Research

Jan 2021 – Ongoing

Environmental and chemical exposures in a San Francisco firefighter cohort ; PI: Kari Nadeau; 

Funding: Sean Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research

Role: Postdoctoral Fellow

Activities: Data collection of clinical samples (blood, buccal swabs, skin taping, urine) suit chemicals (PFAS, heavy metals), and post exposure to fire data in a group of firefighters and unexposed controls.  Data modeling of exposure and risk assessment. Interpretation and presentation of results. Lead manuscript preparation (Ongoing).

Sep 2020 – Ongoing

Wildfire symptoms before and after an exposure event; PI: Kari Nadeau; 

Funding: Sean Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research

Role: Postdoctoral Fellow

Activities: Data modeling of cardiorespiratory symptoms due to air pollution exposure during a large wildfire event in the the Bay Area. Clustering models for air pollutant metrics. Interpretation and presentation of results.

Sep 2019 –

Feb 2021

Association of traffic and related air pollutants on cardiorespiratory risk factors from low-income populations in El Paso, TX; PI: When-Wai Li; 

Funding: Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emission, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)

Role: Co-Principal Investigator

Activities: Assessment of respiratory (airway inflammation and lung function) and cardiovascular risk factor (Metabolic Syndrome) in participants.  Data modeling of short-term and long-term air quality exposure on health related outcomes. GIS modeling of traffic related variables.  Assist in clustering models for air pollutant metrics. Interpretation and presentation of results. Lead manuscript preparation (Ongoing).

Sep 2014 –

Feb 2021

Evidence Based Screening for Cardiorrespiratory Health Outcomes in Low Income Communities from El Paso Texas; PI: Joao Ferreira Pinto;

Funding: City of El Paso’s Department of Public Health

Role: Research Coordinator

Activities: Oversee health screenings (blood pressure, glucose, lipid panel, electrocardiogram, and spirometry) for cardio-respiratory health outcomes in over 5000 participants. Manage interdisciplinary team during data collection, interpretation of test results, education,  and referrals for participants. Data management and analysis. Lead manuscript preparation (Ongoing).

Sep 2017 –   

Aug 2019

Associations of respiratory responses with traffic air pollution for asthmatic children attending roadside schools; PI: When-Wai Li; 

Funding: Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emission, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)

Role: Research Associate

Activities: Assessment of fruit & vegetable intake (via Veggiemeter™), physical activity (via accelerometry), airway inflammation (NiOX), and lung function (Spirometry) in participants.  Data management of health related data. Assist in clustering models for air pollutant metrics. Interpretation and presentation of results. Lead and assist in manuscript preparation (Ongoing).

Sep 2016 –

Dec 2019

Elucidation of the Effects of Air Pollution on Asthma using Naturally-occurring Carbon Stable Isotope Ratios; PI: Leah Whigham;

Funding: Paso del Norte Institute for Healthy Living

Role: Research Associate

Activities: Assessment of stable isotope ratios of carbon from breath samples from at risk populations. Setup and calibration of equipment. Running samples to determine breath delta values. Data analysis.

Sep 2015 –   

Aug 2016

Prevalence of Risk Factors for Metabolic Syndrome in Uninsured Hispanic Adults from Low income communities in El Paso, Texas; PI: Maria Duarte;

Funding: City of El Paso’s Department of Public Health

Role: Master’s Thesis

Activities: Thesis involving data collection for metabolic risk factors (large waist, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL-cholesterol, high glucose) in Hispanic residents from the Housing Authority of El Paso. Analysis, interpretation, and presentation of results.

May 2015 –   

Jul 2015

Asociación entre Exposición Crónica a Contaminantes del Aire y Problemas Cardiorrespiratorios en Familias Quiteñas de Bajos Recursos Económicos en Quito, Ecuador; PI: Rodrigo Armijos;

Funding: Prometeo Grant – Secretaria de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación

Role: UTEP Air Quality Intern

Activities: Assessment of pulse wave velocity and heart rate variability on mother-children couples. Assist in collection of fine particulate matter gradients from communities exposed to different levels of air pollutants. Data entry and management.

May 2013 –

April 2014

Respiratory Health Effects Induced by Indoor and Outdoor Bioaerosols in El Paso, Texas; PI: Rodrigo Armijos

Funding: UTEP Dodson Research Funds

Role: Research Assistant

Activities: Assist with collection of bioerosol samples from low income households. Identification of common pathogens based on culture results from sampling.

Sep 2013 –   

Aug 2014

Urban air pollution and carotid intima-media thickness in at risk children of El Paso, Texas; PI: Rodrigo Armijos

Funding: NIEHS-R01 Grant

Role: Research Assistant

Activities: Assessment of lipid profile and glucose screenings in children. Assisted in pulse wave velocity and heart rate variability assessments. Data entry.

Jan 2007 –    

Jan 2008

Incidence of Breast Cancer considering anatomic localization, age group and BIRADS at IMSS#35 PI: Pablo Hernandez

Funding: Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social

Role: Medical Intern

Activities: Medical thesis project involving interpretation and analysis of breast samples from patients attending the breast treatment clinic at IMSS#35 Hospital.