UTHealth Houston SPH Epidemiology

07/13/2026

Epidemiology doctoral student Linjie Li, MPH, was featured in the July 1 issue of El Fronterizo, the newsletter of the Office of Border Public Health. Her article, “Emergency Preparedness in South Texas Border Communities,” highlights research examining disaster readiness among adults living in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

The study found significant gaps in emergency preparedness, including low rates of family emergency plans and challenges related to evacuation assistance. You can read the full newsletter at the link in our bio.

07/09/2026

Check out our new location coming soon!

07/08/2026

The Texas Sleep Ambassador Program is celebrating the graduation of its inaugural cohort of Community Health Workers (CHWs), marking an important step toward improving sleep health across Texas.

Led by Principal Investigator Qian Xiao, PhD, associate professor with the Department of Epidemiology, and Co-investigators Rosalia Guerrero, PhD, program manager with the Community Health Worker Training Program, Professor Sudha Tallavajhula, MD, McGovern Medical School, and post-doctoral researchers Meina Zhang, PhD, and Erika Figueroa-Solis, PhD, the program provides specialized training in sleep health through virtual and in-person learning, expert-led seminars, and community-focused projects.

You can read more in our latest issue of Epi in the News:
➡️ https://conta.cc/4oXvXsP ⬅️

07/07/2026

Epidemiology Professor Bijal Balasubramanian, PhD, recently presented at Bridging Evidence and Practice: A Hands-on Workshop on Implementation Research in Public Health in Mumbai, India. The workshop brought together public health professionals working to translate research evidence into effective, real-world practice.

07/06/2026

🎓 From medicine to population health, Harsha Gottimukkala, MD, MPH, is making an impact beyond the clinic. A recent graduate of the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health Epidemiology MPH program, Gottimukkala’s journey was shaped by personal inspiration, strong mentorship, and a passion for improving health outcomes at the community level.
Read more about his path, experiences, and future goals in our latest student spotlight linked below.

From Inspiration to Impact: Harsha Gottimukkala’s Path in Epidemiology Written by: Jana Satterwhite | Updated: June 30, 2026 Harsha Gattimukkala, MD, MPH Harsha Gottimukkala, MD, MPH, a recent graduate of the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health Epidemiology MPH program, has built a path shape...

07/03/2026

Center for Healthy Communities Director Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD, FAHA, Senior Project Manager Naomi Tice, MPH, and Research Scientist Maha Almohamad, PhD, presented three Food Is Medicine projects at FIMCON 2026 in Washington, DC, showcasing innovative strategies to improve nutrition access and health outcomes.

👏 We are excited to share that our team had the opportunity to present three Food Is Medicine (FIM) projects at FIMCON 2026 in Washington DC this week! (https://fimcon.org/) 🍎 Texas FIM Landscape Scan (https://lnkd.in/dXh3kRtD) In 2025, we conducted a statewide review of Food Is Medicine progr...

07/01/2026

Epidemiology doctoral student Linjie Li, MPH, was featured in the July 1 issue of El Fronterizo, the newsletter of the Office of Border Public Health. Her article, “Emergency Preparedness in South Texas Border Communities,” highlights research examining disaster readiness among adults living in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. You can read the newsletter linked below!

06/30/2026

Benjamin Black, MPH, a doctoral student and graduate research assistant working with Epidemiology Professor Blanca Restrepo, PhD, presented his research at the National Tuberculosis Coalition of America conference as an Early-Stage Career Investigator in the Innovative Network for TB Research and Capacity Building (IN-TRAC) program. His presentation, “Frailty at Tuberculosis Diagnosis,” explored the role of frailty among individuals at the time of tuberculosis diagnosis and its potential implications for patient outcomes.

06/10/2026

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.

06/05/2026

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.