Celebrating GGEB Graduates
Please join us in our celebration as we highlight our GGEB graduates.
The profiles are sectioned by degree type:
Doctor of Philosophy
Emily K. Acton
Mentor: Scott Kasner, MD
Epidemiology Program
Thesis Title: Harnessing Real-World Data to Assess Drug-Drug and Higher-Order Interactions of Antiseizure Medications and Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants
Bernadette D'Alonzo
Mentors: Douglas Wiebe, PhD & Andrea Schneider, MD, PhD
Epidemiology Program
Thesis Title: Identifying factors that relate to recovery among collegiate athletes with sport-related concussion
Research and Lab Description: My background in public health, and social and behavioral research has fostered my interests in applying novel epidemiologic methods to injury science, particularly in the context of sport-related concussion. With mentorship from my advisor, Dr. Doug Wiebe and multidisciplinary committee, I use multiple epidemiologic and qualitative methods to characterize how Division I collegiate athletes experience concussion and recovery. Findings from my dissertation inform and underscore the need for the development of targeted, individualized, symptom-specific interventions to manage concussion.
Post PhD Plans: After graduation, I will begin a postdoctoral fellowship at Penn in the Neurology Department, mentored by Dr. Andrea Schneider, and focused on traumatic brain injury-related outcomes across the life course.
Benny Ren
Mentors: Ian J. Barnett, PhD & Jeffrey S. Morris, PhD
Biostatistics Program
Thesis Title: Computational and Inference Strategies for Longitudinal, Functional and Stochastic Models
Tuhina Srivastava
Mentor: Melanie Kornides, ScD, RN, FNP-BC
Epidemiology Program
Thesis Title: Associations Between Neighborhood Vulnerability and Vaccine Uptake in Philadelphia, PA
Research and Lab Description: I investigated associations between vaccine receipt and individual-level and neighborhood-level factors, such as census tract social vulnerability scores, using regression modeling, spatial statistics, and machine-learning prediction modeling. We found that vaccine uptake was vaccine-specific, and racial disparities as well as disparities based on residence in vulnerable communities existed for some vaccines. We evaluated health inequities in vaccination coverage in Philadelphia, aiming to assist public health officials in outbreak preparedness and resource allocation decisions.
Post PhD Plans: Research Scientist, Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington
Jiayi Tong
Mentor: Yong Chen, PhD
Biostatistics Program
Thesis Title: Distributed algorithms and statistical inference for multi-site analyses: unfolding the complexity of heterogeneity in real-world data
Research and Lab Description: Inspired by the practical challenges of integrating real-world data (RWD) from multiple clinical sites within Distributed Research Networks (DRNs), my dissertation focused on the development of end-to-end distributed learning frameworks that effectively preserve privacy, ensure communication efficiency, and account for heterogeneity. Under the guidance of Dr. Yong Chen and with the aim of advancing the field of data-driven decision-making in health policy through real-world evidence-based analysis, I am interested in developing methods to provide innovative solutions to international collaborative research to improve patient-centered outcomes.
Post PhD Plans: Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor Comment: I have had the great fortune to work with Jessie over the past several years and witness her growth into a stellar researcher. Quite simply, Jessie is an exceptional example of a next-generation data scientist: she has solid training in statistical theory, is passionate about scientific questions, and is an unselfish team player. She is a born problem solver. I wish her all the best in her new chapter of her career as an Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health!
Master of Science
Shunzhou Jiang
Mentor: Mingyao Li, PhD
Biostatistics Program
Research Project Title: Spatial and microenvironment inference for single-cell RNA sequencing by leveraging gene- gene covariance information
Dong Heon Lee
Mentor: Jin Jin, PhD
Biostatistics Program
Research Project Title: Pathway-level transcriptome wide association study leveraging prior gene regulatory network information
Jihua Liu
Mentor: Rui Feng, PhD
Biostatistics Program
Research Project Title: Plasma Metabolite Profiling Identifies Clusters Among Covid-19 Patients With Sepsis
Mentor Comment: I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Jihua in her MS years at Penn Biostat. Jihua is not only highly motivated but also has the most pleasant manner and collaborative spirit. I have truly enjoyed working with her. I wish her all the best as she pursues her Ph.D. degree at the University of Wisconsin.
Shalini Ramachandra
Mentor: Jarcy Zee, PhD
Biostatistics Program
Research Project Title: Variation in Creatinine Generation Among Patients with Glomerular Disease
Archana Simha
Mentor: Jinbo Chen, PhD
Biostatistics Program
Research Project Title: Using random forest to classify underdiagnosed NAFLD populations (PU-learning)
Research and Lab Description: Through the Biostatistics MS program I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Jinbo Chen for my MS thesis. We worked on exploring the use of random forest models to classify underdiagnosed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) populations. NAFLD is a prevalent but often under-detected liver condition. The study aims to address the challenge of classifying patients with NAFLD using electronic health record (EHR) data, particularly those who remain unlabeled due to underdiagnosis. I presented an approach that combines downsampling, random forest modeling, and imputation to develop a robust classifier for identifying underdiagnosed NAFLD patients.
Post MS Plans: After graduation I will continue to deliver healthcare solutions at Verily.
Mentor Comment: It was a real pleasure working with Archana. Stepping out of a job to pursue a graduate degree, Archana definitely made the best use of her educational opportunity at Penn. She is hardworking and maintains a high standard for her work. She is self-driven and collaborates well with other team members. She is always warm, kind, and respectful. I will miss her and wish her the very best in her career!
Kosta Tsingas
Mentors: Qi Long, PhD & Noam Auslander, PhD
Biostatistics Program
Research Project Title: Multi-omic profiling of melanoma patient- derived xenografts through
Omar Vazquez
Mentor: Doug Schaubel, PhD
Biostatistics Program
Research Project Title: Causal effect on the survival function: Application to Kidney transplantation
Hanxiang Xu
Mentors: Haochang Shou, PhD & Li Shen, PhD
Biostatistics Program
Research Project Title: Physical activity pattern mediating the relationship between genetic variants and AD-like brain atrophy
Mentor Comment: It was an absolute delight to work with Hanxiang and observe his growth with an admirable blend of curiosity and dedication. Wish him all the best on his Ph.D. journey and path as a future biostatistician!
