CITAR students and alumni
Students participating in our Center for International Training and Research are funded from a variety of sources, but to date have been almost exclusively funded from the Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF) and the Fogarty International Center (FIC) AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP).
The VEF provides 2 years of stipends and institutional support, while the AITRP supports the remaining 3 years and travel expenses between Houston and our research and training sites in Vietnam.
As of November, 2008, current and former students include:
Anh Duc Ngo, MD, DrPH
Anh received a VEF fellowship from 9/2004 until 8/2006, and a UTSPH AITRP fellowship from 9/2006 until 1/2007. He was working at the WHO Country office in Hanoi in 2004 when he was selected for a VEF Fellowship. At the UTSPH he chose to pursue a DrPH under the guidance of Professors Sheryl McCurdy and Michael Ross. Anh was an enthusiastic student who worked hard and completed research leading to a dissertation earlier than expected, titled "Female Sex Workers in Vietnam, Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV -- How Risky?" Anh and another student took on the substantial work of organizing and teaching in our 2006 Workshop in Hanoi. Although Anh did not graduate until May, 2007, he had already begun a fellowship/junior faculty position with Queensland University School of Public Health in Hanoi where he will continue to do research on behavior aspects of HIV transmission among high-risk populations.
Chinh Dang, MD
Chinh, who received a VEF fellowship from 9/2004 until 8/2006, and began work as a UTSPH AITRP postdoctoral fellow in June of 2008, was working as a junior faculty member at the Institute of Hygiene and Public Health of the Ho Chi Minh City Medical University when he was accepted for a VEF Fellowship in 2004. Chinh completed a doctoral dissertation in epidemiology in 2008 entitled "BMI and Its Determinants among Children in Vietnam Ages 6 to 15" under Professor Sue Day, and has returned to his faculty position at the Institute of Hygiene and Public Health in Ho Chi Minh City following graduation. Chinh has broad interest and experience in public health and while he does not expect to pursue a career related to HIV/AIDS, he has been enthusiastically supportive of the efforts of AITRP and his colleagues who do. He will be a critical liaison between CITAR and his university in the future.
Ha Thi Phan, MD
Ha received a VEF fellowship from 9/2004 through 8/2006, and a UTSPH AITRP fellowship in 9/2006 which is ongoing. She received her MPH from the University of Washington SPH in 2003 and was working for the PATH in Hanoi when she applied to VEF for a fellowship for doctoral training in epidemiology. Her UTSPH advisor is Professor Lu-Yu Hwang, one of CITAR's Associate Directors. Ha is working on a thesis called "HIV and HCV Infections among Injection Drug Users in Vietnam." Ha and another student took on the substantial work of organizing and teaching in our 2006 Workshop in Hanoi, and our 2007 Workshop in Ho Chi Minh City, and provided assistance to our Hue Workshop in 2008. In 2007, Ha received an International Program Award from the UTSPH.
Hao Thi Duong, MD
Hao received a VEF fellowship from 9/2004 until 8/2006, and a UTSPH AITRP fellowship beginning in the Spring, 2008. Hao, a pediatrician, received an MPH from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands in 2002, and was working as a junior faculty member at Hue Medical University when she received a VEF Fellowship. At UT she has been pursuing a doctoral education with a combined emphasis on epidemiology and health promotion and is working on a thesis entitled "BMI Change in Children Over Time" with Professor Deanna Hoelscher in the Division of Health Promotion and Behavior Sciences. We are developing a post-doctoral study to determine the immune response and efficacy of HBV immunization in premature newborns in partnership with Ngoc Tam, our new institutional partner in Ho Chi Minh City. Hao took on the job of organizing and teaching in our 2008 Workshop in Hue.
Hung Nguyen Luu, MD
Hung began his coursework in Spring, 2008, and has financial support from the VEF. He received the degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Thai Binh Medial University in 1997 and an MPH (major: Health Economics) from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in the USA in 2003. At UT Houston, Hung is a doctoral student in the Epidemiology program under the supervision of Dr. Beasley, Director of CITAR. Upon graduating from medical school, Hung worked for several international research organizations (Family Health International, Futures Group) in the field of HIV epidemiology research and applied statistical models for HIV projection and estimation. His recent position was Epidemioogist/Researcher for UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office, Bangkok in the HIV/AIDS Datahub program, which has been trying to synthesize HIV related data for proper response in 25 countries of Asia and the Pacific Region. His research interests include HIV epidemiology and cancer epidemiology.
Huy Xuan Ha, MD
Huy was supported by a grant from the government of Vietnam from 01/06 through the summer of 2008. In September of 2008, he began to receive support as a UTSPH AITRP fellow. He received his MD at the Bacthai Medical University in 1994 and began his MPH training in Health Education and Communication at Tulane University in 2005-2006. He has served as Program Officer for the Vietnam Iodine Deficiency Disorder Program of the MOH in Vietnam, the Health Communication Project Officer a the Vietnam-Australian Iodine Deficiency Control Project in Vietnam, and as an Officer in the National Centre of Health Education of the MOH in Vietnam. After completing his MPH, he is now working towards the DrPH in the subject of drug use and unprotected anal intercourse.
