Dr. Karina Lora's Behavioral Nutrition Group
Dr. Karina Lora's Behavioral Nutrition Group

Dr. Karina Lora's Behavioral Nutrition Group

More information coming soon!

 

Principal Investigator

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Lora

Karina Lora, PhD, RD


Graduate Students

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Jasmine

Jasmine Charter-Harris, MPH

Program:

PhD in Exercise Physiology and Applied Nutrition, Nutrition Policy Concentration

Research Interests: 

The role that lifestyle modifications and behavior change have in chronic disease and obesity prevention. Social determinants of health, especially among underserved populations and prevention of obesity-related chronic diseases.

Personal Interests:

Reading, walking, going to museums.

 
 

 

Undergraduate Students

 

 

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Bautista

Anna Bautista

Program:
 
BS in Biology, Minor in Nutrition
 

Research Interests:

Food security in low-income neighborhoods; How the gut microbiome is affected by ultra-processed foods.

Personal Interests:

Running, biking, playing catch (with a football).

cordero

Karla Cordero

Program:
 
BS in Exercise Science and Nutrition
 

Research Interests:

Food access in vulnerable populations. The effects of proper nutrition and exercise on chronic diseases.

Personal Interests:

Running, listening to music, and exploring new places to eat.

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DeRosa

Anthony Derosa

 

Research Interests: 

Finding effective ways of bridging the relationship between public health professionals and the public; Boosting health and nutrition literacy among diverse populations; Clear and effective health communication.

Personal Interests:

Cooking, working out, singing (really anything musical), yoga.

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Aishwarya

Aishwarya Grandhe

Program:
 
BS in Public Health and Nutrition
 

Research Interests: 

Parent's eating habits influence on children's dietary choices.

Food as medicine approaches; Produce Prescriptions and Medically Tailored Meals. 

Personal Interests:

Cooking, walking by the monuments, exploring museums.

 

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hughes

Lindsey Hughes

Program:
 
BS in Public Health
 

Research Interests: 

Genetic and environmental impacts on health, designing new drugs to be more effective, and overall helping communities. 

Personal Interests:

Reading, cooking, and traveling.

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Annie

Annie McFee

Program:
 
BS in Nutrition, Minor in Public Health and Psychological and Brain Sciences 
 

Research Interests: 

Childhood and adolescent nutrition access in rural communities, specifically the Southern Appalachian region. 

Personal Interests:

Listening to music and taking walks outside with my dog!

Maia

Maia Medley

Program:
 
BS in Public Health, Minor in Psychological and Brain Sciences
 

Research Interests:

Implementing and curating culturally competent frameworks into multidisciplinary research with a focus on improving community and global health through increased accessibility.

Personal Interests:

Running and staying active, watching runway shows/fashion designers, and trying new restaurants around the city!

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Patton

Sarah Patton

Program:

BS/MPH Public Health Nutrition 

 

Research Interests:

Eating disorders among female athletes and the impact of a plant-based diet for weight loss strategies.

Personal Interests:

Soccer, cooking, traveling.

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tran

Jessica Tran

Program:

BA in Political Science and Psychology, Minor in Business

 

Research Interests:

Food Addiction and Mental Health: Analyzing the concept of food addition, particularly with unhealthy foods, and its parallels with other addictive behaviors in the context of mental health.

Personal Interests:

Reading, running, and traveling.

lisbeth

Lisbeth Vargas Ramos

Program:

BS in Biology, Minor in Chemistry

Research Interests:

Women's health, specifically the role nutrition plays in cancer prevention to improve clinical practices and contribute to prevention care. 

Personal Interests:

Reading, working out, and traveling.

williams

Zachary Williams

Program:

BS in Public Health

Research Interests:

Focus on closing gaps related to the key determinants of health, addressing the diverse factors that contribute to health disparities, and health equitability across different communities.

Personal Interests:

Exploring new places, traveling, and learning new things.

 

Lab Alumni

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amelia

Amelia Morgan

Research Interests: 

Social determinants of health in underserved populations, food access, food insecurity.

Personal Interests:

Cooking and baking, running, listening to podcasts and exploring coffee shops in DC! 

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maria

Maria Hayes Navas

Research Interests: 

Hispanic fathers’ role in child feeding, feeding practices, nutrition education.

Personal Interests:

Running and biking, especially through the trails in DC. I also enjoy painting and singing.

The Infant Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2: Understanding WIC Participation and Nutrition Outcomes for Toddlers and Children.

Hispanic Men Study 2: A Mapping Approach to Understand Unhealthy Nutrition and Physical Activity Behaviors

Hispanic Men Study 1: Development of a Weight-Loss Behavioral Intervention

Caregivers Gendered Preferences for Content and Delivery Methods of Nutrition Education

Parenting Practices and Adolescents Food Preferences during Independent Eating Occasions

2024 GW Research Showcase

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Jasmine Charter-Harris, MPH, presents Toward an Understanding of Healthy Physical Activity Behaviors Among Middle-aged Central American Immigrant Men: A Concept Mapping Application.

 

2024 GWSPH Research Days

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Lora 1
Amelia Morgan, Maria Hayes Navas, and Anthony Derosa present, Development and Process Evaluation of GW Nutrition Tips: A Nutrition Message Program for Parents of Preschoolers.
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Lora 4
Jasmine Charter-Harris, MPH, presents Toward an Understanding of Healthy Physical Activity Behaviors Among Middle-aged Central American Immigrant Men: A Concept Mapping Application.

 

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Lora 2
Sarah Patton presents, Influence of Live-In Female Partners on Adult African American and Hispanic Men's Engagement on Healthy Food and Physical Activity Behaviors: A Scoping Review.
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Lora 3
Aishwarya Grandhe presents, A Qualitative Exploration of Control, Structure, and Autonomy Support Food Parenting Practices that Hispanic Caregivers Use to Feed Their Preschoolers Healthy Foods.

 

More information coming soon!

The mission of the GW Master of Public Health (MPH) Public Health Nutrition program is to train the next generation of health professionals to integrate nutrition into all aspects of public health practice. Graduates will contribute to the development and improved efficacy of health programs related to nutrition, health promotion, and disease prevention.  In addition, the MPH in Public Health Nutrition degree coursework helps professionals to evaluate the best nutrition-related interventions to use at the community, national, and global levels.

The MPH in Public Health Nutrition at GW is a 45-credit program that full time students can complete in five semesters. The program provides flexible course offerings, which allows students to take up to 15 credits online.

Please visit the Master of Public Health in Public Health Nutrition website.

For further information, please contact the program director, Dr Lora, at [email protected] 

Karina Lora
Phone: 202-994-4226
Email: [email protected]