New Recruits
Welcome New Recruits
In keeping with our commitment to multidisciplinary research and in pursuit of National Cancer Institute designation, the UF Health Cancer Center is investing in its faculty, as evidenced by the superb 2017 recruits highlighted here.
Carma Bylund, Ph.D.
Joined: August 2017
Prior Institution: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Position: Associate Professor, Department of Public Relations, UF College of Journalism and Communications
Research: Dr. Bylund’s research investigates communication in health care, specifically in contexts of cancer prevention, cancer care and cancer survivorship. Other contexts include patient navigation, genetic counseling and clinical trials — as well as interventions to improve health care communication, both physician- and patient-focused.
Raad Gharaibeh, Ph.D.
Joined: March 2017
Prior Institution: University of North Carolina
Position: ResearchAssistant Professor, Department of Medicine, UF College of Medicine
Research: Dr. Gharaibeh’s research is focused on understanding how alterations in the microbiome can lead to promotion of gastrointestinal ailments using computational approaches. He is particularly interested in integrative approaches that not only examine the microbiome but also the host response — specifically those geared toward identifying and understanding the functional capacities of gut microbiota.
Russell Hepple, Ph.D.
Joined: December 2017
Prior Institution: McGill Research Center
Position: Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, UF College of Public Health and Health Professions
Research: Dr. Hepple leads a lab focused on understanding the mechanisms of neuromuscular impairment in aging and age-related diseases, such as chronic obstructive lung disease, and the mechanisms of healthy aging in novel populations, such as world-class track and field athletes. The lab employs a wide range of techniques, from leading-edge mitochondrial function ex vivo in small muscle bundles to confocal microscopy for assessing the detailed structure of the muscle endplate, and complements these measures with current molecular biology techniques.
Biljana Horn, Ph.D.
Joined: July 2017
Prior Institution: University of California
Position: Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatric Hematology, UF College of Medicine
Research: Dr. Horn’s research efforts are focused on developing reduced-intensity conditioning regimens for children, improving outcomes for children with brain tumors by using high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell support, reducing transplant- related mortality, reducing relapse after transplant and developing regimens for transplant of newborns with immune deficiencies.
Jinhai (Stephen) Huo, M.D., Ph.D.
Joined: July 2017
Prior Institution: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Health Services Research, Management and Policy, UF College of Public Health and Health Professions
Research: Dr. Huo is a health services researcher and health economist. His main research interests are the delivery of health care, health disparities, health policy and economic evaluation — with a particular focus on cancer care. He has expertise in utilization, comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness analysis using data from large national claims and survey databases, such as SEER-Medicare, Texas Medicare, MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters, MarketScan Health Risk Assessment Survey, Medicare Fee-For Service Provider Utilization and Payment, National Health Interview Survey and National Plan and Provider Enumeration System.