Welcome Q&A with Ami Sedani

Welcome Ami Sedani, our newest addition to UTHealth Houston School of Public Health Faculty

The Department of Epidemiology welcomes Ami Sedani, PhD, MPH to the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Dallas. Sedani brings a fresh perspective and enthusiasm to her role. With a passion for cancer research, she is eager to contribute her expertise and connect with students and colleagues. In this Q&A, Sedani shares her excitement about this new beginning, her vision for the future, and the inspiration behind her journey into public health.

Q: Can you share a brief overview of your educational background and how it has shaped your career?

A: I earned my B.S. in biological sciences with a concentration in biology and society from Arizona State University, which introduced me to the intersections between science, health, and broader societal issues. At the time I was very interested in nutrition. I was a volunteer research assistant for a faculty member housed in the School of Nutrition and Health Promotion. That was my first formal introduction to public health and team science. This early exposure to public health led me to pursue an MPH in epidemiology, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Recognizing the need for practical public health experience, I pursued an AmeriCorps position focused on nutrition education, followed by an internship at a local health department. Through an R25 program, I gained valuable training in cancer epidemiology, which solidified my research interest. Encouraged by my advisor, I took some time away from academia and worked as a chronic disease epidemiologist at the state health department for two years, where I realized that advancing my education would be critical to conducting the kind of work I was passionate about. I then pursued a PhD in epidemiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where I refined my methodological expertise while also gaining a deeper appreciation for the broader structural and social drivers of health. Preparing for and taking my comprehensive exams in 2020-at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, reinforced this perspective, as it became clear how deeply social determinants shaped health outcomes and disparities. My experience in a Preparing Future Faculty program reinforced my desire for an academic career. This led me to a postdoctoral position focused on colorectal cancer and health disparities, further preparing me for a faculty role where I could combine research, mentorship, and public health impact.

Q: What aspect of this new role are you most passionate about?

A: UTHealth Houston is a respected institution with a strong commitment to advancing public health, which aligns very much with my own goals as an epidemiologist. I was also particularly drawn to the opportunity to collaborate with incredible researchers and the potential to contribute to work that makes a real difference here in Texas. There’s also a lot of important public health work to be done in this region, and I’m excited to be a part of an institution that’s leading those efforts.

Q: Can you share insights about your research and its focus areas?

A: Overall I’m interested in cancer prevention and control. I’m a cancer epidemiologist and my research focuses on understanding and addressing social drivers of cancer-related health disparities. I’m also interested in tackling some of those methodological challenges, such as selection bias, which can impact the accuracy of our findings. My goal is to generate actionable insights that inform interventions and policy to reduce cancer health disparities. By addressing these root causes and improving our research methods, my goal is to contribute to a future where equitable cancer prevention and care are accessible to all, ultimately advancing public health on a broader scale.

Q: What inspired you to focus on this area of research?

A: I was kind of thrown into it. Cancer has always been a personal interest of mine. My mom’s brother and dad passed away from cancer before I was born. And learning that in the U.S., 1in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. It’s a very prevalent problem. I was also very fortunate to meet the right people at the right time. For example, during my master’s program, I had access to and was selected to be a part of an R25 program that allowed me to obtain extensive training in cancer prevention and control, and lead an international research project in Tanzania for 14 weeks.

Q: What unique skills and perspectives will you bring to this role?

A: My experience in public health practice, which includes roles as an AmeriCorps scholar and positions at both the state and local health departments, has provided valuable experiences in the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based programs with a focus on health equity. These experiences have led to an important focus on my work being community-engaged, with the goal of bridging the research-to-practice gap.

Q: Can you share the moment or experience that inspired you to pursue public health?

A: I don’t think there was one moment when I knew I wanted to pursue public health, rather it was more of a gradual realization shaped by different experiences. Growing up, I lived in several different states, and I couldn’t help but notice the differences between neighborhoods- things like access to healthcare, quality of education, availability of sidewalks, and even the presence of grocery stores. These differences shaped people’s opportunities to live healthy lives, and it made me curious about why some communities had more resources than others. During my undergraduate program, my concentration was biology and society which exposed me to the intersections between science, health, and broader societal issues. While in this program I completed a research project with a faculty member housed in the School of Nutrition and Health Promotion. That was my first real introduction to public health, team science, and using data to inform interventions. When I applied to graduate school, I chose a master's of public health in epidemiology- honestly, I didn’t know everything it entailed, it just sounded exciting at the time. Even though I had struggled with math group, I had developed an unexpected love for statistics and data and I wanted to explore how I could use those skills to better understand health patterns and disparities.

Q: What do you like doing in your free time?

A: I like to spend my free time traveling, trying new restaurants in town, and catching up with friends and family. Lately, I’ve been trying to be more intentional about taking time to recharge, especially with good food and good company.

Sedani’s passion for cancer prevention and control, combined with her dedication to advancing health equity, makes her an invaluable addition to the Department of Epidemiology at the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. As she embarks on this new chapter as an assistant professor and researcher, she looks forward to collaborating with colleagues, mentoring students, and making meaningful contributions to the field. With her expertise and commitment, Sedani is poised to make a lasting impact on cancer research and public health.

To learn more, visit the Department of Epidemiology website.