PhD Program in Epidemiology

Research Mentor: Natasha B. Halasa, MD, MPH

Thesis Topic: Clinical significance of viral co-detection in pediatric respiratory infections

Biography
I completed my MD at The University of Jordan School of Medicine. During medical school, I conducted research in anatomy, physiology, pathology, and genetics. After graduating, I completed a medical internship at King Hussein Medical Center in Jordan. I then pursued postdoctoral research fellowships at the King Hussein Cancer Center’s Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. My research has focused on cancer epidemiology, pathology, and more recently, pediatric infectious diseases epidemiology.

Why Vanderbilt?
I chose to pursue a PhD in Epidemiology at Vanderbilt University to develop my epidemiologic research skills and work with leaders in pediatric infectious diseases epidemiology. The program’s emphasis on advanced quantitative methods, interdisciplinary collaboration, and public health impact aligns with my interests and background. I look forward to conducting impactful research on respiratory infections in children leveraging the excellent mentorship and wealth of resources at Vanderbilt.