences physical activity behaviors in communities facing persistent poverty by linking temperature metrics with data from three community-based studies in Alabama and Texas. The analysis will generate preliminary evidence on how environmental heat and social factors shape physical activity patterns and inform future climate-adaptive interventions to reduce disparities and cancer risk.
Project Contact: Ru-Jye (Lindi) Chuang, DrPH
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Ru-Jye (Lindi) Chuang, DrPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
William Brett Perkison, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences
Co-Investigator
Christine Markham, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Cici Bauer, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Ryan Ramphul, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Maria Fernandez, PhD
Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Andrew Springer, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Sanjay Shete, PhD
Professor, Department of Biostatistics
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Collaborators & Institutions
MD Anderson Cancer Center Acres Homes Cancer Prevention Collaboration
Brighter Bites
https://brighterbites.org/research/
This study evaluates the impact of a Brighter Bites coordinated school health intervention on obesity measures, metabolic parameters, dietary intake, and food security status in low-income children and their parents residing in Acres Homes, a persistent poverty area of Houston, Texas.
Project Contact: Maha Almohamad, PhD
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Principal Investigator
Ryan Ramphul, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Program Manager
Wes Gibson, MPH
Center for Healthy Communities
Research Scientist
Maha Almohamad, PhD
Center for Healthy Communities
Project Manager
Naomi Tice, MPH
Center for Healthy Communities
Data Manager
Michael Gonzalez
Center for Healthy Communities
Evaluation of the Small Places Produce Prescription program on implementation outcomes, and social, behavioral, and health outcomes among persons with diabetes.
Project Contact: Chelsea Liu, PhD
Principal Investigator
Chelsea Liu, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Eva Deemer, PhD
Assistant Professor, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences
An emerging and largely unaddressed concern for brain health is the chronic exposure to micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) in the body and the brain. To address this gap, we will first conduct a case-control study to determine whether circulating MNP levels differ between individuals with dementia and matched healthy controls, then identify candidate biological pathways linking MNP to neurodegeneration using a microfluidic brain organoid on chip platform.
Project Contact: Chelsea Liu, PhD
Principal Investigator
Chelsea Liu, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Miryoung Lee, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Yun Hang, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences
Sean Savitz, MD
Professor, Department of Neurology
McGovern Medical School
Cici Bauer, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics
Kevin Lanza, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences
Extreme heat can be highly detrimental to the brain health of older adults over long periods of time. Hyperthermia, a state of abnormally high body temperature caused in part by excessive exposure to heat, directly impairs one’s ability to complete tasks that involve complex cognitive functions and skilled motor performances. We will use mapping and statistical modeling to quantify the relationship between various definitions of extreme heat and dementia, and evaluate electricity usage and nighttime heat as potential mechanisms.
Project Contact: Emily Lemon, PhD
Project Team:
Principal Investigator
Emily Lemon, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Rosalia Guerrero, MPA
Manager, Community Health Worker Program
Co-Investigator
Belinda Reininger, DrPH
Professor, Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
The project evaluates and enhances Texas Community Health Workers’ readiness to support youth mental health through research, training development, and collaborative community-based approaches.
Project Contact: Ashley Shaw, PhD
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Ashley Shaw, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
Data Manager
Kateria Crichlow
Center for Healthy Communities
This pilot study evaluates a peer-led, faith-based MIND+SOUL intervention designed to promote brain health and reduce dementia risk among Black adults aged 60 and older in Houston, Texas.
Project Contact: Heidi Hagen McPherson, MPH
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Senior Project Manager
Project Manager
Naomi Tice, MPH
Center for Healthy Communities
In partnership with the University of Delaware, this qualitative study examines how stigma influences access to and use of emergency food programs by conducting semi-structured interviews with adult food program participants in Delaware and Texas, as well as intermediary stakeholders across both states.
Project Contact: Wes Gibson
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Ronit Ridberg, PhD
Research Assistant Professor, Tufts University
Co-Investigator
Jose Miguel Yamal, PhD
Professor, Department of Biostatistics
Program Manager
Wesley Gibson
Center for Healthy Communities
Project Manager
Naomi Tice, MPH
Center for Healthy Communities
This project evaluates whether technology-enhanced communication with program cardholders can increase engagement and improve benefit utilization, specifically aiming to boost fruit and vegetable purchasing. By testing innovative communication strategies, the study seeks to identify effective methods for strengthening nutrition behaviors among participating households.
Project Contact: Ashley Shaw, PhD
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Ashley Shaw, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
Data Manager
Kateria Crichlow
Center for Healthy Communities
The Sons of Solomon project is a pilot study testing a culturally tailored, faith-based dietary intervention grounded in the MIND+SOUL model to reduce prostate cancer risk among Black men aged 50 and older in the historically underserved Acres Homes community of Houston, Texas.
Project Contact: Anna Gitter, PhD
Project Team:
Principal Investigator
Anna Gitter, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences
Funded by the EPA Gulf of Mexico Division, this project includes microbial source tracking and a human health risk assessment in Baffin Bay, Texas, to characterize fecal pollution sources, estimate human health risks, and engage with local communities, including the colonias, regarding water quality and public health.
