Taghrid Asfar, M.D., M.S.P.H.
Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences
Member, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
tasfar@miami.edu
(305) 243-3826
Dr. Asfar has extensive experience in tobacco control research nationally and internationally. Since 2001, her tobacco control work has been funded continuously by the NIH and conducted both in the United States and the Eastern Mediterranean Region, including Syria, Lebanon, and Tunisia. This work involves epidemiological and qualitative studies of tobacco use, randomized clinical trials of smoking cessation interventions, and tobacco regulatory research in health communication approaches targeting emerging tobacco products such as e-cigarettes and hookahs. She has two overarching aims in her research: (1) improving smoking cessation treatment among socially disadvantaged and high-risk populations (i.e., low-income adults, ethnic minorities, HIV patients, cancer survivors); and (2) preventing tobacco use among youth and young adults by advancing health communication strategies, such as health warning labels. She has more than 60 peer-reviewed publications (Asfar T - Search Results - PubMed) and many of these are in leading, high impact journals in this field (i.e., Tobacco Control; Nicotine and Tobacco Research; Addiction; and the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group). Dr. Asfar has currently five active grants as PI including:
- 1R01DA051836: Developing and testing health warning labels on the ENDS (electronic cigarette) device
- 20K10 James and Esther King Biomedical Research Program: Developing and testing waterpipe-specific health warning labels targeting young people in Florida
- R01TW010654-01: Translating Evidence and Building Capacity to Support Waterpipe Control in the Eastern Mediterranean
- CFAR Pilot Award P30AI07396: “Mind2Quit” Developing A Mindfulness Smartphone App for Smoking Cessation for People Living with HIV
- Sylvester Cancer Center Pilot Award P30CA240139: Smartphone Application versus In-Person Mindfulness-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention for Young Cancer Survivors: Reach versus Effectiveness
Anthony Arango
Diversity in Cancer Research Program Intern and Undergraduate Student Volunteer
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
aa3492@mynsu.nova.edu
Anthony Arango, an ardent advocate for public health, graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a major in Public Health. Commencing his professional journey as a Student Researcher at NSU Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, he delved into researching health literacy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Proficient in both English and Spanish, Anthony holds certifications in National Phlebotomy, Heartsaver CPR AED, and Disaster Mental Health. His diverse experience includes roles such as a Research Assistant at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and a Community Health Project Coordinator at Taskforce Fore Ending Homelessness. Anthony aspires to pursue a medical doctorate following his MPH and aims to establish a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing healthcare access for marginalized communities.
Claudia Bonilla, B.S.
MPH Student Volunteer
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
cmb383@miami.edu
Claudia Michelle Bonilla is a student research assistant volunteer and an MPH candidate at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine's Department of Public Health Sciences. She has prior experience in assisting research studies in cognitive psychology with older adults. Her research interests include Latinx health disparities, substance abuse, and infectious diseases. She is currently involved in research on smoking cessation.
Alejandra Casas, M.P.H.
Research Assistant
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
axc623@miami.edu
Alejandra Casas completed her Master of Public Health (MPH) at the University of Miami. She is currently a research assistant on Dr. Asfar's team who moderates focus group sessions, facilitates mindfulness training sessions to help individuals living with HIV quit cigarette smoking, and manages all active projects’ IRB submissions and Florida Department of Health progress reports. Alejandra has experience in assisting and conducting research studies in psychology and public health, on topics such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and smoking cessation. She has previous experience in facilitating cognitive behavioral therapy sessions for patients with anxiety-related disorders, executive functioning, and eating disorders.
Roxana de Dios, B.S., M.P.H. Candidate
Research Assistant
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
rad317@miami.edu
Roxana de Dios is a new research assistant at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Public Health Sciences. She is also currently a second-year student in the Master’s in Public Health (MPH) Epidemiology program at FIU Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work. In her future career, Roxana is interested in observing the epidemiology of chronic neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Lily Friedman, B.S., M.P.H. Candidate
Research Assistant
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
lxf699@miami.edu
Lily Friedman is a research assistant at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Public Health Sciences, as well as a student in the Masters of Prevention Science and Community Health program. She has experience in assisting and conducting research studies in public health in areas such as addiction treatment and HIV. She has experience facilitating focus groups, interviewing study participants, and assisting in manuscript writing.
Olusanya Joshua Oluwole, M.D., M.P.H.
Research Analyst
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
ojo18@miami.edu
Olusanya J. Oluwole is a research analyst at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Public Health Sciences. He has experience in clinical medicine, biostatistics and public health. His previous research experience focused on infectious diseases, indoor air pollution, breast and brain cancer. He is currently involved in research on tobacco use and smoking cessation.
Mary Varela Carballo
Research Assistant
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
mkv17@miami.edu
Mary Varela is a research assistant at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Public Health Sciences. She is currently a student of Biological Sciences at Florida International University on a pre-medical track. She has previous experience with working with large groups of people and managing university related organizations.
