#WeAreEmoryEPI: World TB Day, Part 1!
Category : #WeAreEmoryEPI
World TB Day is March 24th, and this week, we’ll hear from two students completing TB-related work! Victoria Ontiveros is a first-year GLEPI MPH student, and Neha Mokashi is a first year EPI MSPH student! Read more about their academic and professional background below.
Tell us about your academic history/where you went to school.
Victoria: I have a B.S. in quantitative sciences with a concentration in biology from Emory University.
Neha: I graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a BSPH in Biostatistics and a minor in Biology! Go Heels!
Why are you interested in TB research?
Victoria: Even though TB is thousands of years old and kills more than a million people every year, many challenges remain in controlling and eliminating TB in the US and globally. As I have learned more about TB, I have become particularly interested in latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) since it affects approximately a quarter of the world’s population, and detection and treatment are not necessarily straightforward and simple.
Neha: I am interested in TB research because it gives me the opportunity to explore my interests in respiratory infections and health disparities research. Poverty is an important determinant of the disease and TB prevention efforts require delving deeper into the social and economic risk factors for TB.
Tell us about your current project or projects you have worked on. What does/did your role look like?
Victoria: I have been working with Dr. Matthew Magee and Dr. Maia Kipiani’s TB research team since I was junior in college. During these past few years, I have supported data quality control and data entry for their ongoing cohort study examining the relationship between TB and diabetes mellitus in the country of Georgia. Additionally, using data from a past cohort study in Tbilisi, Georgia, I have been preparing a manuscript that estimates the incidence of hypertension during and within 12 months of TB treatment completion and measures the association between TB severity and hypertension incidence.
Neha: I currently work with the CDC’s Division of TB Elimination, where I assist in prioritizing clusters of reported TB cases in the US to inform public health prevention efforts. My current project focuses on evaluating how well our team is prioritizing clusters.
What is your favorite part about being a part of this research group?
Victoria: Everyone is very friendly and genuinely wants to support your academic development and success.
Neha: My favorite part about being a part of this research group is definitely the people! Our group consists of individuals from different professional backgrounds, which has allowed me to learn about different aspects of TB prevention and control.
What has been your favorite class at Rollins thus far, and why?
Victoria: EPI 542 Epidemiology of Tuberculosis has been my favorite class so far. The class gives you a broad overview of the different topics related to TB, and if you are particularly interested in one area, the professors provide supplementary reading material and guest speakers are always happy to answer your questions.
Neha: My favorite class at Rollins thus far has been the Epidemiology of TB course. I have really enjoyed hearing about different topic areas in TB from leading experts in the field and have gained insight into the type of research I want to conduct in the future.
What are three fun facts that you want people to know about you?
Victoria:
- I collect trinkets.
- I have won a watch in a raffle that I hadn’t known I’d entered.
- I started playing tennis for fun in grad school.
Neha:
- I was born and raised in Alabama.
- I used to do research on tick-borne diseases before coming to Emory.
- My new favorite activity is barre!
How have you been spending your free time?
Victoria: I have been trying out new lunch and dinner recipes!
What is one place that you would recommend people to visit?
Victoria: The Mason Mill Park trails include some paved walkways that are great for strolls or runs. It connects to Lullwater Preserve, so it is accessible for Emory students.
Neha: If you are looking for the best tacos in Atlanta, I highly recommend Little Rey!
Do you have a Twitter/Instagram that you’d like us to plug?
Neha: Instagram: @nehamokashi
