Faculty Mentors

Catherine Juillard, MD, MPH

Dr. Juillard is a trauma surgeon and founding co-Director of PASE-UCLA, which aims to improve access for quality surgical care in LMICs. She has over 13 years of experience leading research studies in Cameroon and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which focus on improving access for quality trauma care, including serving as MPI with Dr. Chichom for NIH-funded projects on mHealth and trauma QI. She and Dr. Chichom have had a research partnership in Cameroon since 2008, with a successful track record of collaborative project execution, trainee mentoring (both US and SSA), funding, and publication. Dr. Juillard has mentored over 40 trainees, of which 15 are LMIC trainees who have had successful publications, including first-author publications, in peer-reviewed journals under Dr. Juillard’s mentorship. Research interests: Trauma (Quality Improvement) and Injury.

Rochelle Dicker, MD FACS

Dr. Dicker is a professor of Surgery and Anesthesia, Trauma Medical Director at UCLA, Co-Director of PASE-UCLA, and a trauma surgeon. Nationally known for her work, she has conducted extensive research on the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of violence intervention. Dr. Dicker is the Vice Chair of the ACS-COT Injury Prevention and Control Committee and leads the efforts for a committee charged with Improving the Social Determinants to Attenuate ViolencE (ISAVE). In addition to her injury prevention work, Dr. Dicker has a strong track record in global health research focused on injury prevention and trauma systems. She has contributed to over 90 peer-reviewed publications and several book chapters. Dr. Dicker has mentored over 30 trainees, including trainees from Uganda, Cameroon, and Nigeria, who, under her mentorship, have successfully published in high-impact peer-reviewed journals. Research interests: Trauma, Injury and Violence Prevention

Gill Cryer, MD PhD FACS

Dr. Cryer is a Professor of Surgery and the immediate past Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at UCLA. He is a past president of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and a past member of the Executive Committee of the ACS-COT, where he served as Chair of the Performance Improvement and Patient Safety Committee and the Trauma Quality Improvement Project (TQIP). His research interests include shock and resuscitation, multiple organ failure, management of the unstable trauma patient, trauma systems, and trauma quality improvement. He has mentored over 20 post-graduate trainees, many of them surgical residents who have spent two or more years under his direct mentorship, and several international trainees. Dr. Cryer brings deep expertise in trauma systems and trauma QI to the STREaM mentorship faculty. Research interests: Trauma (Quality Improvement) and Injury.

Areti Tillou, MD MSEd FACS

Dr. Tillou is a Professor of Surgery and currently serves as Vice Chair for Education for the UCLA Department of Surgery, where she oversees all Departmental education-related activities. She is the founding Director of the UCLA Department of Surgery Accredited Education Institute (AEI) and is the Assistant Designated Institutional Official of the UCLA School of Medicine. Dr. Tillou’s research interest focuses on multidisciplinary and interprofessional team training, curriculum design and innovation, and acute care surgery outcomes. Dr. Tillou will provide expertise in curriculum development, education, and trauma outcomes. Research interests: Medical Education, Trauma and Injury.

Marcia McGory Russell, MD FACS

Dr. Russell is an Associate Professor of Surgery at UCLA and is a nationally recognized expert in QI and surgical outcomes. She can provide research mentorship for STREaM trainees in quality improvement, surgical health services research, and surgical care for vulnerable populations. Dr. Russell has received funding from different sources including the NIH. She developed the initial quality indicators for elderly patients undergoing major abdominal surgery in 2005 and updated them for all elderly surgery patients in 2009 (funded by the National Institute on Aging). Dr. Russell has directly mentored 3 junior faculty and 17 postdoctoral fellows and residents in various areas of quality improvement or surgical health services research. Research interests: Quality Improvement, Health Services Research.

Melinda Maggard-Gibbons, MD MSHS FACS

Dr. Gibbons is a Professor of Surgery in the UCLA Department of Surgery with an adjunct appointment at RAND Health and helped found the Center for Surgical Outcomes and Quality at UCLA. Her research interests include assessing and improving quality of surgical care, disparities in care, patient navigation, survivorship, and appropriateness of surgical treatment. She serves as mentor for the National Clinician Scholars Program and is currently funded by the NIH. Dr. Gibbons brings nationally-recognized quality improvement methodology expertise and a strong track record of mentorship to the STREaM faculty. Research interests: Quality Improvement, Health Services Research.

