Our Postdoctoral Fellows

Puja Aggarwal, Ph.D., is a two-time CPRTP fellowship awardee. As a Ph.D. student at The University of Texas Health Science Center, she was awarded an NCI R25E fellowship in January of 2015, under the mentorship of Dr. Carrie Daniel-MacDougall in Epidemiology. Her 2017 Ph.D. dissertation project with Dr. Katherine Hutcheson, Head and Neck Surgery, "Characterizing Risk and Burden of Lower Cranial Neuropathy as Late Effect among Oropharyngeal Cancer (OPC) Survivors." Her dissertation investigated the risk and burden of late lower cranial neuropathy (late LCNP) among more than 3,000 OPC survivors representing the largest and most comprehensive assessment of lower cranial neuropathy to date. After Dr. Aggarwal successfully defended her dissertation, she was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship under Dr. Sanjay Shete in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. She is currently investigating clinical and genetic predictors of risk-to-high prevalence cancer treatment‐associated symptoms, including dry mouth, dysphagia, mucus problems, choking, voice/speech, and fatigue among long‐term OPC survivors. 

Shikha Bista, Ph.D., has had extensive training in sociology, which refined her research interests related to immigration, race, and social inequality, emphasizing health disparities. She received a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Sociology from Loras College (Dubuque. Iowa) and Michigan State University (M.A. and Ph.D.), respectively. Dr. Bista's research emphasizes the importance of social determinants in health. Her dissertation, "Perceived Discrimination and Psychological Distress: The Moderating and Mediating Role of Social Context among Asian-Americans Nationwide," examined the relationship between discrimination and mental health among a nationwide sample of Asian Americans. Dr. Brista also explored the potential role of social context in moderating and mediating this association. Her current research project, "Cervical Cancer Screening: Factors Predicting Non-Compliance & Self-Reported Barriers among U.S. Women," has implications for identifying the role of societal factors in determining barriers to treatment, access, and preventive care among socially and medically underserved populations, to better understand its contribution to cervical cancer disparities. Under the mentorship of Drs. Surendra Shastri and Sanjay Shete, Dr. Bista, has a promising career as a leading researcher in cancer prevention. 

Mohammad Karim, Ph.D., received a Ph.D. in Health Services Research from Texas A&M School of Public Health. Dr. Karim has studied the long-term health-related expenditures incurred due to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening and treatment. His research investigates the survival and cost-saving aspects of cancer prevention. These cancer prevention efforts are essential for protecting individuals from the physiological detriments of cancer and saving families and the health systems from getting overwhelmed by the financial toxicity of this dire condition. Under the mentorship of Dr. Sanjay Shete (Epidemiology and Biostatistics, MD Anderson) and Dr. Hye-Chung Kum (Health Policy and Management, Texas A&M University), Dr. Karim is a rising star, dedicated, and committed to cancer care and prevention research.

Multi-talented therapist and clinician-scientist Juliet Kroll, Ph.D., holds a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Her training includes a 2-year rotation in the Harrold Simmons Cancer Center at Southwestern Medical Center. In 2016, she won an NIH grant as a primary investigator. She had had numerous training experiences in mental health and hospital-based settings. Dr. Kroll's research interests center on psychosomatic medicine, especially related to pulmonary physiology and stress. As a clinical psychologist, she is uniquely trained and poised to translate understanding of biobehavioral processes into interventions that can minimize the toxicity of stress. Dr. Kroll's research focuses on "Examining the Impact of Financial Stress on the Patient-Caregiver Dyad: A Combined Study of Psychological, Behavioral, & Immune Processes."

Kristin Maki, Ph.D., received a Ph.D. from the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, where she gained theoretical and methodological training in health communication. Dr. Maki's research aims to address cancer prevention by examining individual factors—including health literacy—relating to patient-provider discussions of lung cancer screening. Despite recommendations that require shared decision-making before lung cancer screening, research shows more to be learned in shifting this guideline to practice. Kristin's research project, "Shared Decision-Making Foundations & Lung Cancer Screening Discussion using HINTS Data.", examines factors associated with the occurrence of lung cancer screening discussions between patients and clinicians. Dr. Maki is well on her way to becoming an independent cancer prevention researcher.

Kristin Primm, Ph.D., received a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Tennessee Knoxville and an M.P.H. and Ph.D. in Health Education from Texas A & M University-College Station. Dr. Primm's research focuses on rural disparities in cancer and cancer-related comorbid conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as topics related to mental health and substance use disorder. She recently researched trends in mortality from five common cancers: breast, prostate, lung, pancreatic, and colorectal, to highlight disparities based on sex, levels of rurality, census region, and race. Dr. Shine Chang (Professor, Epidemiology; Director, CPRTP) and Dr. Daphne Hernandez (Associate Professor, School of Nursing, UT Health) serve as mentors on her project, "Population-Level Assessment of HPV Vaccination Trends, Use of E-Cigarettes to Quit Smoking & Cancer Screening Behaviors." 

Lilian J. Shin, Ph.D., has a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Psychology. Under the mentorship of Dr. Qian Lu (Health Disparities Research), her research interests focus on increasing well-being in collectivist cultures by tailoring positive activities (e.g., strengthening relationships). During her current postdoctoral fellowship, she applies concepts from positive psychology (i.e., well-being science) and health psychology to cancer prevention and control. She conducts analyses on the self-perceived burden, self-stigma, and quality of life with data previously collected on Asian-American breast cancer survivors. Dr. Shine will conduct a study testing the efficacy of self-administered positive activities(household contribution and mild exercise) in increasing agency and control during unpredictable life. She is dedicated to innovative positive activities to strengthen interpersonal relationships, which may be a key component of minimizing cancer-related health disparities in minority populations.

