Director
Dr. Lara-Cinisomo, Ph.D.
Dr. Lara-Cinisomo is a developmental psychologist. Dr. Lara-Cinisomo’s research focuses on addressing mental health disparities in women and mothers, particularly racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, and military populations. Her research approach builds on a framework focused on psychosocial, cultural, structural and physiological factors. Specifically, she examines how contextual factors (e.g., culture, biology) are associated with poor mental health in her populations of interest. As such, she takes an integrated approach to understand mental health disparities in mothers and women. Recently, she completed several studies that examine associations between hormone function (i.e., cortisol and oxytocin) and perinatal depression in Latinas. Her recent studies also tested the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention on reducing stress, depression, anxiety and worry in caregivers of veterans, most of whom were women. Currently, she is conducting a multisite study on prenatal depression, diabetes, and disease management. Dr. Lara-Cinisomo is also exploring brain activation in the context of pain in postpartum women with and without depression.
Graduate Students
Olufemi Fabusoro
Olufemi is a doctoral student in the Division of Nutritional Sciences resuming in summer, 2019. Olufemi received his B.Sc in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. He also earned an M.Sc and M.Phil Degrees in Human Nutrition from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He is a Registered Dietitian with the Health and Care Professions Council, UK. Olufemi’s primary interest includes mental health, hormone function, and maternal nutrition. His goal is to develop nutritional interventions to address anxiety disorders and mental health issues in women of reproductive age. He enjoys taking a brisk walk every morning during favorable weather conditions.
Biniyam Melesse
Biniyam received his B.A in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Political Science from Wittenberg University in 2014. He earned a Master of Public Health with Environmental Health Concentration and Epidemiology from the University of Illinois in 2016. He worked for two years as a health policy analyst at the Illinois Department of Public Health and as a registered sanitarian at the city of Austin Public Health and Texas Department of State health services for three years. He joined LESA when he began his Ph.D. in Community Health in 2019. Biniyam’s research interests include mental health, maternal and child health, and epidemiology. His goal is to design and evaluate interventions designed to address health disparities in immigrant and low-income women, children and families, in developing countries. On his free time, Biniyam runs competitive road races and enjoys international travel.
Mary Ellen Mendy
Mary Ellen Mendy received a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Public Health from the University of The Gambia. In May 2019, she graduated with a Master of Public Health degree and an Epidemiology Graduate Certificate from the University of Illinois at Springfield. Her research interests include immigrants and health disparities in racial and ethnic minorities. On her free time, Mary Ellen runs her fashion blog and sometimes reads fictional novels.
Lesley Pinzón
Lesley received her Bachelor of Science in General Biology at Illinois State University in May 2020. She is currently a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the Masters of Public Health program with a concentration in Epidemiology. Lesley plans to apply to dental school following graduation. She joined the LESA lab in September 2021 and is interested in health disparities amongst minority groups and geographic disparities. Lesley enjoys trying new restaurants, traveling, and spending time with her friends.
Undergraduate Students
Paola Ahumada
Paola is an undergraduate student studying Molecular and Cellular Biology at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. She joined LESA in the spring of 2020 during her sophomore year. Her research interests include women and children’s health, particularly in underrepresented populations. Paola’s current duties in the lab include overlooking lab safety procedures and working on a new study focused on aging caregivers of veterans with traumatic brain injury. In her free time, Paola enjoys art, reading and spending time with her family.
Jessica Avalos
Jessica is a first-generation junior majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Spanish. She has an interest in improving her Spanish language skills and being well-rounded. She looks forward to using Spanish in the stem fields and the health profession. She also looks forward to serving underrepresented communities and those who suffer due to health disparities and language barriers.
Kennedy Campbell
Kennedy is an undergraduate studying Interdisciplinary Health Sciences with a Health Diversity Concentration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She joined LESA in the Fall 2020 academic year. Kennedy is a premedical student interested in medicine, specifically with health disparities in urban communities. She is passionate about the representation and advancement of underrepresented minority students. In her free time, Kennedy enjoys cooking, spending time with friends, and running.
Valeria Duran
Valeria is an undergraduate student studying Human Biology at Pitzer College in Claremont, California. Valeria joined LESA in the summer of 2019 and is currently an undergraduate research fellow for the Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. Valeria’s research interests include health disparities, reproductive health, and maternal health. Valeria’s primary duties in lab include conducting literature searches on risk factors and hormone function in the perinatal period, data entry and management for the Depression and Pain in the Postpartum Period (DaPPP) study, and general laboratory upkeep. Valeria is currently working on a research project that focuses on the roles of oxytocin and cortisol in perinatal depression and anxiety. In her free time, Valeria enjoys swimming, spending time with family, and cooking.
Mathilde Hanchard
Mathilde is an undergraduate student studying Chemistry and Community Health with Health Planning and Administration Concentration at the University of Illinois. She joined LESA in December of 2020, and is interested in health disparities, geographic disparities, reproductive health, mental health, and familial health. In her free time, Mathilde enjoys baking and cooking for others, as well as spending time with friends, and going on long walks.
Jacqueline Marquez
Jacqueline is an undergraduate student studying Community Health with a concentration in Health Planning and Administration, under a Pre-Medicine Track. She is interested in health disparities in underrepresented areas, including women’s reproductive justice, reproductive physical, and mental health. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new running routes, cooking, and watching telenovelas or Korean dramas.
Anjali Patel
Anjali is an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and she is studying Interdisciplinary Health Sciences on the Pre-Medicine track. She is interested in doing research that allows her to learn more about women’s physical and mental health, especially dealing with maternal health and different health disparities that minority women face. During her free time, Anjali likes to spend time with friends and family, as well as trying new things and going to new places.