David Elashoff, PhD

Dr. David Elashoff is a Professor of Medicine, Biostatistics and Computational Medicine at UCLA and Director of the Department of Medicine Statistics Core. He serves as Leader for the Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD) for the UCLA CTSI and the Co-Lead of the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) Biostatistics Program. He has extensive collaborative experience on a variety of basic science, clinical research, and clinical trials research projects. Dr. Elashoff serves as the co-Director of the UCLA Masters of Clinical Research program in which he teaches courses on clinical trial design, scientific communication, and statistical methods. Research interests: Biostatistics.

Ryan Harrigan, PhD

Dr. Harrigan is an Assistant Adjunct Professor at the Center for Tropical Research and UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. He has extensive experience working in African settings and has co-organized several workshops on the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial modeling. His research focuses on the impact of bioclimatic and socioeconomic factors on the prevalence and distribution of infectious diseases. Dr. Harrigan has co-authored over 40 publications in peer-reviewed journals. Research interests: Modeling of Biodiversity, Infectious Disease.

Sandra McCoy, PhD

Dr. McCoy is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology, and Program Lead and Curriculum Coordinator of the UC Berkeley Epidemiology and Biostatistics Online MPH program (OOMPH). For a decade, Dr. McCoy has provided mentorship to trainees at the undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral, and junior faculty levels, including postdoctoral fellows in SSA through the NIH Fogarty Global Health Equity Scholars Program. Dr. McCoy has a portfolio of successful ongoing and completed NIH- funded research projects and leads an independent research program of quantitative and qualitative research with collaborators in eastern and southern Africa focusing on impact evaluation, implementation science, and intervention design and evaluation. Guided by implementation science frameworks, the overarching goal of her team’s research is to develop effective, cost-effective and scalable interventions for intractable global health challenges, leveraging digital health (mHealth) tools and data science. Research interests: Implementation science, Impact evaluation.

Alan Hubbard, PhD

Dr. Hubbard is a Professor of Biostatistics, Co-Director of the Biomedical Big Data pre-doctoral (T32) training program, co-Director of the Center of Targeted Learning, Director of the computational biology Core E of the SuperFund Center at University of California, Berkeley (NIH/EPA), and is a consulting statistician on multiple federally funded and foundation projects. He has worked on a diverse range of projects, but most of his work has focused on semi-parametric estimation in high- dimensional data. His current methods-research focuses on precision medicine, variable importance, statistical inference for data-adaptive parameters, and statistical software implementing targeted machine learning methods, including a significant body of work applying machine learning in the study of acute trauma. Research interests: Causal Inference, Machine learning.

Maya Petersen, PhD

Dr. Petersen is an Associate Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Chair of the Division of Biostatistics, and co-Chair of the Graduate Group in Biostatistics at UC Berkeley. Dr. Petersen is an internationally recognized leader in the development of novel data science methods at the intersection of causal inference, machine learning, and statistics, and the application of these methods to improve global health. She has a portfolio of multiple NIH-funded grants including one that contributed to new population-based global strategies to control HIV and improve community health via antiretroviral drugs (HIV treatment) and multi-disease care delivery models. Dr. Petersen’s teaching has won multiple awards, including a national award from the American Statistical Association. She has mentored over 35 PhD students and 17 post-doctoral scholars. Dr. Petersen also co-Directs the NIH-funded T32 Computational Social Sciences Training grant at UC Berkeley. Research interests: Causal inference, HIV, Implementation science, Impact evaluation.

Lexin Li, PhD

Dr. Li, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute. He is an expert on high-dimensional complex data analysis and statistical machine learning, with applications in neuroimaging analysis, Alzheimer's disease, computational biology, and biomedical research. He has over 80 publications in statistical methodology, theory and applications in top statistics and biostatistics journals. He has received multiple grants from NSF and NIH. He has supervised a number of international students on PhD thesis research and brings a strong mentoring track record for trainees in quantitative disciplines. Research interests: High dimensional data analysis, Neuroimaging analysis, Biomedical research.

Jingshen Wang, PhD

Dr. Wang is an Assistant Professor of Biostatistics with expertise in causal inference, streaming data, and high dimensional data analyses. Her research on machine learning led to her inclusion on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2021. She will provide expert mentorship in three areas: 1) causal inference in complex observational data, 2) high dimensional data analysis, and 3) mHealth studies with dynamic statistical inference. Dr. Wang received an NSF award from the Division of Mathematics. Under the support of NSF, Dr. Wang is currently mentoring one PhD student and three MA students. These research projects develop modern statistical methodologies with substantial applications, and hence are suitable for training graduate students with a broad range of skills. Research interests: High dimensional data analysis, Causal Inference, Precision Medicine.

