Meet the Team!
Brandon Brown is a Professor in the Department of Social Medicine, Population and Public Health at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine. His primary research interests include the health impacts of aging with HIV and ethical issues in HIV research. He has received funding from both private and federal organizations, working closely with community partners in every step of the research process. The first in his family to attend college, Dr. Brown earned his bachelor's degree in applied mathematics followed by a MPH in epidemiology. He then attended the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to earn his PhD in international health. Dr. Brown received additional training as a HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) Scholar, a Resource Center for Minority Aging Research Scholar, trainee at the Fordham HIV Research Ethics Training Institute, and visiting scholar at the Hastings Center for Bioethics. Brandon is the Chair of the Board of Directors of TruEvolution; member of the APHA Nations Health Advisory Board; a National Academy of Medicine emerging leader in health and medicine scholar, and member of the HPTN ethics working group.
|
Gianna Pelayo is a junior undergraduate student majoring in Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology. As a first generation Filipino-American and Inland Empire native, she aspires to expand on her service and advocacy for marginalized populations in the region—from promoting health and wellness education, to working as a volunteer at local free clinics and providing free healthcare to the underserved. Gianna hopes to become a family medicine or pediatric physician to empower future generations in their lifestyle autonomy. She finds great interest in the field of immunology, particularly that of immunodeficiency conditions and utilizing the study as a means of breaking medical stigmas. Outside of the academic setting, Gianna enjoys spending time with her family, trying coffee spots, playing video games, and reading.
|
Kamron Sherafat is a second year Cell, Molecular, and Development Biology student at UCR. He is from Riverside, and takes pride in promoting equality on the basis of our healthcare system in the Inland Southern California Region. In his free time, he enjoys working out, playing tennis, and listening to music. He also enjoys fashion and gathering inspiration from influencers that he follows! He is extremely excited to work in Dr. Brown's HIV and Aging Research Lab, and looks forward to a great year!
|
Jalene Rodriguez is a current fourth year undergraduate student at the University of California, Riverside, majoring in Biology. As a first-generation Latina student and having grown up in the Inland Empire, her goal is to advocate for the healthcare needs of marginalized populations through a career in medicine. With her involvement in the UCR School of Medicine Pathway Programs and community free clinics, she hopes to use what she learns from these programs to understand the types of healthcare disparities individuals may face and how she can then better serve her community. With a passion for health education and public health, Jalene looks forward to the opportunity of working within Dr. Brown’s HIV and Aging research lab to address the stigmas surrounding HIV and further help play a role in educating her community. In her free time, she enjoys reading, journaling, exploring coffee shops, and visiting art museums.
|
Anh Voong is a 3rd year Biology major at the University of California, Riverside. She has a huge passion for addressing health disparities in underserved communities- from community research to grant writing.Moving forward, she aspires to advocate for patients in the Inland Empire through a future career in medicine, and is super excited to make a difference in the community through this lab! Outside of class, she also enjoys playing tennis, exploring nature, and embarking on foodie adventures.
|
Khoa Le is a 3rd-year Biology major at the University of California, Riverside. Khoa is passionate about health education to help people understand the importance of preventative care. He is excited to join Dr. Brown’s HIV and Aging research lab to learn more about public health and HIV, and he hopes to be able to educate people on the topic. He’d like to apply what he learns to his future career in medicine to create a positive impact on the communities that he serves. In his free time, he enjoys thrifting, watching K-dramas, and hanging out with friends.
|
Ashwin Kunaseelan is a junior undergraduate student majoring in Microbiology at the University of California, Riverside. Ashwin is highly motivated and driven to work towards addressing health disparities found in various communities while also working towards being a peer health educator both on and off campus. He joined this lab in order to help fight the stigma surrounding HIV and wants to help promote equality within the healthcare system. Ashwin hopes to eventually go into medical school and also get his Master's in Health Administration. Aside from academics, Ashwin loves spending time playing tennis, photography, spending time with family, cooking, formula 1 racing, playing video games, and going to the gym!
|
Bhakti Parmar is a 3rd year Neuroscience major and Data Science minor at University of California, Riverside. Bhakti is super passionate about volunteer work, helping provide STEM education for disadvantaged students, and equal opportunities for young women. She hopes to pursue a career in medicine, and continue giving back to the community by being part of this lab! Bhakti is specifically interested in neurodegenerative diseases and preventative healthcare, and would love to explore these ideas further throughout her research experiences. Outside of academics, she loves to go on long walks, crochet and read to destress, drink chai, and vibe to all sorts of music!
|
Kiana Mivehchi is a fourth year Neuroscience major from Orange County. She is enthusiastic about advocating for the development and policies of healthcare. Kiana aspires to go to law school and explore the intersection of neuroscience, healthcare ethics, and legal practice. She is a member of Phi Alpha Delta, Mock Trial, as well as a volunteer for the CARE Office and the Golden ARCHES. She joined The HIV & Aging Research Team to advocate for people living with HIV and to help end the stigma surrounding HIV. In her free time, Kiana enjoys going to the beach, thrifting, going to concerts, and spending time with her family!
|