Suneja Lab Members
Current Members
Anthony Ariotti is the study coordinator in Dr. Suneja’s research lab and manages the administrative and recruiting tasks associated with the lab’s research on treatment decision making between patients and oncologists. Anthony has his bachelor’s degree in psychology, and is involved in several other studies within the Department of Population Health Sciences, from evaluating decision aids for atrial fibrillation to improving quality of care for mobile health clinics. Anthony hopes to attend a Social Psychology graduate program in the future. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking and camping, listening to music, and catching up on the latest memes.
Mariam is a medical student at the University of Utah School of Medicine. During college, she majored in biological sciences and minored in women's and gender studies and found her passion for women's health and addressing health disparities from there. She graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2020 and went on to work for biotech/pharmaceutical companies as a cell therapy specialist for two years before starting her MD. Her research interests with Dr. Suneja and team involve using patient reported outcomes to measure the toxicities of cancer treatments in rural vs. non-rural patients. Mariam enjoys listening to afrobeats music, watching reality tv shows, reading novels or catching up with friends and her family in Nigeria.
Jessica is a radiation oncology resident at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah. She was born in California but grew up in Austin, Texas where she became a neonatal ICU nurse before deciding to attend medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch. It was during medical school when she discovered her calling to radiation oncology. She has a passion for making comprehensive, guideline-concordant cancer care accessible for all and is particularly interested in improving care in this complex system for rural communities and individuals experiencing homelessness. In her free time, Jessica loves nearly all forms of physical activity including aerial silks, yoga, weight training, snowboarding, and hiking. She also likes travel, reading, the outdoors, board games, spending time with her husband and dog, and—like most people in the world—coffee and good food (especially new cuisines).
Anisa Dahir is a Physician Assistant / Master’s in Public Health candidate at Tufts University School of Medicine. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Westminster College, where she majored in Public Health and completed an honors certificate. Anisa is an advocate of public health efforts, specifically in minimizing health disparities and maximizing health care access among underserved communities. She is committed to improving access to health services for her community and was a member of the Utah Muslim Civic League - Public Health committee, where she assisted in the development of health education programs in a variety of languages and organized/facilitated various vaccine clinics. Anisa is dedicated to combining her public health background with her medical training to provide a holistic approach to healthcare. Her current research interests align with the Suneja lab mission and goals to increase health equity in cancer treatment and outcomes.
Valencia Henry, MS is a 2nd year medical student at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic medicine where she serves as a student ambassador. She earned a Bachelor of science degree from Stetson University where she was awarded a merit scholarship and majored in Biology with a minor in Psychology. She went on to receive her Master of Science degree from Barry University, where she majored in Biomedical Science. Valencia is an awardee the 2021 ASTRO minority Summer Fellowship as well as the 2021 ASCO Medical Student Rotation award. Valencia has been published on the AMSA website with her post " The 1000 Mile Journey to Medical School" where she shares insight into her arduous path to medical school. She has participated in the Diversity Summer Health-Related Research Education Program (DSHREP) at the Medical College of Wisconsin where she conducted research and presented an abstract titled “Genetically Modifying Patient’s AML Tumor Cells to Produce IL-12: A potential Treatment Option for AML Patients”. Valencia has a strong interest in Oncology and aspires to specialize in this field. She is committed to decreasing the mortality rate of those diagnosed with cancer. Ms. Henry is very involved in her community and is committed to serving underserved communities and closing the gap in health care disparities. She intends to blend her future role as a physician with mentorship, advocacy, and social justice.
Ayesha Khan is a medical student at the University of Utah School of Medicine. She grew up in Salt Lake City, and as an undergraduate at the University of Utah she majored in biomedical engineering and minored in mathematics. Her interests lie in clinical applications of engineering and mathematical principles to improve heath equity and patient outcomes. Her research interests with Dr. Suneja and Dr. Huang involves developing a training methodology to increase brachytherapy use. Outside of school, Ayesha enjoys hiking, running and spending time with friends and family.
Ashley Khouri is an MD candidate at the University of Utah School of Medicine, class of 2024. She is a 2020 graduate of Duke University with a BS in Biology. At Duke, she was part of the Glioblastoma Drug Discovery Group, and at HCI, she is also a part of the Skyler Johnson Research Group with a focus in oncologic outcomes of prostate cancer patients. Current research interests with Dr. Suneja and the rest of the team include disparities in HIV-positive individuals seeking cancer treatment. Outside of school, Ashley enjoys hiking and skiing.
Claudia Melendez is an MD candidate at the University of Utah School of Medicine, class of 2027. She majored in neuroscience and international relations with a concentration in global health at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), where she graduated in 2023. During her time at Penn, she worked with a team at the Abramson Cancer Center to address the rising disparities in colorectal cancer screening. Her work centered on reducing barriers to access by bringing screenings directly to communities. Her work with Dr. Suneja centers on understanding the documentation of social determinants of health within the radiation oncology department to identify changes that could be made to better support patients. Outside of school, Claudia enjoys paddleboarding, reading, and cheering on her favorite Philly sports teams.
Seth Seifert is an MD candidate at the University of Utah School of Medicine, class of 2025. He graduated in 2011 with BAs in philosophy and psychology from The University of Texas at San Antonio and received an MA in clinical & counseling psychology from William Paterson University in 2014. Seth’s current research interests include the psychosocial impact of cancer and cancer treatment, advances in radiation oncology, and health equity. When not in school, Seth enjoys snowboarding, playing guitar, and board game nights with friends.
Maya Stephens is the Laboratory Manager for the Suneja Lab at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute. She is also involved in studies within the Department of Population Health Sciences with Dr. Melissa Watt. Maya earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology degree from Paine College and a Master of Science in Global Health degree from Duke University. Over the years, her research and work have focused on ecology and its impact on health, sexual and reproductive health, and adolescent and youth sexual reproductive health in local and global contexts. She also has experience leading Diversity, Belonging, Equity, and Inclusion efforts in her previous role at Duke University. Maya is passionate about increasing knowledge and access amongst underserved communities globally and is an advocate for equity in health, education, and opportunity. Outside of work, Maya enjoys traveling, reading, binge-watching medical shows, trying new restaurants, and serving her local community.
Dr. Eduardo Urias was born in El Paso, TX and raised in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico across the border. He graduated from The University of Texas at El Paso with a degree in physics. Then he completed a dual MD/MBA program at Texas Tech University and it was here he learned of the field of radiation oncology, which combines the wonders of physics and engineering with the art and science of medicine to provide therapeutic interventions for patients. Since 2021, Dr. Urias has been fortunate to be a resident at the University of Utah, Huntsman Cancer Institute, where he gets to learn from and work with great faculty like Dr. Suneja. His research interests include immuno-oncology, radiation toxicity, and health care disparities. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, playing guitar and piano, playing basketball, and hanging out with his dog.