Karen Lindsay
Principial Investigator

Dr. Karen Lindsay is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a PhD and clinical expertise in women’s health and maternal nutrition in pregnancy. She is Assistant Professor in the UCI Department of Pediatrics, as well as Early Career Chair for Integrative Health in the UCI Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute where she provides clinical dietitian services for a variety of patient groups. She is actively involved in teaching nutrition topics to medical students, delivering community lectures and one-to-one nutrition coaching across the UCI campus, as well as leading the Pregnancy Wellness Research lab and mentoring young scientists. Her goal is to build an integrative health research program that promotes optimal nutrition in combination with psychological well-being, with particular focus on women and infant health as well as minority and low-income populations. She was granted a K99/R00 Career Development Award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to study the metabolic effects of the nutrition-stress interplay in pregnancy.

Link to UCI faculty profile: http://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile.cfm?faculty_id=6892

Mirian Kang
Research Associate

Curiosity about how the human body works was my main fuel to pursue my career. I have a medical degree and residency in Pediatrics from Brazil. My heart always leaned towards little babies which made me continue my studies in newborns. I have been conducting clinical research with pregnant women and infants as Staff Research AssociateIII at Dr. Lindsay’s lab at the University of California Irvine. And everyday I am learning how much the intrauterine phase can affect the baby not just in their perinatal stage but for the rest of their lives.
Some curiosities about me: I am a mom of a 6-year-old ultra-smart boy, proud momma here. I love spending time with my boy doing what he loves the most, studying about the outer space and memorizing the world map

Ashwini Erande
Research Associate

I am passionate about working in integrative health and nutrition research and grateful for working with many wonderful people over the years.  I work closely with all research team members in designing research studies, getting them approved and conducting them as per study methodology. I have over 18 years of experience working on clinical trial research, community/public health research in India as well as in the US. I earned Master in Public Health degree from Loma Linda University, California, Bachelors of Science degree in Microbiology and Masters of Science in health Sciences from University of Pune, India. I also completed a certification in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Johns Hopkins University, and I enjoy using SPSS and SAS software to perform statistical analyses on data. I am currently pursuing Integrative Nutrition certification course via UCSD ext. 

My interests that I make time for on daily basis are yoga, dance, rhythmic movements, meditation, photography, audiobooks, and cooking my 2 meals! Over last few years I am learning and getting better at SUPYoga (Stand UP Paddling Yoga).  I love studying and practicing functional nutrition, ancient medical modalities such as Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, creating gluten-free, dairy free recipes, creating exercise regimen using yoga and dance movements. Always up for fun, laughter, travel, adventure and deep authentic connections!

Fiorella Navarro
Clinical Research Nurse

I am a Registered Nurse with experience on critical care and clinical research in all age groups. I have two Bachelor’s Degrees from the California State University, Fullerton in Health Sciences and Nursing Science. In addition, I am certified as a Public Health Nurse; I enjoy working with members of the community to educate them on integrative health and improve their well-being. In my current role as a Clinical Research Nurse in the UCI Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute, I support patient care and research efforts by collaborating with multi-disciplinary team members to deliver high-quality integrative care. 

Some of my hobbies and interests include spending time with my family and friends, meditating, reading, and going to the beach.

Georgia Christodoulou
Research Administrator

I joined the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute team as the Research Administrator in July 2021. I have a doctoral degree in preventive medicine from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in psychological counseling from Columbia University in New York. As a NCI T32 predoctoral research fellow at USC, my primary research interests centered on improving the understanding of heart rate variability as a physiological marker of health and self-regulation. Additionally, I spent most of my research efforts investigating the construct of mindfulness as a foundation for resiliency to stress. Prior to my educational pursuits, I oversaw research operations at Columbia’s MDA/ALS Research Center within the Department of Neurology. On a more personal note, I enjoy hiking, taking long walks, cooking, weight training, meditation, and yoga!