Naomi Q. P. Tan, Ph.D., received a B.A. and M.A. in Communications Research from the National University of Singapore. She received a Ph.D. in Communications Research from Ohio State University. Dr. Tan investigates the intersection of narrative persuasion and interpersonal communication in the domain of health. In particular, she has begun to amass a program of research investigating questions related to cancer screening interventions with Asian-Americans and experimental work assessing the effects of family health history narratives on family health information seeking and sharing. In her dissertation, Dr. Tan introduced and tested a model of narrative effects for cultural targeting. Her research aims to capitalize on the strengths of narrative-based messages and integrated with culturally targeted messages, to understand how to motivate cancer screening behavior among Chinese Americans, specifically in colonoscopy. Dr. Robert Volk in Health Services Research serves as her primary mentor on the project, "A Culturally Appropriate Narrative & Expressive Writing Intervention to Increase Smoking Cessation Intentions & Intentions to Engage in Lung Cancer Screening among Vietnamese American Men."

Natalia Heredia, Ph.D., has research interests in cancer prevention for the Hispanic population through the energy-balance behaviors of physical activity and diet. She received a B.A. in psychology and policy studies from Rice University, an M.P.H. in health promotion from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in behavioral sciences from the University of Texas Health Science Center. In her CPRIT-funded project, "Understanding Factors Contributing to the Rise of Metabolic Disease and Associated Liver Cancer Among Hispanics," she explored how health behaviors, neighborhood environments, lack of information on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and existing NAFLD clinical practice, contribute to the risk of metabolic disease, liver disease, and liver cancer in Hispanics. Her research will help prevent liver cancers in the Hispanic community. After completing her CPRIT postdoctoral fellowship (Mentor: Dr. Lorna McNeill, Health Disparities Research), Dr. Heredia was appointed as an Assistant Professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health.

Sukh Makhnoon, Ph.D., completed both a M.S. in genetic epidemiology and Ph.D. in public health genetics from the University of Washington. Her dissertation addressed health psychology and patient-provider interactions and Dr. Makhnoon's goal is to lead efforts to ease translation of new genomic applications in clinical genomics by developing education and communication tools to help providers, patients, and their families better understand and discuss genetic and genomic information. Dr. Susan Peterson (Behavioral Science) serves as primary mentor; Sukh's research will focus on adherence to cancer genetic test-related recommendation, as well as written and familial communication of uncertain genetic test results. After completing her CPRIT Postdoctoral Fellowship, Dr. Makhnoon was awarded a NCI K99/R00 grant titled, Multilevel Inestigation of Uncertain and Reclassificed Genomic Variants in Clinical Oncology. 

Ruben Rodriguez-Cano, Ph.D., earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain). During his CPRIT Postdoctoral Fellowship (Mentor: Dr. Janice Blalock, Behavioral Science) he investigated the effect of health risk factors, such as smoking or alcohol drinking, on smoking cessation context among cancer patients. Dr. Rodriguez-Cano has clinical and research experience in substance abuse disorders and other mental health disorders since 2011. He previously trained in the development and psychopathology of children at the Prevention and Promotion Service of Child Development and Early Intervention (SEPRODIAT; University of Murcia, Spain).  As of December 2020, Dr. Rubén Rodríguez-Cano is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Psychosocial Determinants group at the PROMENTA Research Center (University of Oslo, Norway).

Onyema Greg Chido-Amajuoyi, M.B.B.S., M.P.H., received a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree from Igbinedion University, Nigeria. After which, he worked as a clinician before enrolling at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, where he received an M.P.H. (Epidemiology). Under the mentorship of Dr. Sanjay Shete and co-mentors Dr. Paul Cinciripini (Chair, Behavioral Science) and Dr. Ernest Hawk (Vice President of Cancer Prevention), Onyema's postdoctoral research will investigate the "Population-Level Assessment of HPV Vaccination Trends, Use of E-cigarettes to Quit Smoking and Cancer Screening Behaviors." In July 2021, Dr. Chido-Amajuoyi will be an Internal Medicine Resident at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UTHealth) and CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview, Texas. 

Margaret Raber-Ramsey, DrPH, has competed three fellowship awards with the CPRTP at MD Anderson. She received a certificate in culinary arts from the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in London. Next, she obtained a B.S. in nutrition/food studies from New York University. While pursuing an M.P.H. from the University of Texas, she competed and won an NCI R25E graduate research fellowship. As Dr. Raber completed her doctoral degree in public health from the University of Texas, she was awarded an NCI predoctoral fellowship, followed by an MD Anderson postdoctoral fellowship. With Dr. Karen Basen-Engquist (Behavioral Science) and Dr. Joya Chandra (Pediatrics) as mentors, she lead innovative research in The Measurement and Impact of Healthy Cooking Behaviors in Nutrition Interventions Among Cancer Survivors and High-Risk Adults. As of May 3, 2021, Dr. Raber-Ramsey is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine - Children's Nutrition Research Center (CNRC).