Project Contact: Anna Gitter, PhD
Project Team:
Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences
This project is funded by U.S. EPA pass-through funds (managed by the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program) to conduct a human health risk assessment for recreational waters and shellfish harvested for human consumption. This work will inform local businesses and community members regarding human health risks in the bay and strategies to improve public health.
Project Contact: Maha Almohamad, PhD
Principal Investigator
Anjail Sharrief, MD
Director of Stroke Prevention, UTHealth Institute of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease
Professor, Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School
Co-Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Jose-Miguel Yamal, PhD
Professor, Department of Biostatistics
Stroke survivors often struggle with uncontrolled hypertension and limited access to healthy foods, making diet- and technology-based interventions critical for reducing recurrent stroke risk. This project will refine and pilot a Food is Medicine program integrated with remote blood pressure monitoring to support better blood pressure control and prepare for a future large-scale clinical trial.
Project Contact: Marcia Otto, PhD
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Marcia Otto, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology
This project investigates how gut microbial metabolites derived from aromatic amino acids influence long-term risks of subclinical and clinical cardiovascular disease and mortality. It measures these metabolites over time in two large, diverse, community-based cohorts to clarify their role in disease pathways and inform future mechanistic and intervention studies.
Project Contact: Shreela Sharma, PhD
Project Team:
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Natalia Heredia, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
Culinary Medicine Dietitian
Diana Guevara, MPH, RD
Nutritionist Supervisor, Nourish Program at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health
This project assesses the feasibility and effectiveness of medically tailored meal approaches for children with end-stage kidney disease by designing, delivering, and evaluating a culinary medicine intervention in partnership with Texas Children’s Hospital. UTHealth Houston School of Public Health will help develop the study design, support evaluation and analysis, train dietitians, and oversee implementation of the culinary medicine program across the study population.
Project Contact: Marcia Otto, PhD
Project Team
Primary Investigator
Marcia Otto, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology
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Kristen Sandulache, RD
Registered Dietitian, School of Public Health
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Savi Appana, MS
Biostatistician, School of Public Health
Ji Yun Tark, MPH
Graduate Research Assistant, School of Public Health
Kimberly Morrison, MPH
Trainee, School of Public Health
Project Partners: MD Anderson Cancer Center and Michael E. DeBakey Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
The goal of this prospective investigation is to advance scientific understanding of the role and relevance of diet diversity for diet quality and risk of cardiovascular disease among U.S adults.
Project Contact: Chelsea Liu, PhD
Principal Investigator
Chelsea Liu, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Belinda Reininger, PhD
Professor, Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
Vivian Bautista
Research Coordinator, School of Public Health
This study will identify long-term caregivers of older adults in Cameron County, a group that may be at elevated risk of accelerated brain aging due to the stressful nature of their role.
Project Contact: Ru-Jye (Lindi) Chuang, DrPH
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Principal Investigator
Ru-Jye (Lindi) Chuang, DrPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Christine Markham, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Study Partner
Brighter Bites is an evidence-based coordinated school health intervention proven to improve intake of fruits and vegetables among under-resourced children and their families. This project is to evaluate the efficacy of Brighter Bites among elementary school children in programming cities.
Project Contact: Naomi Tice, MPH
Project Team:
Principal Investigator
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Heidi Hagen McPherson, MPH
Co-Lead, Coalition of Connected Care
Ryan Ramphul, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Wesley Gibson
Research Coordinator, Center for Healthy Communities
Project Manager
Naomi Tice, MPH
Center for Healthy Communities
Building off the work of the Food Security Workgroup and the Texas Consortium for Non-Medical Drivers of Health Program Index, the Center for Healthy Communities is conducting a statewide review of Food Is Medicine programs to understand the depth of work happening in Texas and to gather information about intervention design, partnerships, organizational experience, and funding sources.
Project Contact: Ru-Jye (Lindi) Chuang, DrPH
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Ru-Jye (Lindi) Chuang, DrPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Steven Kelder, PhD
Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Courtney E. Byrd-Williams, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Jose-Miguel Yamal, PhD
Professor, Department of Biostatistics
Co-Investigator
Kila Johnson, DDS
Director of Dental Services, Harris County Public Health
Project Director
Mengxi Wang, PhD
Biostatistician, Center for Healthy Communities
Sr. Statistical Analyst
Michael Gonzalez
Center for Healthy Communities
Data Manager
Kateria Crichlow
Center for Healthy Communities
Research Measurement Coordinator
Center for Healthy Communities
Graduate Research Assistants
Bipin Singh, MPH
Harsh Chauhan, MPH
Jeannette Deason, MPH
Collaborators & Institutions
Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living
Harris County Public Health Houston
CATCH Healthy Smiles is a school-based oral health intervention grounded in theory and evidence, designed to equip students, parents, and school communities with the knowledge and skills to prevent dental caries. Currently, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, in partnership with Harris County Public Health and CATCH Global Foundation, is conducting a National Institutes of Health-funded cluster randomized controlled trial across 34 elementary schools in Greater Houston, primarily serving under-resourced families, to evaluate the program's effectiveness.