Neydalin Rodriguez
Junior Specialist

Hi! My name is Neydalin and I graduated from UCI with a bachelors in Human Biology. I have always enjoyed studying how different environmental factors influence the human body, therefore being a part of this research has definitely fueled my interests even more. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in medicine, specifically in pediatrics or obstetrics to continue exploring these fields. Some of my hobbies are swimming, reading, spending time with family and friends, and going to amusement parks!

Peiyi Wang
Doctoral Student Researcher

I am a Ph.D. student in the Department of Psychological Science at UCI. I am broadly interested in how stress and social stigmatization are associated with health among racial/ethnic minorities. Currently, I study the link between acculturative stress and maladaptive eating behavior among racial/ethnic minority college students and the mechanisms and protective variables involved. Moreover, I am studying whether culture-related phenomena such as differences in attribution styles, self-views and agency can account for systematic variances in weight discrimination. And how weight stigma internalization influences the victim’s health. Outside of school, I enjoy trying out different cuisines and spending time with my family.

Arlyne Gutierrez
Junior Specialist

I am a recent UCI graduate with a Biological Sciences Major and Minor in Chicano Latino Studies. I have a special interest in social determinants of healthcare amongst underserved and minority communities. My plan is to pursue a career in healthcare that will enable me to help communities in need. I am very interested in nutrition and its integral role in preventative healthcare. Pregnancy Wellness Research helps me gain perspective into how nutrition impacts maternal and fetal outcomes. My interests outside of academia are cooking, staying active, gardening, learning new skills, and spending time with my loved ones.

Hello everyone! My name is Melanie Santamaria and I am a first generation college graduate. I majored in Human Biology at UCI and am pursuing medicine. I am especially interested in maternal and pediatric care. During my free time, I enjoy traveling to new countries, exercising, and trying new restaurants with friends. 

Jaelyn Rose M. Daluraya
Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello! My name is Jaelyn and I am currently a 3rd year Human Biology Major student here at UCI. I a pre-med student with aspirations to practice as a physician and offer comprehensive and longterm care for those in the community. I am excited to contribute to the research being completed with the Lindsay Lab, as I believe in the importance of self-care for health and mental health. When I have extra time, I love to spend time with friends and family, try new foods, and listening to good music.

Hello! I am a 4th year pre-med student at UCI majoring in Biological Sciences. Working with individuals in a community to improve their personal well-being has often driven my interest
through socioeconomic effects on psychological along with physical stress and behavior. I am excited to be working with Dr. Lindsay’s lab team to gain this exposure in prenatal nutrition and
grow research in improving obstetric healthcare. In the future, I plan to pursue a career in pediatrics and psychiatry. I have always enjoyed volunteering to tutor children in elementary school and supporting after school programs. In my free time, I love staying active, cooking different cuisines, hiking, going to the beach, and spending time with my family!

Jineen Mashayekh
Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a second year undergraduate student majoring in Biological Sciences with a passion for medicine. After undergrad, I plan to go to medical school in order to pursue my dream of becoming a Pediatrician. My passion is to learn more about physical, behavioral and mental care for children. I am currently a Health Scholar at Kaiser Permanente and a Motor Sensory Coach at Brain Balance Centers in Orange County. 

Daisy Kim
Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a 4th year undergraduate student majoring in Biological Sciences. As I volunteered in a postpartum department, I became very interested in how factors such as nutrition and mental/emotional health affect maternal and child health outcomes. Therefore, I am excited to have this opportunity of growing my knowledge (through research) alongside the other passionate members of the Lindsay Lab. And in the future, I hope to effectively serve my communities as an aspiring physician assistant specializing in pediatrics and/or obstetrics and gynecology. Outside of my academics, I love playing tennis, hiking with my dog (Mochi), cooking new recipes, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Kerrie Buehler
Medical Student Researcher

Hi – My name is Kerrie Buehler and I am a medical student at UCI. As a member of our Health Education to Advance Leaders in Integrative Medicine (HEAL-IM) program, I have continued to grow my interest in holistic, evidence-based, integrative care. Working with Dr. Lindsay’s lab has introduced me to the intricacies of maternal nutrition and the importance of managing one’s well-being during pregnancy. I am excited to continue to learn about the interplay of nutrition and stress and hopefully use this knowledge in my future practice as a physician. When I am not studying, I love to hike, camp, practice yoga and relax at the beach!