Corrinne Riddell, PhD MSc

Dr. Corinne Riddell is a social and perinatal epidemiologist, and an Assistant Adjunct Professor in the Divisions of Biostatistics and Epidemiology. She leads a body of research on US racial inequalities in health, with a specific interest in measuring how some states have fared better than others at reducing disparities. Dr. Riddell uses interactive data visualization to explore these topics, as well as sophisticated surveillance and causal methodologies. In Fall 2018, she redesigned the course “Introduction to Biostatistics in Public Health” (PH142), to incorporate R for data science, and introduce students to data manipulation and visualization as part of their public health education. Her quantitative public health expertise and experience in curriculum design make a valuable addition to the STREaM faculty. Research interests: Social epidemiology, perinatal epidemiology, health disparities.

Mi-Suk Kang Dufour, PhD, MPH

Dr. Kang Dufour is an Associate Adjunct Professor in the Division of Biostatistics Berkeley and an Associate Professor at the UCSF Division of Prevention Science. Her research interests are in implementation science for public health programs. She is particularly interested in the application of quantitative methods to the evaluation of population interventions in the effectiveness and scale up phases of implementation. Much of her work is conducted in SSA. Dr. Kang Dufour received her PhD in epidemiology from UC Berkeley in 2011 with a focus on quantitative methods and causal inference. Research interests: Implementation Science, Care Engagement, Impact evaluation.

Alain Chichom-Mefire, MD - University of Buea

Dr. Chichom is a Professor of General Surgery and the Vice-Dean in charge of Research and Cooperation at the Faculty of Health Sciences at University of Buea. He was the Head of the Department of Surgery in the same faculty for over a decade. He also serves as the Director of Research for Cameroon at PASE-UCLA. He has designed and implemented a curriculum for undergraduate training in general surgery for the University and teaches a module on non-communicable diseases to MPH and PhD students in the Buea’s Department of Public Health and Hygiene. He has mentored over 70 medical students, 20 MPH students and three PhD students in their research. Dr. Chichom’s research work has been oriented towards improving the care of the injured in Cameroon. He developed a collaborative program with research partners in UCSF and UCLA, with whom he designed two programs, earning funding from the NIH. He co-mentored numerous trainees from UCSF and UCLA, serving as their Cameroon mentor and direct supervisor for their in-country fieldwork. Research interests: Trauma (Quality Improvement) and Injury.

Georges Nguefack-Tsague, PhD

Dr. Nguefack-Tsague currently teaches coursework in Biostatistics, Data Science and Health Informatics. His research addresses topics in data analysis, programmatic mapping and size estimation of populations most at risk of HIV, HIV modelling, and health information systems, health research secondary data analysis, in particular demographic and health survey (DHS) data. His expertise in secondary data analysis has led him to be the coordinator of Working Group “Data Mining and Big Data Analytics” and the Work Set “Secondary Data Analysis of Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) in Africa” of the Pan African Health Informatics Association (HELINA). He is author of more than 75 publications in peer reviewed journals, and a book. Dr. Nguefack-Tsague has directly mentored 64 students, 5 junior faculties, and 15 residents in disseminated in SSA. Research interests: Biostatistics, Health Informatics, Epidemiology, Public Health.

Nicholas Tendongfor, PhD

Dr. Tendongfor is an Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology and Head of the Department of Public Health and Hygiene at the University of Buea. He has expertise in community directed interventions, health programs evaluation, and experimental design and data analysis. Dr. Tendongfor has served as principal and co-principal investigator in many WHO, European Union and European Foundation Initiative for Neglected Tropical Diseases (EFINT)-sponsored projects implemented in Cameroon and other SSA countries. He has supervised 49 theses in the fields of public health, epidemiology, medical microbiology, and medicine at the MPH, PhD, and Medical Doctor levels. He has authored over 39 publications in peer reviewed journals. Research interests: Community-Directed Interventions, Medical Microbiology.

Gregory Halle Ekane, MD

Dr. Halle-Ekane is a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology & Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and serves as Cameroon’s coordinator for the Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Switzerland. Dr. Halle-Ekane’s academic experience has given him expertise in research planning and execution of projects related to trauma and non-communicable diseases in Cameroon. His current responsibilities include overseeing all undergraduate and medical school research and teaching activities at Buea. He has mentored 18 fellows of the Afya Bora Consortium Fellowship in Global Health Leadership, 12 fellows of the Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research, and nine trainees from the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and University of Nottingham. Dr. Halle-Ekane helps coordinate the USAID-funded Africa One Health University Network Project, a consortium of African universities partnered to manage emerging and re-emerging diseases using the One Health approach. Research interests: Reproductive Health, Global Health.