Project Contact: Naomi Tice, MPH
UTHealth Houston School of Public Health Team
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Ryan Ramphul, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Naomi Tice, MPH
Project Manager, Center for Healthy Communities
Wesley Gibson
Research Coordinator, Center for Healthy Communities
Project Partners
Co-Founder, Texas Consortium for NMDOH
Program Manager, Texas Consortium for NMDOH
Collaborators
The Center for Healthy Communities has a robust portfolio of Food Is Medicine research and policy activities to inform the evidence base across diverse populations in Texas. In partnership with health systems (e.g., Harris Health, UT Physicians, Legacy Community Health), managed care organizations (e.g., Community Health Choice), and community organizations (e.g., Houston Food Bank, Brighter Bites), the Center is designing and testing different models of FIM programs across different populations, including high-risk pregnant mothers, pediatric populations and adults with diabetes.
Project Contact: Heidi Hagen McPherson, MPH
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Heidi Hagen McPherson, MPH
Co-Lead, Coalition of Connected Care
Co-Investigator
Micaela Sandoval, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Jose Miguel Yamal, PhD
Professor, Department of Biostatistics
Data Manager
Michael Gonzalez
Center for Healthy Communities
This project advances the development, implementation, and evaluation of a regional closed-loop referral infrastructure that links healthcare and social service organizations to improve care coordination for non-medical drivers of health in Greater Houston. It strengthens governance, technology, organizational capacity, and sustainability planning while establishing an evaluation framework to measure efficiency, effectiveness, and long-term impact.
Project Contact: Mallika Mathur, PhD
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Christine Markham, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Ru-Jye (Lindi) Chuang, DrPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Prajakta Yergai, MD
Assistant Professor, McGovern Medical School
Co-Investigator
Vinay N. Prabhu, MD
Assistant Professor, McGovern Medical School
Co-Investigator
Sandra McKay, MD
Associate Professor, McGovern Medical School
Study Partners
This comparative effectiveness randomized controlled trial evaluates the clinical effectiveness of two different produce prescription strategies (at-home delivery and grocery store vouchers) in improving obesity-related health outcomes and dietary behaviors among a cohort of children aged 5-12 years old who are Medicaid eligible in Houston, Texas.
Project Contact: Ru-Jye (Lindi) Chuang, DrPH
Project Team
Co-Investigator
Ru-Jye (Lindi) Chuang, DrPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Study Coordinator
Mallika Mathur, PhD
Center for Healthy Communities
Study Coordinator
Qi Xue
Center for Healthy Communities
Study Partners
Brighter Bites: https://www.brighterbites.org/
Legacy Community Health: https://www.legacycommunityhealth.org/programs/school-based-health-care/
Brighter Bites is an evidence-based coordinated school health intervention proven to improve intake of fruits and vegetables among under-resourced children and their families. This project aims to improve chronic disease risk factors in children, families, and communities through a coordinated policies, systems, and environments approach that includes culturally appropriate produce prescription programs, community promotion of nutrition guideline adoption, enhanced physical activity infrastructure and environments, and increased availability of family healthy weight programs through schools and clinics.
Project Contact: Marcia Otto, PhD
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Marcia Otto, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Kristen Sandulache, RD
Registered Dietitian, School of Public Health
Savi Appana, MS
Biostatistician, School of Public Health
Ji Yun Tark, MPH
Graduate Research Assistant, School of Public Health
Kimberly Morrison, MPH
Trainee, School of Public Health
Project Partners: MD Anderson Cancer Center and Michael E. DeBakey Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
U-DINE is a longitudinal, multi-cohort study which aims to 1) quantify dietary patterns and insufficiencies and 2) evaluate the impact of cancer and related treatment on suboptimal diet among oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) patients over the continuum of cancer care.
Project Contact: Jemima John, PhD
Principal Investigator
Jemima John, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Mallika Mathur, PhD
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Center for Healthy Communities
This project represents a coordinated ecosystem of Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) research and evaluation activities designed to address health-harming legal needs (HHLNs) that influence health outcomes among Harris Health safety net populations- primarily families.
Project Contact: Naomi Tice, MPH
Project Team
Co-Investigator
Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD
Director, Center for Healthy Communities
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology
Co-Investigator
Nalini Ranjit, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Jose-Miguel Yamal, PhD
Professor, Department of Biostatistics
Co-Investigator
Kelseanna Hollis- Hanson, PhD
Research Assistant Professor, Tufts University
Co-Investigator
Alexandra van den Berg
Professor, Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
Co-Investigator
Pamela Berens, MD
UT Physicians
Project Manager
Naomi Tice, MPH
Center for Healthy Communities
Community Health Worker
Adriana Cardenas
Center for Healthy Communities
Data Manager
Michael Gonzalez
Center for Healthy Communities
Planning for and piloting a multisite RCT to test a food is medicine intervention to prevent gestational diabetes among women at-risk. Moms Accessing Nutritious Groceries for Overall Well-being (MANGO) Study.