Marape Marape, MB, BCh, BAO, BA
Marape is a scholar with the Baylor College of Medicine AITRP, which is also here in Houston. AS a Fellow from Gaborone, Botswana, who joined the Baylor University AITRP in August, 2007, he is one of CITAR's few non-Vietnamese members. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Health, with special emphasis in epidemiology here at the UTSPH. Before joining the Baylor AITRP fellowship program, he worked as a Medical Officer at the Botswana-Baylor Children's Clinical Centre of Excellence for two and a half years. His work was focused on the management of HIV/AIDS and related conditions in children and families. He was also involved in clinical mentoring, research and education. His main interest lies in tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS coinfection, especially in children and adolescents.
Katherine Ngo
Katherine completed her undergraduate studies in biology at The University of Texas in Austin in May, 2007. She developed an interest in public health studies through her courses and as a volunteer assisting hurricane Katrina victims, and elected to attend the UTSPH. Her advisor is Dr. Beasley. Katherine travelled to Vietnam to work on a summer project in 2008.
Minh-Duc Nguyen-Tan, MD
Minh-Duc Nguyen-Tan received a VEF fellowship from 9/2005 until 8/2007, and a UTSPH AITRP fellowship beginning in 9/2007. After receiving the MD degree from Hue Medical University in 1986, he was working for the International organization for Migration in Ho Chi Minh City when he was awarded a VEF Fellowship in 2005. Dr. Beasley became his advisor when he joined the UT MPH program in 2005. He completed a thesis entitled "Epidemiology of Smear-Negative Tuberculosis among Culture-Positive Patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam" as a final requirement for his MPH degree, which was awarded in May, 2007. He will continue work on tuberculosis as he works for the PhD in epidemiology in collaboration with Professor Edward Graviss on the UT adjunct faculty from Baylor College of Medicine.
Moorine Sekadde, MD
Moorine Sekadde is a Baylor AITRP Scholar from Uganda and is also one of CITAR's few non-Vietnamese members. After receiving her medical training at Makerere University in Uganda, she worked as a volunteer medical officer in the pediatric and adult emergency units of Mulago National Referral Hospital, and then worked as a medical officer at the Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation, Uganda. She started coursework here at the UTSPH in the Fall of 2007 and her advisor is Dr. Beasley.
Nhiem V. Luong, MD
Niehm V. Luong received VEF support from 9/2004 through 8/2006 at UNC. Nhiem attended Thai Binh Medical University, and was a junior member of the physical medicine faculty of Thai Binh University (a city with a population of 2 million located 50 miles NW of Hanoi) when he was awarded a VEF Fellowship in 2004. At UT Nhiem is a doctoral student in Health Promotion under the supervision of Dr. Sheryl McCurdy. He has not finalized his thesis topic. After graduation Nhiem wants to return to Thai Binh University in Thai Binh where they want him to lead their effort to establish a program in public health.
Phuc Le Hong
Phuc Le Hong began her studies in Fall, 2007, and was initially funded through non-AITRP sources. She is a pharmacist trained at Hanoi University of Pharmacy. Since graduation, she has worked in Hanoi, most recently at a pharmaceutical company as a product promotion specialist organizing workshops to introduce clinical trials information, and developing marketing plans and strategies. She has had a long range goal of a career in public health, and has also worked as an official member of the Australian Helping Hands organization writing proposals for IT training centres for street kids and orphans. She is the recipient of several awards. Her advisor is Professor Michael Swint.
Thanh Cong Bui, MD
Bui received a VEF fellowship from 9/2004 through 8/2006 at Yale, and began a UTSPH AITRP fellowship here at UTSPH in 4/2007. After graduating from the University Training Center for Health Care Professionals in Ho Chi Minh City, in 2002, he was doing research on the street children of Ho Chi Minh City at the Health Education and Information Center in Ho Chi Minh City when he received his VEF fellowship in 2004. With Professor Christine Markham as his advisor, Thanh is working on "Application of the Theory of Gender and Power to Examine Self-Efficacy in Negotiating Safe Sex among Female College Students in the Mekong River Delta Region, Vietnam." The UTSPH provided a temporary scholarship when he transferred from Yale, but his support transferred to AITRP in April of 2007. He spent the summer in Vietnam organizing the 2007 Workshop and conducting work towards his thesis. After attending the 2008 Hue Workshop, Thanh has remained in Vietnam to collect data for his dissertation.