Dickson Nsagha, PhD

Dr. Nsagha is a Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Public Health and Hygiene and Vice-Dean in Charge of Programmes and Academic Affairs of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Dr. Nsagha has international experience scaling-up interventions, conducting impact evaluations, developing investment projects, and building public health research capacity across SSA. He has worked for various multilateral, governmental, and non-governmental organizations. Professor Nsagha designed the MPH and PhD programs offered by the Department of Public Health and Hygiene at Buea, and has served as a thesis mentor for over 130 Masters, Medical, and PhD students. He has co-authored a book and over 130 publications. Research interests: Epidemiology and Public Health.

Ayuk Betrand Tambe, PhD

Dr. Ayuk is an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Public Health and Hygiene at Buea, and an International Research Fellow at Stellenbosch University and the University of South Africa. He possesses over ten years of research experience in the fields of occupational health and safety, public health, nutrition, health promotion, behavior modification, policy development and analysis, and migration work. He has successfully managed several research and development projects for a wide range of global agencies, including projects focused on injury prevention initiatives in the workplace. Dr. Ayuk has successfully co-supervised a PhD and 3 Masters students through their research projects. He has published over 22 research articles in peer-reviewed journals and currently serves as a reviewer for several high-impact public health journals and an Editorial board member for BMC Public Health under their Global Health division. Research interests: Occupational Health and safety, Public Health, Nutrition.

Robert Mackersie, MD FACS

Dr. Mackersie is the immediate past Director of Trauma Services at San Francisco General Hospital, a post he held for over 20 years, and a Professor of Surgery at UCSF. He is an internationally recognized authority on trauma care and trauma systems and has authored or co-authored over 140 publications. Dr. Mackersie has had a long involvement in the educational aspects of trauma, and has supervised fellowship programs in trauma, critical care, and violence prevention. He currently serves as the Chair of the Trauma Advisory Committee for the State of California and is helping to lead the process for regulations revisions to the state trauma code. Dr. Mackersie has mentored over 40 fellows, over 70 residents, and multiple junior faculty in trauma systems research. Research interests: Trauma, Violence Prevention.

M. Margaret Knudson, MD FACS

Dr. Knudson is a Professor of Surgery at UCSF, Adjunct Professor at the Uniformed Services University, and the Medical Director of the Military Health Service Strategic Partnership with the ACS. She is currently the deputy editor of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons and also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. Her research interests include post-traumatic venous thromboembolism, combat casualty care, and injury prevention. For 15 years, she served as the PI for the CDC-funded San Francisco Injury Center for Research and Prevention. She currently holds grants from the department of Defense and the NIH. Dr. Knudson has directly supervised 12 trauma research fellows, and co-authored over 177 publications and 33 book chapters. Research interests: Trauma, Injury Prevention.

Priya Shete, MD MPH

Dr. Shete is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at UCSF. Her work focuses on designing context-specific implementation strategies for evidence-based public health interventions. She is principal investigator of studies in Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and the US. She uses methods in implementation science, modelling, social epidemiology, and health economics to develop more patient-centered approaches to care. Dr. Shete co-directs the UCSF Implementation Science Training Program, serves as the Chair for Implementation Research for the United Nations Task Team on Social Protection in HIV/TB and is the Chair for the Global Health Policy Working group for the American Thoracic Society. She has served as a Consultant for the Global TB Programme at WHO, a Public Health Advisor for USAID, and currently leads the California Department of Public Health's COVID-19 modelling and analytics team. Research interests: Implementation science.

Maria Garcia, MD MPH

As a clinician investigator, Dr. Garcia focuses on comorbid mental health and chronic diseases and their disproportionate impact on vulnerable and marginalized populations. Dr. Garcia has researched the unique challenges that patients with co-morbid mental health and chronic diseases face and focused on implementation work in mental health integration and improvement of service delivery for populations with language barriers. She is currently Co-Director for the Implementation Science Training Program and the Pre-Health Undergraduate Program at UCSF. Research interests: Implementation science, Mental health, Chronic Diseases, Health Service Delivery.

Rhoderick Machekano, PhD

Dr. Machekano is the Director of Biostatistics and Research Data Management at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatrics AIDS Foundation and an Associate Professor at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. He provides statistical leadership of operational research studies and oversight of biostatistics teaching at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University. He also develops biostatistics curricula, performs quality assurance and provides biostatistical consulting to researchers. Dr. Machekano has over 20 years of experience conducting research on HIV transmission and evaluating tuberculosis prevention interventions. Dr. Machekano has published over 55 publications in peer-reviewed journals. He is a member of the American Statistical Association and Biometrics Society – ENAR. Research interests: Biostatistics, HIV/AIDS/TB and associated comorbidities.