Helen Leka
Medical Student Researcher

I am a medical student and a member of the Leadership Education To Advance Diversity–African, Black And Caribbean (LEAD-ABC) program at UCI. I received my undergraduate degree in Psychobiology at UCLA. My interests center around maternal/child health with a particular interest in health equity and working with underserved populations. I am also passionate about preventative health and how different environmental factors like nutrition and stress can impact health outcomes. In my free time, I love to hike, listen to music and spend time with friends and family.

Fola Adesina
Medical Student Researcher

Hello, my name is Fola (Fah-lah)! I am passionate about mental health and investigating its connection to physical health. I have a BSc in Biology and two minors in Economics and Society, Technology & Society from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. After working for a while, I decided to complete an MSc in Global Mental Health, which is jointly awarded by King’s College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Currently, I am a LEAD-ABC (Leadership Education to Advance Diversity–African, Black and Caribbean) scholar at the UCI School of Medicine and have a research background in mental illness, stress and mindfulness in diverse and under-served populations. I am excited to learn more about alleviating stress in diverse populations, in my time in this lab! In my spare time I like to cook different spice-laden recipes and watch comedies with loved ones!

Noor Hasan
Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a 4th year undergraduate student at UCI majoring in public health sciences with a career interest of becoming a psychiatrist. Currently, I have an associate’s degree in Psychology and in Social Behavioral Sciences. I also volunteer at Kaiser Permanente where I assist nurses on their everyday tasks with patients. My passion is to learn more about the psychological effects of humans and its diverse impact on one’s physiology outcomes. This research study will definitely provide me more insight on how behavioral interventions with pregnant women could positively influence their prenatal outcomes. With my background with patient-centered care alongside with research I hope I can utilize these learning experiences to excel on my journey towards the medical field. Some of my hobbies include yoga, going out for walks and to the beach. 

Emily Ma
Undergraduate Research Assistant

I’m a 3rd year student at UCI with a major in Biological Science and a minor in Public Health. Caring about people’s mental and physical health has alway been my passion. That drives me curious about the field of nutrition. For the future, I’m planning to study Nutrition under Public Health and get a certificate for pilates trainer to better help people with their physical and mental health.For my interests, I like to do pilates, ballet, boxing, and try all kinds of workouts. Besides, I love playing instruments because they can bring me a sense of peace through all the busy work.

Kassandra Romero
Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a 3rd year undergraduate student majoring in Biological Sciences with a minor in Medical Anthropology. I have a great passion for helping and serving others both in and outside my community. My minor has also helped grow my interest in exploring the benefits that having a more integrative approach to medicine/ healthcare can have on the welfare of underserved/under-resourced communities. I am excited to see how my experiences in a research setting like the Lindsay Lab take me on my current pre-med track. Outside of school I often enjoy spending time with friends and family, exploring the outdoors, trying new foods, listening to music, and messing around with different art mediums. 

Tina Malek
Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hi there! I am a fourth-year student at UC Irvine majoring in Biological Sciences. I deeply care about mental and physical health so to be able to have this opportunity to study the interplay between the two is incredible. I have been and still am an avid volunteer in my community which has greatly shaped the person I am today. Currently, I am volunteering at the UCI Douglas Hospital Emergency Department, a local Physical Therapy Clinic, and a Pain Management Clinic. I enjoy learning about maternal health as well as nutrition and the Lindsay Lab beautifully correlates the two! I feel so empowered to be a part of the Lindsay Lab – to work on the pursuit of nutrition by means of pregnancy wellness alongside other inspiring women! In the future, I would like to work on medical devices to improve the daily lives of patients struggling with chronic conditions in order to improve and vitalize healthcare. Outside of school, I enjoy staying active, cooking, singing, going to the beach, and spending quality time with friends and family.