» Additional Student and Alumni National Impact

RUSSELL SALTZMAN DELARAM GHANOONI, M.D., M.P.H., CPH DANIEL SAMANO, M.D., M.P.H.

Program: Master of Science in Public Health

How Saltzman’s work has been related to COVID-19:

“We have completed two drug trials for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (Aviptadil and Favipiravir). My department has also been giving cell therapy for patients with severe COVID-19 as an emergency use authorization (EUA).

We plan to start a new multi-center randomized clinical trial in which hospitalized patients will receive stem cells or placebo. Also, I am currently working on my MSPH thesis which will focus on public knowledge attitudes and practices related to the pandemic with a focus on hesitancy towards participating in clinical trials.” – Saltzman

Program: Ph.D. in Prevention Science and Community Health

How Ghanooni’s work has been related to COVID-19:

“I have been part of a COVID-related research called CRUSH (COVID-19 Research for Understanding the role of Substance use and HIV) since August 2020 as part of Dr. Adam Carrico’s ICARUS lab ongoing research projects. I have been involved in writing the study’s IRB and consent forms as well as conducting in-person research, biospecimen collection, and biospecimen delivery since last year.”– Ghanooni

Program: Master of Public Health

How Samano’s work has been related to COVID-19:

“I’ve continued to give talks to several groups, including support groups of people living with spinal cord injury in Miami Dade and Broward counties, general public in LatAm, and doctors about updates on tests for COVID-19, vaccines and Q/A sessions. I’m also working and managing a couple of research studies regarding neurological manifestations of COVID-19 (one is an international collaboration with France and LatAm, the second is focusing towards PTSD).

Last summer, I co-mentored an undergraduate student through Clinical and Translational Science Institute. The student presented a poster on COVID-19 related research.

I have also voluntarily participated in CNN and CNN en Español interviews in

Khaila Prather, M.P.H.

Program: Master of Public Health

How Prather’s work has been related to COVID-19:

“I am working on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 Research Studies. Specifically, I am working on their study called RECOVER—Research on the Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Essential Response Personnel. I am excited to be getting more involved in working on some of the company’s exciting and impactful projects.” – Prather

FELIX ROMERO MINJI KIM

Program: Master of Science in Prevention Science and Community Health Program: M.D./M.P.H.

How Kim’s work has been related to COVID-19:

How Romero’s work has been related to COVID-19:

“The vaccine consideration project is a project that highlights health and safety throughout the COVID-19 vaccine evaluation process. As a part of the Student and Research Team my responsibilities are to develop student outreach strategies, manage consistent and coordinated outreach, conduct research and data entry to address Vaccine Hesitancy.” – Romero Kim and two other M.D. students, Nick Lee and Seiya Liu, conducted research studies examining the effects of anti-Asian rhetoric and discrimination on Asian American communities in Florida. The project came from stories M.D. student Liu had heard from family members in California about the discrimination they faced when COVID-19 cases began to increase in the U.S.

“I wanted to look at the experience of Asian Americans and the Asian people here, and how that might have changed with COVID,” Liu said.

“My parents were experiencing racism,” added M.D./M.P.H. student Kim. “People were rolling their windows down and yelling at my dad.”

They created a survey for Asian Americans in Florida that focused on demographics, discrimination, and health care.

“The three of us spent a good month just calling Asian community members throughout Florida in our broken Korean and broken Mandarin, asking everyone to distribute our surveys,” Kim said.

They also went to churches and grocery stores to distribute the surveys. They received 258 responses — about 200 of the respondents were Asian Americans.

“Our studies found that Asians are significantly more likely to experience discrimination during COVID than non-Asians,” Kim said. “We also looked into anticipation of discrimination after the pandemic.”

Kim, Liu, and M.D. student Lee hope to collaborate with researchers in California to compare data and broaden the scope of their work.