Thien Chinh Vu
Vu received a VEF fellowship from 9/2004 through 8/2006, and began a UTSPH AITRP fellowship in 1/2007. After receiving the BSc from Hanoi University School of Pharmacy in 1995, he received an MPH from the University of Sydney in 2003. He holds a position with the Ministry of Health where he was working when he was awarded a VEF fellowship in 2004. His thesis is "A Comprehensive Cost Analysis of provision of Anti-retrovirals Therapy (ART) in public sector in Vietnam" under Professor Michael Swint in the UTSPH Division of Health Policy and Management. Thien Chinh Vu has received an International Program Award at the UTSPH, and is currently (fall, 2008) in Vietnam collecting data for his dissertation.
Toan Ha, MD
Toan Ha is currently receiving VEF support. After receiving his MD from Tay Nguyen University in Dak Lak, Vietnam in 1997 and a Master of International Health at the University of Copenhagen, he spent a year as a Health and Hygiene Education officer at the Buon Ma Thuot Water and Sanitation Project in Vietnam, and was then a research consultant in Vietnam for the International Water Management Institute of Sri Lanka. Before coming to the SPH, Toan was also Project Officer in the Health and Nutrition Programme, Maternal and Child Health and the United Nations Children's Funds (UNICEF) in Hanoi, Vietnam. His advisor is Dr. Markham, and his dissertation topic is "Psychosocial variables associated with sexual risk behavior among an urban seventh grade popoulation in Houston, Texas."
Tuan Vo
Tuan received a Vietnam government scholarship before VEF was created and was one of UT's first Vietnamese doctoral students. Tuan is currently a member of the OB/GYN faculty of the HCMC Medical University where he also teaches epidemiology. After receiving an MPH from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 2000, Tuan returned to Vietnam. In 2002, he came to the Unviersity of Texas School of Public Health, where he is pursuing PhD studies. Tuan participated in the second Annual Vietnam Workshop held in Ho Chi Minh City in July, 2007.
Betty Nsangi, MD
Betty is a Baylor College of Medicine AITRP Scholar from Kampala, Uganda, and is one of CITAR's few non-Vietnamese members. She began her training in January 2006. Prior to coming to Houston, Betty worked as a medical officer in the Paediatric Infectious Disease Clinic (PIDC), Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda for two and a half years. She is currently pursuing an MPH degree with special emphasis in epidemiology here at the UTSPH. When she completes her degree, she plans to become involved in clinical research with HIV infected children in Uganda.
Joyce Kgatlwane
Joyce Kgatlwane is a Baylor College of Medicine AITRP Scholar from Botswana working on a Masters in Public Health at UTSPH since the Fall of 2008. She received the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Otago in New Zealand and the Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida, USA. She has worked for the Botswana government at several hospitals and has also worked for Botswana Essential Drugs Action Programme at the Ministry of Health. She later joined the Botswana Harvard Partnership Program where she was involved in HIV/AIDS and other infectious disease issues.
Vincent J. Tukei, MD
Vincent Tukei is a Ugandan trained medical doctor that has joined the Baylor College of Medicine AITRP beginning in the Fall, 2008, and is a member of the UTSPH CITAR. He did his first degree in medicine and surgery (MBChB) from Mbarara University of Science and Technology (Uganda) and graduated in 1995. After one year of internship, he worked for another one year as a medical officer in a district hospital in Uganda. From 1998 to 2000, he worked as an assistant lecturer in the department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at Mbarara University. In September 2000, he enrolled for studies at Central South University in Changsha, China and graduated with a Masters of Medicine degree in Pediatrics in July 2004. He joined the Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation (Uganda) in February 2005 as a pediatrician and worked as Head of Clinical Services for the Clinic until August 2008. Vincent is currently pursuing an MPH degree majoring in Epidemiology and hopes to graduate and go back to Uganda to continue with his former work of caring for HIV-infected children at the Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation, Uganda. He is also interested in research and hopefully, with the knowledge acquired here and with funding, he'll be able to initiate some research studies in the field if HIV/AIDS among Children.
Tran Trung Duong
Tran Trung Duong, beginning in September, 2008, is one of the UTSPH's new VEF fellows. He was a dentist teaching at Can Tho University of Medicine and pharmacy, Vietnam since 2007. He received his Masters Degree in Public Health in 2006 from the Queensland University, Australia. His thesis is about the evaluation of the implementation of the Queensland Health's multicultural policies in dental public health sector in the Brisbane South area. He is currently a member of CITAR.
Phuc Phan
Phuc Phan began a VEF fellowship here at the UTSPH in the Fall of 2008. He obtained his medical degree in 1996, and then completed his Master of Science in Medicine from Hanoi Medical University. Since then, he worked as a clinician at the National Hospital of Pediatrics. He received an AusAID scholarship from the Australian government after passing a very competitive nationwide selection process to pursue his MPH at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney from 2003-2004. He then returned to the National Hospital of Pediatrics in Vietnam. He hopes to work on the epidemiology of emerging and re-emerging infections.
